The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-09-29
lib PRESS.
rhe Secret of Garfeld's Greatness.


The secret of Garfeld's great successes in
life. of his culture, of his learning, and of his
growth in craftsmanship, was disclosed in
brief speech to the students of Hiram College,
delivered many years ago by the General.
The speech, or familiar talk, is worthy of re-
production now because of its philosophical
value as guide in the conduct of life, and be-
cause it affords such clear insight to the char
acter of the great man who has passed away
shows 30 clearly the secret of his vast acquire
ments and immense power. He said:
was thinking, young ladies and gentlemen,
as | sat here this morning, that life is almost
wholly made up of margins. The bulk itself
of almost anything is not what tells. That ex-
lists anyway. That is expected. That Is not
what gives the profit or makes the dlstlngulsh-
ing difference. The grocer cares Ittle Tor tne
cents between the cost and selling price, which
he calls the margin, that particularly interests
him. Is this to be great or small! is the thing
of Importance. Millions OF dollars change
question of margins. This same thing is all
important in the subject of thought. One mind
is not greater than another, perhaps, in the
great bulk of its contents; but its margin IS
greater, that's all. / may know just as much
as YOU do about the general details of a sub
can You can tell me of some single thought
lust beyond where l have gone. Your margin
has got me- must succumb to your superb
ority.
A good way to carry out the same idea, and
better illustrate it, is by globes. Did you ever
see two globes whose only difference was that
one had half an inch larger diameter than the
other? This larger one, although there is SO
little difference, will entirely enclose the other,
and have quarter of an inch In every dlrec-
ton TO spare besides. Let these globes De
minds, with a living principle OF some kind at
their centres, which throws out its little tenta-
cle-like arms in every direction as radii to ex-
plore for knowledge. The one goes certain
distance and stops. 1t can reach no farther.
1t has come to standstill 1t has reached its
maximum of knowledge in that direction.
The other sends its arms out, and can reach
lust quarter of an inch farther. So far as
the first mind is able to tell, the other has
gone infinitely farther than 1t can reach. 1t
goes out to It's farthest limit and must stop; the
other tells him things he did not know before.
Many minds you may consider wonderful in
their capacity. They may be able to go only a
quarter of an inch beyond you. What an IN
centive this should be for any young man to
work, to make his margin as great, II not
greater than, the margin of his fellowsl
recall good illustration of this when was
in college. A certain young man was leading
the class in Latin | thought was studying
hard. couldn't see how he got the start OF
us all SO. 10 US ne 560tnou W nave all luuui1o
knowledge. He knew more than We did FL
nally l asked him when he learned his Latin
lesson. cat night" he replied learned
mine at the same time. His window was not
far from mine, and l could see him from my
own. / had finished my lesson the next night
as well as usual, and, feeling sleepy, was about
to go to bed happened to saunter to my
window and there / saw my classmate still
bending diligently over his book. There's
where he gets the margin on me-" thought
sBut he shall not have it for once" resolved.
81 will study just little longer than he does
tonight" So L took down my books again,
and, opening to the lesson, went to work with
renewed vigor. watched for the light to go
out in my classmates room. In fifteen min
utes il was all dark. "There is his margin"
/ thought 1t was fifteen minutes more time.
1t was hunting out fifteen mlrutes more of
rules and root derivatives How often, when
lesson is well prepared, just five minutes
spent in perfecting it will make one the best
in the class. The margin in such a case as
that is very small, but it is all-important The
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