National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-01-24
Luck and Pluck.

The following is an abstract from on,
= of Rev. Geo, II. Hcpworth's lectures;
"There is, undoubtedly, such thing
: ms good fortune aud there il, il may b,
admitted, such thing as bad luck but
; he succeeds who helps things 10 turn mp,
} and he fails who idly waits. Men toll
sometimes for twenty years, and anoth'
or steps in to reap the fruits Of their
toll. They seem born under an evil
star, and everything goes wrong with
them. Admitting these eases 10 some
times occur, to come to the hard pan Of
my subject in the long run success in
life can be reduced to u science. He
touches the gonl nd renchs the threshold
Of the highest su ,ccss who lnbors truly
and earnestly. This is the universal
law; if you obey it, well ii You disc.
hey IT, i'll; .yon cannot dodge it,
/ "There is more incentive 10 labor in
America than elsewhere, because the
highest success is within the reach of
all. When, in England, the poor man
sees duke ride by in state, he enyics
him IA one TO whose position no can
never aspire. When the rich man here
rides by with his four-in-hand, the Yam
kee boy says: Very well for an old
man I'll have six horses when I'm MS
old. There is something in the atmos-
phcre Of America which nourishcs
lofty ambition, and it is the honest work
of honest hands and honest brains which
tells in this glorious country. See these
men Of every age. We look at the broad
procession Of those who have made us,
and as we gaze upon their giant proper
tlons, voice comes to us saying: Not
one of MS is so great but you may he
greater. | have the minimum belief in
genius | have the maximum faith in /
work. Every man and woman il Il hero t
once III their life. He could be hero
always; it is in him, and only needs
constant effort to draw it out. Aexan-
der, Caesar, Napoleon are as nothing to
the men and women, who are bearing
heavy burdens and doing Gods will
silently and quietly amidst poverty and
sorrow. Throughout the world there
are unknown heroes, who shall be ne
knowledged some day, and who, whom
measured by the side of those we call
great, shall be found to be greater still
"There are two elements in the sci
'nce of success. If you want to get on
nigh i'll life in the highest and best
'ense, the first requisite is honesty.
During tho fifteen years | have been
II public life, | have seen men come up
md go down, and have found that the !
honest man is the only one who sue !
eeds IN the long run--sooner or later |,
leviltry goes under. If you want to get
N in life, you must be honest and true: |
mt you must be lucky as we'll How
ew there are who stand up and fight it
mt with their teeth griped close togeth-
+. If you are dead, like the Irishman's
urtle, don't be sensible of it. Be like G
he India rubber ball, which rebounds Il
he higher the harder it is thrown down. Il
hats manhood; that's pluck. You S
aust not believe in luck; believe in v
ourself. There may be such thing h
S luck lying around loose in some cor v
er of nature ; but the chances are ten [
thousand to one that it will not fall to a
on. Make an intelligent plan and "
'ork for it 18th an honest purpose, n
lanly heart, and will of nerve, of de- t.
Of grit. t