Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-07-15
MisfelI

The Feslfshness n Complaining that
ssme PerssAs Work Too Hard. 81
From the New York World.
The value ofa man 8 life is to be meas
ured by the good he can do: and one who
rises as high at thirty as another of
slower faculties or feebler industries
rises at fifty, is not to be commiserated
because, in the next twenty years, he
finished career as important as that of
his older contemporary who in the same
twenty years reaches three scsre and
ten.
Mans life is 50 uncertain at best, that
one who finds any thing important to
do can not be blamed for not sparing
himself any effort which is necessary
for immediate success. If the Times,
after Mr.. Raymond started it, had
proved failure in his hands, he might
have found no other adequate career,
and the results OF life of seventy years,
had he lived so long, might have been
far less important than the fifty years
which he accomplished. Nor is it by
any means certain that his early death
was the consequence of over-work.
Many men die young who were never
remarkable for industry, and many very
hard workers live to good old age. Mr..
Beecher himself, taking his whole life
through, has been as strenuously labori-
Gus rs Mr.. Raymond WAS. and in point
of industry Mr.. Greeley has fallen be-
hind neither; yet Mr.. Beecher and Mfr.
Greeley has fair chances of life, as every
body would have said Mr.. Raymond had
the day previous To his sudden and
lamented decease. But even if Mr.. Ray
mond shortened his life by too much
work, we would nevertheless hold up his
career to tide capable youth of the cOun-
try as an example rather than as a warn
ing. His great industry, gave him the
same advantage as ii he had been born
twenty years earlier. 1t brought him
forward into prominence at time when
his abilities could be exerted with full
effect in the most stirring and important
part -four history.
Many of the est enviable regulations
have been acquired by men who died
younger than Mr.. Raymond. Alexander
Hamilton died at forty-seven, and the
last ten years of his life added little or
nething to his fame. If Patrick Henry
had died at fifty his name would have
been equally illustrious. Fisher Ames
died at forty-six, but his figure would
have been equally great if he had died at
forty-seven at the time of his death; and
if Napolean Bsnaparte had died at forty
two, just previous to his Russian CAM
paign, it had been far better for his
fame. If Sheridan had died fifteen or
eighteen years earlier than he did, the
reputation of that brilliant man would
not have been sullied by long blot.
The gallant Wolf fell at thirty three,
having earned q name that will be i'm
mortal. Byron died at thirty-six,
Burns at thirty-seven; Lamaratine
lived twenty years too long for his fame.
Instead of indulging in vain regrets that
distinguished man has been cut down
in the midst OF his usefulness, and pre-
summing to censure the activity which
made his life fruitful, it rather becomes
us to be thankful for an example which
teaches how much can be achieved in q
short life by the strenuous exsrtiOn of
good faculties. Mr.. Raymond, long be-
fore he was forty, had become one Of the
most persuasive writers, one of the most
skillful newspaper managers, one of the
best business men, one of the ablest par
liamentary debaters, aud one of the most
accomplished presiders over delibera-
tive body In the United States A man
so capable and versatile, and SO variously
equipped, was admirably fitted for in
fiuence would have grown il his life had
been longer spared. 1t Is at least GER
tain that he did nothing to increase 1t
during the last four years of his life.
His participation la the Philadelphia
Convention and his career in Congress
lower him in the estimation of his party
and added nothing desirable to his rep
utatiOn with the rest Of his countrymen.
No man who accomplishes SO much in
life as he did, in so short time, should
be unwilling to 60 When he is summon
ed. Complaints that he squandered his
life by excessive industry are vain and
idle.