The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-08-20
JOTTINGS BY THE WAY
BY GAsKELL,
III.

,
"No man is hero to his valet.
| Very few men have been heroic il
all circumstances and at all times
and Byron was not one of then
With talent and genius, as a poet
second to none, he had within him {
spirit of unrest that would not lei
him linger, or settle down to the
dull plodding of everyday existence
He had a pride almost as great as
his genius, and a fancied slight, OIL
a settled enmitY, eXasperated his
mind and tincture1 with misan
thropy all his actions. His first
publication met with so severe a
criticism, that an ordinary man
would have been crushed entirely
into silence; yet in his strong indig-
nation he gave forth indications OF
his future eminence in his chosen
vocation. Irregular and erratic in
his life, in his dying he approached
nearer the heroic than ever before
1ll-succes is sometimes a very
good thing to spur onward a perse-
vering mind. No one likes to give
up, or surrender cOngeDial or long
cherished plan, or turn away from
a path once entered upon. 1t would
be to do our first works
over again and to confess
our inability to successfully
cope with the difficulties before us.
1t is a sort of confusion Of ignorance
or Of weakness, and the most weak
of individuals desires to be thought
strong, nuSare the strong without
certain desire in that direction.
Onward is the motto of the really
worthy and successful ones in life,
and onward the desire must be, of
all who, in the future. wOdld win
success. There is hope to be enter
tanned when we can perceive our
errors and realize the necessity of
reform. The true need of refOrma-
ton knows there is a prospect of its
being achieved at sometime and in
some manner; while there is but
little hope indeed, for the ignorance
that cannot be made to see its own
deficiencies.
Many men, afterwards eminent,
met with violent opposition and
adverse criticism on their first ven
ture before the world. We have
instanced Byron. Wordsworth in
his unassuming simplicity and
fidelity to the teachings of nature,
was laughed at and vilifed, yet
aided most materially in the estab-
lishment of a new school Of poetry,
wherein the pOmpous Alexander
ines, and artificial constructions of
the heroic measure were baniShed
TO make way for natural concep-
ton of the truth, as it is viewed in
relation to scenes and ideas as they
exist. SuperfuOus words, added |
only to give fancied dignity and
rounded volume to expression, were
diSused and cast aside, strength and |
clearness and the true relation of |
words to particular ideas, were |
sought, in all things striving to
make nature pleasant, truthful and |
powerful. the aim and guide.
Whoever strikes out in a new |
pathway, almost invariably meets
with opposition and cOntumely, and
is fortunate if personal enmity does
not enter into the contest, and add
increased things to the bitterness of
strife. 1t is always easier to oppose
IN idea than 10 originate, to pull
Down than to build up. The proud
and gorgeous edifice that has been
years in course of construction, may
De OYerthrOWn in a moment, Just as
| breath Of unhoiy passion sweep
ng over the heart chords of feeling,
nay Overturn the cherished resolu-
ions of lifetime. Well might the
Athenean wise man, Scion, tell the
proud Lydian king that no man
might be properly judged or be
called happy till we knew the end;
and, as human nature was in those
lays, we find it now; the same
eaven of greed, Of selfshness, Of
3eniality and Observation-Disclosures,
forming kaleidoscope patchwork
)t light and shade, honor and dis
honor, rest and unrest, perP! exing
to any judgment but that
Of the Infinite. Yet we find
that good pTedOminates in all things.
Evil is an exception and is hidden, |
darkness, obscurity and |
rather than liberal and
and open investigation and the
genial light of day. The most
dangerous counterfeit is that which
nearest approaches the original in
every particular, and the most dis
astrous passions are those ap-
preached through the sentiments of
honor and love, which, if debased. |
sound deeper depth of deprayitv,
degradation and misery than anv
)ther.
Very few of the worlds worthless
nave, IN the commencement Of their
career, had a clear conception Of She !
place and Station they would even
5ually fiji n tie eyes of posterity
Not MANY IF them cared much
about posteTity, Indifferent alike to /
praise or blame, so that they oh
aimed frUtiOn to their own desires:
md they We're not only willing. hut |
eager, to mortgage the welfare of
'uture generations, to accomplish q
,er'Hin and particular purDose |
Napoleon |. we are told. was
,nce, when but a simple lieutenant
# artillery, reduced to so low an
BIB Of fortune as TO seriously con.
emplate committing suicida CO