Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-04-14
THE pRs1R1 TO RIsR

Hill, tldl W dspiiO W iAsO eAS
world. In q country like England,
where there is so intense a competition
for a mere living, and where the diff
culties Of rising into a better position
are so great, there is, perhaps, much
wisdom in endeayoring to impress
upon mems minds the desirability OF
contentment with a hard lot. If such n
state of feeling be possible. Resigna-
ton to suffering is a virtue where that
suffering is unavoidable. But where
by fair exertion n man may relieve
himself, it Is his duty, no less, to put
forth his strength for the purpose; and,
as in this country there is full scope for
industry, he who sits idly down and
wrings his hands in despair, because
trouble has come upon him, is justly
looked upon with contempt. This,
however, Is but a limited portion Of
the subject, and remarks Of the English
philosophers are directed more to that
feeling of dissatisfaction with his pres.
ent condition, which makes a mar
FESTIVE, and DESTROYS Of raising himself
into a better one by dint Of hard wori
and "pushing." Mr.. Ruskin, in a re
cent lecture, put forth the doctrine
that it was desirable to aim ut an idea,
of national life, whereof the employ
ments of the people, though eacl
shade should be distinct, should b
neither unhappy o ignoble; WHERE
advance from rank. to rank, though
possible to all men, should be rather
Stunned than desired by the best, ant
where the chief object of every either
should be, not %extrication from a con
dition supposed to be ~disgraceful, bu
"the fulfillment of n duty, which
should also be a birthright." He would
have men rise IN their place, and no
out of it, by doing their work superla
lively well, and not quitting it to do the
work of somebody else. Unquestion
ably society would be very much ben
Gifted by such conduct, provided every
one could be brought to believe tina,
be was in the place for which he was
best fitted; but that is just where the
difficulty lies. A factory hand may bt
persuaded in his own mind that nature
intended him for a legislator, ant
while he entertains such a persuasion
it will be a hard matter for him to alb
stain from endeayoring to bring abou
the change he so much desires in hi
occupation in life O is it easy t
say why it is wrong to entertain homes
ambition Of this or any other kind
provided the object be laudable. So
ciety, or rather the world, was thu
gamer, whenthe ploughman, Rober
Burns, took to writing poetry, ant
when Henry Clay, "the Mill-boy o
the SlaShes," turned his attention t.
law and politics. Mr.. Ruskin woult
have agriculture, seamanship and me
tallurgy erected into fine arts, will
their proper high schools, fitted will
all appliances Of instruction, and hi
has certainly selected yhree profession
whereby there is great scope for TIN
development of high order of mind
but If he has expressed himself as re
: ported, he also means that when a MAJ
) enters upon IL Of these profession
J he shall content himself with excelin,
In it, and not seek to change hi
sphere of action. Had he argued tina
men would be happier than they gen
orally are if, while occupied, the!
aimed at excellence in their occu
pations, and took pleasure in 1t, which
is the secret of. success, he woulC
have had the general feeling Of the
community with him. As his argu'
ment stands, it creates a suspicion that
there lies Mt the root Of 1t the old
aristocratic dislike of seeing q mar
step up from below into n rank tc
which he was not born-a kind Of
rising which produces n "rising" Of
the aristocratic stomach, causing it,
owner to look with contempt upon
p~arvenues, rs they are insolently
termed. There is in such teaching
much Of the old Oriental love of caste,
that baneful blight on tho human heart
which has no remorse In branding meI
as Pariahs and keeping them so fol
ever. This Is the feeling which make!
the noble, with his sixteen quartering'
oil the family escutcheon, refuse ALI
ance or association with n man o
plebeian birth, however upright, giftet
and intelligent. This it Is which ha'
caused as much misery and bloodshet
in the world as any other cause which
can be named; that old feudal tyranny
which is fast passing away and giving
place to universal freedom, wherein s
: man may rise, if he can through hi
own ability and energy, into any
sphere of life, however exalted, IRE
~spective Of the accident Of his birth
The ambition to do this Is widely
different from "that conceited opinion
of ourselves, which leads us to thinl
that whatever business we may happier
TO choose today We ought to despis'
tomorrow, and quit 1t the day aftel
for something more respectable ant
more suited to our supposed traneend
entail merits; ;" a form Of concei
against which Mr.. Ruskin, and thost
who think with him, may be pardonec
for lnyeighing.
Fell FRoM A TRAIN AND KILLED.-