Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-09-03
PRoeP1nITY.

pRoeP1nrTY.
The inequalities In mo 10 vfmRF
kind, and the social distihctipns khlch
are so marked, even utefe equal rights
are vigorously maintained, seem to
most of us an unsolved problem. i Is
useless to deny the fact that the out
ward advantages of life, wealth, tai
snt, power, fame and social regard are
unequally divided, some enjoying one
or more Of these benefits to repletion,
while to others .they ARA -appArsntly-
unattainable. Neither Is. It Of any
avail to attempt to reconcile ourselves
to the wants Of these advantages BY
decrying their value. Our natures
crave the regard OF Others and lthe
Visible expression Of this, in It's many
forms, as well as the means of acqnir-
Ing q, arc only yalaeiess In the eyes Of
the misanthrope. Accepting, then,
the desirableness Of these blessings Of
condition. and acknowledging tho Inc
quality with which they are scattered,
it Is only asye investigate the causes
which produce these dlsparities and
the name in which they are met,
that we can arrive at any satisfactory
explanation Of why they should exist.
There are three main sources from
which outward prosperity and. success
spring: Unfair or dishonest practices;
natural gifts or endowtnents, or inber.
ltance, and honorable exertions. Some
times the success that seems to follow
from the frst Of these sourcesis pc
culiarly trying to the honorable and
highrminded, who would not stoop to
obtain Il on such terms. lnsincerity
In society, deceit In trade, adnltera-
tions In manufacture, quackery In pro
fessions, seem often to obtain . reward
for which patient aud honest Industry
may strive In vain. Not only 10 this
success frequently short-llyed, but Its
cause once discovered, Its possesseris
exposed to the scorn he justly merits.
At what a price has he purchased this
bubble Of prosperity. For Its sake he
has parted with ~self-respect, dignity,
truthfulness, integrity-all in fact that
ian make him a nan or can win the
esteem of the good. Those who are
Inclined TO envy such success, should
ask themselves il they would be con-
tent to enjoy 1t at 80 fearful an ex-
change. An unsullled conscience, &C.
eompanied though 1t may be by pow,
erty aud neglect, 10 incompsraoly
more valuable to It's possessor than the
most brilliant prosperity gained by
artifice and fraud. Not so, however,
cln We regard that success which pro-
eeeds from native endowments, and
circumstances over which We have no
control. Some inherit riches, some are
gifted with beauty, some with genius,
many receive adulation. and homage,
though no merit calls them forth. This
Is perhaps the most difficult OF all the
dlsparities of life to reconcile with
Justice, as there seemso OH the first view
70 be no compromising circumstances.
Yet the difference appears really
greater to the man who lacks these adj
vantages than to he who possesses them.
The latter Is probably as little satisfied
with his gifts as the former, and Is
equslly looking up to a higher point
and what seems a joyful success to the
one who views 1t at a distance, Is often
hut failure and Disappointment to him
who has it IN his hand. Those thus
gifted are also invested with deeper
responsibilities and often more arduo,is.
duties, such US most Of Us may we'll
shrink from, knowing our incapacity
70 fulfill them. To the third source OF
prosperity and success, honorable eS-
ertions, we owe by far the largest
Number AMI the most important of our
outward advantages. When others
surpass US BY superior industry, greater
perseverance. harder study, more self
denying economy, or more loving and
patient efforts to win confidence and
esteem, all complaints on our part are
palpably unreasonable. In this part
of the conflict Of life we are called to
battle bravely, and to bear upcourage-
ously, confident that no earnest effort
will 90 unrewarded. There Is a strife
Of ambition which proceeds from envy
and jealousy which may prompt to
untold exertions, and may wear out
life In toll and anxiety, only TO recoil
on its victim, and end In Inevitable
| distress and yexation. But there 1t Is
the base motive that polsons the energy
and degradcs the toll. Where the mo-
tives are pure and the intentions good,
all honorable industry, all patient per
| severance, all worthy self discipline
will lay the foundations Of q perma-
nent prosperity, and q success that
may not readily be overthrown. Tho
best Of all our advantages are only
thus attained. Inherited wealth never
brings the happiness that comes from
the ~hard-earned fruits Of Industry.
Genius, unsupported by patient labor,
rarely finds recognition. And love,
chat most blessed Of all human pos
sessions, Is never accorded to wealth
or talent or beauty Of themselves but
Is the w~ell-earned reward Of active
goodness Of heart and Of life. Honor
able energy is also the best preparation
for bearing the inequalities Of, con-
dition. Where We an trace them our
own actions they spur us to fresh en-
deayor. where .they .seen to result