The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-06-12

upon but yoo Wi1I ind him Ike Eph-
rain, 3 cake untnrned well done on
one slde, raw and worthless on the
other. Sham and shoddY work indicate
sham and shoddy men.
Some one asked LongfelloW, what IL
geniusr" Genius" replied the post
philosopher, "is infinite painstakinR.n
OF course there are other elements, and
other answers might be given. But
prominent among the elements which
constitute genius Is the power to stay by
your work till it u well done. Genius
is Inspiration, but Inspirations seldom
come forth complete and finished. They
are usually only hints Of what toll might
produce. Whence came that beautiful
painting which charms you, and chaFms
you the more the more you look ct il f''
at sprang from the brAin Of . brilliant
genius" one replies. A brilliant genius,
no doubt, he was, but an industrious
genius, too; oae who could hold his con
ceptiOn till it took definite form and
stood before his own mind in complete
ness, and who could then take that con-
ceptiOn and patiently transfer IL to the
canvas. Many men have had glowing
conceptions VINO haYe been too indolent
70 give them shape. They were dream
ers, and not artists. The world IL full
of dreamers, but its artists are few. Men
of grand conceptions have lacked the
patience needed To perfect the finer de-
tails of their work 90 they have given
us daubs, and'n works OF art.
Whence came that book which en-
frances you and holds you spell. bound
till the midnight hour is passed and the
small hours creep on ?" ut is the of
spring of genius" you reply again. Evil
IDENTIFY there is genius IN 1t. But If You
knew its history you would ind it was
emphaticAlly work of genius. 1t was
wrought out blow on blow, though the
hand OF genius gave the flames. You
will not ind on it the marks of work any
more than you find the marks OF the
hammer on the polished blade. Abund-
ant work has removed the marks of
work. 1t is said that Tennyson often
SPENDS days on single line. A line
which seems so charmingly simple that
you fancy It must have been the single
dellverance OF q glowing moment, may
have lain in the poets thought for days
maturing and taking shape. The per-
lection of its finish comes from his pa
thence as much as from his brillisncy.
When Mr.. Webster was In England
he established his reputation for elo-
quence among the English by single
burst. At q public breakfast he re-
sponded to toast, and introduced that
remarkable figure which has been used
q thousand times since, about the roll of
the British drum following the sunrise
round the world. IL was elaborated in
his marvellous way, and was mstchless-
ly beautiful and appropriate. 1t was
the sudden flash OF his genius ct the
breakfast table they said. But after
ward Mr.. Webster told the story of that
passage, how it grew in his mind. He
was at Quebec taking an early morn
ing walk on the plains of Abraham.
just then the sun rose and the drums
began to beat. The thought came over
him, how the roll of that British drum
followed the sun around the earth. He
carefully wrought out the idea, and kept
1t laid away, for years and waiting tor
an occasion. At last the occasion came,
and he was found equal to il. 81
The best artists give most time TO
special preparation. The Mendelsohn
Quintette club, each member of which IL
master, would not dare to appear in
concert without vastly more special
practice than village orchestra would
deem necessary. The ordinary reader
will dash off piece In public after once
looking 1t over. But real elocutionist
will carefully study the most familiar
piece before venturing TO produce it. At
ment is spent on the hymns. They will
spend hours on some grand anthem, the
skirts Of whose garments they
can but just touch, and they will pass
the hymns with mere glance. It has
| never daWned on them what wonders
might be wrought with q common hymn.
II they could only abide with hymn
till they caught its spirit and could mas
ter its expression, the people would
think a new dispensation of song had
entered the house of God. They would
find . power in the mastery rendering
of q single hymn which they can never
attain in the rendering OF the grandest
anthem.
Any work shines which is well done.
i The most lOwly toll attracts attention
1 and praise, If there be marked thorough
ness in its performance. A member of
the British parliament was once twitted
| with having blackened shoes in his
1 youth. "But did not black them well 80
/ was the reply, which turned the point of
the assault and explained his promotion
/ ut the same time. That was q manly
decision which some one put into home
! ly rhyme:
/ II q cobbler by trade it shall be my pride
The best of all cobblers to be;
And If Pm q tinker, no tinker beside
Shall mend an old kettle like me.
8. This suggests a third polnt-that
we need to be patient in waiting for our
reward. The best work does not always
find the best market; the best quality
does not always find the readiest sale
the highest talent does not always find
the highest or the widest recognition.
II you are musician, and are aiming
at classic excellence, the Jim Crow min
strels will draw two-thirds of your
houses and three fOurths of your ap-
plause. The wizard oil troupe will
empty your seats and your pockets, and
will win fortune while you starve.
If you are q preacher and are trying
| to do sound work which shall elevate
the church ana bless mankind, the
church around the corner, whose pulpit
has robbed the circus of ats clown, and
whose choir has robbed the theater
OF its star, will often empty your pews
and leave you like q sparrow on the
housetop. If you are an editor, and
have a high ideal of newspaper excel
ence, the Morning Scandal across the
street will be able TO enlarge, while you
are compelled TO shriVel your columns to
the utmost, to lessen the printers bill.
Many an editor has lowered his standard
for a wider circulation, and the problem
with many a newspaper is, how to find
that middle ground between vice and
virtue, which shall capture the vicious
and yet not offend the vlrtuous.
The best work often finds a slow mar
ket; true merit often receives tardY rec
ognition; and the rewards Of thorough
culture are often slow in coming. HOl-
Inc worth, and empty conceit will often
snatch the prize from modest merit.
The higher a mans work, the narrower
Its circle of appreciation, and the more
tardY its recognition and reward. But
every true mans crown is his own man.
hood, and the best reward of genuine
culture is its possession. If q man be
in love with his work, he will ind his
highest satisfaction in the
excellence of the work itself.
Because men forget this, they are often
turned aside from their high purpose for
the sake of 3 speedier recognition and 9
larger return. They cannot wait for
honest merit to draw It's pay. They de-
base their work to increase the sale. The
banking house cannot wait the sure re-
turns of legitimate business, but will
risk both cash and character; public
men will pander to the vile 70 Quicken
the steps of their own promotion, Thew
forget that the best part of promotion
consists In deserving it. He that de-
serves it in some way will get il. "He that
is dIligent in his business shall stand
before kings" SAID the wise man. BE
who is faithful in his work shall stand
before him who merely holds q high
place. The judgment of the world, In
the long review, passes on what men do.
not where they stand. We have to think
to recall the name of the king when
Pit was minister. Queen Victoria hes
had noble reign, but the name of Glad.
stone shines Respondent IN it. The En-.
peror William is = noble man, but the
world crowns Bismarck before him. Vic
tor Emanuel did grand ser
vice, bat Count CaVour and
GsFabaldi have been crowned the de
llverers OF Italy. Webster and CLAW
were never president, but they were