Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-02-12
Decision Of Character.

| FOR the HERALD.
For they can conquer who believe they can
Dryden.
We have probably, all seen and
acknowledged the Importance Of
this bcli spirit. Without it, hum-
an being whose powers are at bes,
but feeble, and surrounded by 10.
Vulnerable difficulties " hich tend 10
perplex, to divert, or 10 Cypress, ID
pitiabIe ON subjsct to diverse
and casual impulses 1t requires
but little acquaintance with man
kind to afford numberl.ss ilIastrs.
tions of the importance Of this
character.
You see an individual hesita.inq
between different or opposite de.
examinations though painful
state TO tho mind, he is ashamed of
this debility. the mind gives IT,
tie preference to the one, then TO
the other, alternating in this trem.
bling balance, and wishing som
new thought, feeling or motive
would present If and decide the
question.
A man of INDIGESTION will wond, r
VIII all the difficulties and peril XII
ties are thrown in his path, which
he is so unadapted to overcome.
He is all the while employed 10 con :
templating some project which he
will never accomplish. He wonders
why he could not have been bosn
with the talent of thi, man, or that
one, or becoms acquainted little
sooner with this friend or that one,
or with this projscs or that one.
Thus he takes it upon himself TO
complain of his hard fate, instead of
catching with vigilant eye. and
seizIng with powerful hand all the
opportunities hat present them
selves
Difficulties are sIimnlus aud o
trump TO u strorg spirit "the
JOYS of conquest are the joys of
men,"
A person without decision of
character cannot be said to belong
to hlms' If. Hs is liable t. be seized
by every one who has facul' les
stronger than himself. What chance
is there for stability of character or
purpose, when his opinions depend
upon those with whom he asso-
ciated or is connected in business.
lie 10 the unprotected victim of
every popular delusion that flutters
by.
A man with unbendiug will and
perseverance, we admire, though of
a despicable character. We say
what might he not accomplish if be
had only been virtuous. We I'D
mire the determined spirit, which
reached the true sublime ip the re.
ply of Pompey to his friends when
they tried to dissuade him FROM
hazarding his life on a tempestuous
sea, in order to BIO at Rome on an
important occasion; sit is nec ,ssary
for me to go it is not necessary
for me TO live"
A person of this character after
he has settled all his diff ;ullies in
his own mind, Immediately sets
about accomplishing them. Cesar
after having determined TO cross
the Rubicon. put spurs to his horse,
and plunged into the stream fol-
lowed by his troops His friends,
or those acquainted with his char.
acter after having once been ap.
prised of his determination would
have laughed contemptucusly, if it
bad been iusinnated, that Ce sar de-
termines, but dares not accomplish.
General Grant in his campaign
through the wilderness" said, "We
will fight 1T cut on this line If
il takes all summer" IL not only
took oil summer, but TO tho next
April TO accomplish tho object OF
the campaign. Ii was this determ-
insd spirit that led him successfully
through.
Ws might give nun> rous other
histo'icil examples, bot the world
Is full Of them ell around Us. One
need not be stubborn or mulish to
have decision Of character. We
should give due weight to the opin.
ipn OF Others, and should bold our
solves independent to change our
opinions if we are convinced they
are wrong. To possess this charac
ter requires knowledge. which the
majority of people shrink from OBJ
tanning A man Of this character
views ell present things in their
true relations. and puts right esti>
mate upon their relative va.ue. He
is not unduly eDgrossed with tho
fTiVoli'es of life unreasonably elated
by its joys, and unreasonably de-
pressed oy lie sorrows. As we all
have more or less of this tslent-let
US strive 10 improve tito the best
OF our ability. j. Il. CURTIS.
ParcH GRoyE, Wis.