Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-04-07
Perseverance.

IT is an old subject, but one which can
not be too frequently forced upon the at
tention of the young. They should be
made to realize that perseverance and sue
cess are synonymous terms that no mat
ter how auspicious may be their surround
ings, they can never achieve eminence
without perseverance, and that with it
they can attain eminence however adverse
may be the circumstances of their lot.
The lad who forms the habit of overcom-
ing difficulties becomes the man who grap-
Piles with circumstances, boldly confronts
all obstacles, real and imaginary, and by
the momentum Of his asserted will, as IL
were, is carried forward to success; or, as
Montaigne declared three hundred years
ago, mans power and determination to
push forward increases with opposition,
just as "the fire burns with greater fury
when cold comes to mix with it,
Perseverance often reeompenses for lack
of native ability. DR.. Arnold whose long
experience with youth at Rugby enabled
him to speak with authority, declared that
I" the difference between one boy and an
other consists not so much in talent as ins
energy !" Samuel Smiles adds: Provided
the Ounce has persistency and application
he will inevitably lead the cleverer fellow
without those qualities" Dean Swift,
DR.. Chalmers, Newton, Adam Clarke,
Isaac Barrow, Chasterton, and Goldsmith,
are signal illustrations of what persons
with moderate abilities can attain 30 by
acquiring habits of perseverance, in boy
hood. Walter Scott and the brilliant
Sheridan were both looked upon as ounces
in school. In fact, so much depends upon
perseverance that Voltaire, Diderot, Dis
raeli the elder, and others, have argued
that this faculty was genius itself.
While this may be a. rather
sweeping assertion, every boy and girl
should be taught that perseverance and
energy will do Tor them what genius can
not The possession of genius is Of no
value without the perseverance TO make 1t
available. "As for the talk, wrote Wash
ington Irving, "about modest merit being
neglected, it is too often a cant term, by
which indOlent and irresolute men seek TO
lay their want of success at the door of
the public. Well matured and well disci-
plined talent is always sure of market
provided it exerts itself, but it must not
cover at home and expect TO be sought
for"
The reputation Of being plucky, deter
mined, and indefatigable, is of estimable
value. 1t often dispels at the start oppO-
sition to ones undertakings which would
otherwise be formidable, The very fact
that an enterprise has been undertaken by
some individuals is sufficient guarantee
to the public that it will go through.
Without stopping 10 make further in
quiries, the people invest their money in
it, with their implicit confidence that it
viii yield handsome returns The public
sometimes confer a coveted boon upon an
individual out Of pure admiration for his
frequently the case in political life. Six
teen times Marcus Morton ran for Gov
ern0r of Massachusetts without being
elected finally the Opposition contending
that so much pertinacity deserved success,
voted for him ON the sixteenth trial In
1s40, and he was chosen by one majority,
--HeaTth and Home.