The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-03-03
AN INHERITANCE.


AN INHERITANCE.
An inheritance used to be thought to
consist exclusively of material possessions.
Houses, lands, titles, stocks, falling by the
course of nature from parent to child, were
said to constitute his inheritance, and much
of the consideration and esteem in which
the youth was held depended upon the
amount and value of the property thus left
to him. OF late, however, partly through
the increasing intelligence of the communi-
ty, and still more through the discoveries
of science, another and deeper meaning has
come to be attached to the word. 1t Is
now fully recognized that more subtle and
enduring things than wealth are handed
down from one generation to another.
! Qualities of mind and heart, capacities of
various kinds, feelings, desires, habits Of
thought, tendencies to action are truly
more mans inheritance than silver or
gold. The elements that combine to form
character are transmitted in their germs to
each Individual, and it is in these that his
chief inheritance consists,
Now, a good inheritance is good thing,
and yet it has its dangers. When young
people get to rely upon it to do the work
that properly belongs to them to do, it may
be great snare This is seen repeatedly
in the case of inherited wealth. Property
that has been assiduously gathered togeth-
er by labor and frugality, ability and sue
cess, passes into the hands of young people
who know nothing of what it stands for.
Its presence takes away the incentives to
exertion that animated their parents, and,
unless these can be supplied from other
sources, they are in great danger of living
idle and valueless lives. Thus it happens
that wealth rarely continues in the same
family for several generations. The
parents have gained the habit of acquiring,
the children soon learn that of spending,
The necessities that appealed to the former
so urgently, and developed their power to
the utmost, are quite unknown to the lat
ter, and the lack of motive is enervating.
In the same way, even in the inheritance
of noble character and an honorable
name, priceless blessing that it is, may be
so used as to almost nullify its valne.
Directly the youth comes to rely upon it and
to relaxing personal effort he will begin to
sink. There are two factors at work IN
every character-the inherent tendencies
and inclination received at birth, and the
influence constantly brought to bear upon
these tendencies. The former is always
being shaped by the latter; sometimes
&. deyeloped sometimes restrained. There
are children of worthy parents who turn
out utterly different from what might
reasonably be expected The father may
have been the soul of integrity, the son,
perhaps, cheats his employer or decamps
with trust funds The parents may have
been temperate and self-denying, the son
falling victim to sensual pleasures. The
mother may be diligent and pains-taking,
the daughter idle and shiftless. Various
things may have contributed to this result,
but prominent among them stands the
habit of relying on antecedents. The boy,
growing up in an honorable family, seeing
the strictest rectitude, and never dreaming
, of any deviation from it, even by this very
confidence, is sometimes thrown off his
Guard. He does not believe in the power
: of temptation so when it comes it takes
, him unawares. He lacks the force to bat
, tie with it, and it triumphs over him.
This force of individual character il
: what needs developing above all things il
s every young person. Whatever his ad
e vantages in the way of parentage, birth anC
< circumstances, if he lack personal force, h
4 will prove failure. He may have virtu
GUS incIinations, good desires, righ
tendencies, generous impulses, warm feel
y ings, and yet they amount to nothing TO
the want of master hand to direct ant
: control them. personal exertion, say
f a late writer, ''is the first, the second, ant
j, the third virtue. Nothing great or ex
f celIent can be acquired without it. A goo'
. name will not come without being sought
e All the virtues of which it is composed ar
e the result of untiring application and in
4 dustry Nothing can be more fatal to tn
2 attainments of good character than
|, treacherous confidence in external advan
a tages. These, if not seconded by you
e own endeavors, will drop you midway, OF
3 perhaps, you will not have started whel
s the diligent traveller will have run tn
: race"
The same thing may be seen in nationa
= character. One generation may be lack
: ing in education, refinement, manners, bu
!, sturdy and self-reliant carving out 70
a themselves character and name in spit
e of all disadvantages. The succeeding on
/, inherits all that the elder has labored t
a procure, but lacks the force that has pro
+ cured it. Que age Is enthused with al
idea OF principle people work for il