Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-03-04
FoRT1TUpE.

The virtue OF patience Is often con-
founded with that Of fortitude, and
consequently the words are used syn
onimously. Their true ~signifcation,
however. is very different. Patience
consists in suffering or waiting quietly,
and is strictly a passive virtue. For
titude, OH the other hand, signifies
strength, and includes not merely en-
durance, but manly action, sometimes
even of an aggressive nature. Both
are called into active exercise by adj
verse circumstances, but, while there
arc times in which nothing Is possible
but passive endurance, by far the
greater proportion of the ills Of
life call for a strong will to over
come, remove, or at least ameliorate
them. Many make a fatal mistake
upon this point, and delude themselves
with the idea that they are heroes IN
sitting still and suffering uncomplain-
ingly. when they ought to be up and
doing. opposing, resisting, or In some
active way ~conquering the evils to
which they tamely submit. Physical
pain and sickness frequently call for
patient resignation, but more often for
courage and resolution to battle against
them, and TO assist nature to overcome
them. In protracted illness the patient
who has a strong will and tenacity Of
fife stands the best chance of recovery:
and who cannot summon fortitude to
undergo a necessary operation will not
be saved by any amount Of passive
submission to present suffering. SO he
who meets with difficulties in his buN-
ness, and sinks into the attitude Of SIM
pie endurance, will be overwhelmed.
Duty plainly calls for action, and bids
him face with courage his embarrasS-
ments, and seek at once, in all honor
and integrity, to disentangle them.
| We are sometimes inclined to limit
| the virtue of fortitudo to great and
pressing occasions. The soldier on the
eve of battle, the sailor who trusts the
waves, the traveller who Is exposed to
unknown perils the person who nooly
| rushes into fire or water to save
| the life of n fellow creature, all these
must summon up whatever fortitude
they can command, and nothing else
can enable them to brave the sudden
| dangers that threaten. But these are
only a few of the instances that call
for this noble quality. 10 oppose tho
passions Of men !; to dare to utter UNI
welcome but needful truths to cs-
pouse unpopular views; to resist cru
city. vice and superstition IN their
varied forms; to refuse to pander to
wealth; to lift the degraded with the
hand Of love; to show friendship to
merit and worth when hidden in OBJ
security or clothed In poverty-these
and similar conflicts demand u forti-
tude as much greater than any mere
physical dangers require as the soul Is
greater than the body. Courage Is an
Indispensable necessity to fortitude.
No coward can aver possess or exhibit
it. But 1t contains another element
| even more essential, that Of pcrsevcr-
ance. He who Is only brave may
accomplish great and noble deeds, but
the man Of fortitude shows q continued
bravery. an mdying courage. He Will
resist and oppose evil of cvory kind,
not only with intrepidity, but with a
steadfast persistence that wcaries,
and will only cease when the work Is
accomplished and the evil conquered.
Not only in attacking outward Ills and
adverse circumstances Is the virtue OF
fortitude needed, but yet more IL con-
quering the faults of our own natures.
No heroism is so great rs that OF self
government. If we are progressive,
we shall continually ilud enemies
within our own breasts more difficult
to contend with than any outside
foes-lmpulses to restrain, desires to
check, passions to curb. All the elc-
msnts Of true fortitude are needed In
this conflict, and no other success can
compensate for failure In this. There
are those whose fortitude serves them
we'll in external matters. They can
maintain Il stcadfast and successful
opposition to the outward evils that
assail them, but when they come to
battle with the evils of their own ma
lures, their courage fails, their pcrse-
verance gives way, their fortitude for
sakes them. The truly wise man first
conquers himself, and then all snbse-
auent conquests are comparatively
easy. 1t may be asked: Is life,
! then, to consist only Of active resist
ance to evil? Is there no place for pa
tient submission aud calm endurance?
Yes, this virtue also has its appro-
pirate office; but it is only when
strength of action has fulfilled Its part,
that endurance il n virtue. When all
has been done to restore the sick that
human love or skill could devise,
then. but not till then, are we called
upon to submit to the result with pa
tient endurance. When our utmost
energies have been put forth to avert a
calamity or to resist a wrong, then, If
the stroke fall or the wrong prosper,
long suffering in patience becomes a
ieroism. There Is sometimes a kind
Of blind submission to what Is termed
the will Of Providence that savors
strongly Of Incidence. The truth Is,
we a never know what that will Is
until onr own dntieS In the matter, aS