Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-10-28

to be such. To be sure the world will give
him this vote on very easy terms. He must
only aim at something which the world
values, and attain II by other than openly
nefarious means; on these conditions he is
sure Of the worlds endorsement. Nothing
which is absolutely injurious to society,
whether in the end or tho means, will be
tolerated; but the easy-going public will
wink at great deal of selfishness in the
one and a great deal of unscrupulousness
in the other, and bestow its approving
smile on the ability which knows how to
carry its point against opposing odds. "Be
honest, if you can just as well as not" II
virtually says; "but at any rate be smart"
The essence, therefore, of outward success
does not lie in the mere gaining of your OBJ
ject, though this also is necessary, but rath-
er in the public recognition, admiration and
endorsement which follow it, Outward
success, thus analysed, is seen to consist
really in the approving suffrage Of man
kind.
But inward success is absolutely indie.
pendent of the worlds suffrage. He wins
it who secures his own suffrage. His one
vote outweighs the votes of millions. If the
ends he aims at are high and unselfsh, and
if the means he uses are pure, and if he de-
votes himself TO the accomplishment OF
such ends by such means with his whole
heart, he inwardly succeeds. He secures
the approval OF an incorruptible judge. He
wins the suffrage of his own soul. He at
tn;, ha lao f,
plish, the calm appreciation of his own con-
science. Nor is any degree of outward sue
cess at all essential TO this inward success.
He may even draw down an avalanche OF
derision on his own head. The amphithea-
trc of the world may hiss and shout, "A
failure! A failurel Thus it greeted the
most successful man of the 10Th century,
old John Brown, swinging on that Virgin
ian gallows, which he did indeed, as Emer-
son declared, "make sacred, lik the cross"
Who that has read the old mans words at
his trial, cannot hear the inward suffrage oil
that single soul overwhelming, overruling
outnumbering the multitudnous votes oi
great nation? He who, like John Brown
can command this interior verdict, may fail
VI Ills OulNaTu eHu,-tHOusdHus Ol sucH
have failed; and the suffrage OF his cotem-
poraries may be a unit in branding his at
tempt as abortive. Posterity may perhaps
reverse the cotemporary judgment, though
often dare say ii does not; nor is it of the
slightest consequence whether it reverses
or confirms the false decision of the age.
The whole cotemporary world, echoed by
all posterty TO the crack of doom, may cry,
"Failure!' with one upbroken chorus oi
condemnation. But if the inward oracle OF
the breast cast its one vote approvingly, il
stands true rs the Eternal God that, though
the mans attempt may be a failure, the
man himself is success.
Thus two kinds of success offer them
selves to human ambition. The one is out
ward, depends upon the actual accomplish.
ment of outward ends, consists in the ad
miring suffrage of mankind. But the end.
. may be low, and the suffrage of nIankino
may be a lie. The,other kind of success is
inward depends on earnest effort to realize
universal ends, and consists in the APPROX
ing suffrage Of the soul. 1t matters abso-
lutely nothing whether mankind endorse
it or not. 1t is indeed delight to receive
the appreciation of others in the pursuit o
wise and noble 'objects; the sympathy o.
thegood IS the sweetest encouragement that
can come from without. But even this car
be dispe nsed with. Hated by the bad, mis-
understood and ignorantly condemned by
the good, there are still left to him Of pure
purpose and conscious rectitude iniint,
deeps of joy. His life may be succession
OF outward defeats; but he himself know;
it to be inwardly victory and success
Inder.