The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-02-11
THE VIRTUE OF PERSISTENCE.
BY HORACE GREELY.

[ think the world is very generally mis-
led by that vague term, genius. Far be
it from me to deny that some are born
with loftier paclties, quicker perceptions,
happier mental constitutions, than others;
| yet | think what Is best in human in.
tellect is not capacity but tendency. Or
the three decidedly most gifted and bril-
liant young men have known, one died
in a poor-houSe, of t}eltrlune henlens i:
another sunk into an early grave, respect
ed, but also victim of alcoholic stimula-
ton and the third, though h.,rdly thir-
", Is to-day a vagabond and cumberer
OF the ground, tc whom it would be very
unsafe to lend dollar. All these had
not merely brilliant apacities-they real
ly achieved decided success in their bet
ter days they could be industrious and
efficient if they would, and for months at
time were So; but they had not the
true purpose, or they could not have fall
tered ana fallen as they did. Had they
they would neverhave been thus desc
rted by their guardian angels.
| know there is small class of whom
the world says, They see to the heart
of things by intuition; they are poets
HUH iii pulSc otllS oiatofS, StdtcSuleU,
critics, sages, because nature would have
1t so. | beg leave to Doubt that men of
this stamp are whit more abundant than
white crows. l know there are enough
who take pleasure and pride in surpris-
ing the public with prodigies Of easy and
rapid achevements-who would have US
believe that they have thrown off their
epic a canto per day, and can write you
10,
before dinner. Now, do not question
ton, us the result IF past study and &C
qutreHteHt; in fact, | know OF such in
| stances but look at Virgils' four lines
per day-writen that day to be read
through all future time; consider how
Demos henes made himself an orator
against Il host of natural impediments !;
examine fac stmHe Of a manuscript of
Byron's poems, and mark the numerous
erasures and interlineations arguing slow
composition and puzzled brain, and note
well that the man who writes poem, a
sermon, an elaborate review, an Grafton
III a day, has been many years acquiring
that facility, and you will agree with me
that the vulgar supposition that some are
SO gifted by nature that they may achieve
distinction without effort, is contradicted
by thousand facts where it seems to be
sustained by one. My sometime friend,
who persisted miserably of delirtun ire
Dieas, often affected to write without la
Dor; yet happen to know, from his in
innate family connections, that he re-
peatedly shut himself up for months and
devoted his whole energies to study In
these periods of hibernationthe sparkling
etfusions which he seemed to dash off
impron,ptu, after his return to society,
had essentially their origin
At all events, be sure there is no
Chance in the universe, and, when we
say there is, we can truly mean only that
we are ignorant of the relation of cause
and effect in that instance. Ali things
are governed by Law, from the falling of
an avalanche to the growth of violet.
Sire, said an envious courtier, to whom
Louis XIV was praising one of his gen.
erals, who had just achieved brilliant
tr umph, "Sire, Marshal Villars is very
lucky. Lucky, sir !" promptly re-
sponoed the grand monarque. Marshal
Nillars lucky did you say? No, sir
he is great deal more than that -
\ true and noble success is within the
reach of every human being who rightly
apprehends and will diligently seek it.
1t may very we'll be quite other than the
aspirant meditates-it may even seem
defeat to the superficial observer-but
God still reigns, and no heroic and un-
selfish aim can ever be really defeated.
If five thousand aspire to fill the Presi-
dental chair, it Is very certain that all
cannot have precisely that outward and
visible stamp of success they covet; but,
were they fifty thousand, and their as
tial, to enlighten and bless their country
men rather than rule them, there are
ample work and scope for them ALL One
may be privileged to teach thousands to
loathe INDULGENCE, frivolity, display and
wee, and love industry, snbriety. modesty
! and virtue, while another incuicatcs me
same lessons only in narrow. secluded