The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-11-14
SELECTED.
RIGHT AND WRONG AMBITION.


RIGHT AND WRONG AMBITION.
There !" said little shoeback boy to
me one day, as he gave last touch to my
boots, and stuck his brushes into each
other with look of triumph, "there, they
can't shine more. This boy had succeed
ed in life, and was at the top of his pro-
fession. without striving to force him
self into some position for which he was
| untitled, he had aimed at succeeding In
his own line. This is the right sort of
ambition, and 1t 10 one that we can al!
crafty.
We may be sure that he who cannot
play well subordinate part in the drama
of life will do no better If given higher
role. The great natural philosopher,
Faraday, who was the son of 4 black
smith, wrote, when q young man, to Sir
II. Davy. asking for employment at the
Royal Institution. Sir II. Davy consulted
q friend on the matter. "Here is letter
from young man named Fsraday; he
has been attending my lectures, and wants
me to give him employment at the Royal
Institution. What can do?'-"Do? put
him to wash bottles. If he is good for
anything, he will do it directly; If he re-
fuses, he is good for nothing Faraday
washing bottles would be quite as success
full a man as Professor Faraday lecturing
at the Royal Institution, If both kinds of
work were equally well done. The car
penter who makes good chairs and tables,
better deserves a crown than king who
cannot govern. We must all admire aud
consider successful the crossing-sweeper
whose honest pride it was that he could
do ian ornamental piece of sweeping
round lamp-post
at were a cobbler, I'd make 1t my pride
The best of all cobblcrs to be;
If were tinker, no tinker beside
Should mend old kettle like me-"
Whatsoever thy hand fludeth to do,
do it with all thy might" Is the motto of
noble ambition. The other day asked
young officer If he played polo. NO"
he said, II do not, for have not time to
practice It. enough, and hate doing any
thing badly" This is the feeling of a
man who is ambitious In the best sense
OF the world. He hates doing anything
badly.
The late celebrated head-master of Up
bingham School used to say that every
boy is good for something. Probably we
who are grown up are all good for some
thing, and would excel If only we would
try to do so in our own line. This, how
ever, Is what we do not do. Each man
wants to boast in another mans line.
He thinks that in order to "get on and
be successful he must leave that state of
life into which he was called by God.
We speak of mans calling In life,
implying by our words belief that God
calls each of us to his own place; that is,
to the place which he is capable of fill
,.,., sho Nv vi
to us certain tastes and capacities, God
calls US as certainly AZ II we heard voice
from heaven. False ambition says,
Leave this calling as soon as possible,
and force yourself into position which
is more 'genteel,' into one which is pre-
sided over by the the bestial goddess of
comfort and responsibility From this
false ambition come jealousy, grief from
lost of fortune, all the torments of
wounded self love, and thousand other
mental suierings-the commonly enumer-
ated moral causes of insanity. They are
gre1s of kind to which man who Is
ambitious In the true sense of the word
should not fall prey. There need be no
disappointed ambition IL we set before
ourselves the true aim In life, which Is to
amend ourselves. and do our "level best"
in whatever sphere we are called upor to
work.
can service is the same with God
With God, whose puppets, best and worst
Are we; there is no last nor FIRST
There is great, there is no small
To the Soul that maketh ALL"
No position in life is so low that a really
noble man cannot raise it, nor any so
high that base man cannot degrade 1t.
am not urging anyone to live an indo-
lent, unaspiring, vegetative life. am
only saying, "Covet the best gifts" Be
sure 1t requires much more perseverance
and energy to perfect character than to
become great success In the estima-
ton of the world. Instead Of telling
people especially young and enthusiasts
tic persons-not to be ambitious, the true
policy Is to urge them to be far more am
bilious in the right sense Of the word
than they generally are, and to encourage
In them \ "dvine discomfort" with imper-
lection OF all kinds, especially with badly
done work.
But what rare thing Is success In
lifel" said Eudymion; II often wonder
whether shall ever be able to step out
of the crowd'-"You may have success
in life without stepping out OF the
crowd" said the Baron. This answer of
the Baron's seems to us to sum up the
true philosophy Of life; You may have
success In life without stepping out OF
the crowd" 1t Is well TO be assured of
this, for to succeed In life is the natural
ambition, II not of every young Endymi-
on, at least Of his parents for him. If to
succeed In life 1t were necessary to be-
come very famous, very powerful, or
very rich, success would be the monopoly
of but very few people. 1t has been
calculated that not more than one in four
thousand may be expected to attain dis
tinction, and that not one In million
posses that wonderful thing.called genius
But there is real sort Of success that
cannot be monopolized. Here everyone
may succeed, for character is kind OF
wealth that knows no failure. They
truly are faithful who devote their entire
lives to amendment" Every man may
make his life successful In this sense.
And Is one Is never 30 successful a. when
he least thinks of becoming so. such a
one will probably gain In the long run
more happiness, and exercise q greater
influence 10 the world, than his more
grasping neighbor. Il
40! keep me innocent; make Others
great" was the prayer written by Qaeen
Caroline Matilda of Denmark with dia.
mond on the window Of her castle at
FreudsbOrg The more we know Of the
lives Of the great. whether from history
or from personal acquaintance, the more
We become aware how many Of them
would ssy:-
"'Tis better to be lowly born,
And range with humble jewellers In content
Than to be perked up in clustering griei.
And wear golden sorrow"
Earthly sorrow il uncertain Of acquisi-
ton, brief In continuance, disappointing
In fruition. Not " with the success that
IL aimed ct by true ambition. 1t Is GER
tain 70 all who seek 1t. 1t Ii endless In
duration. 1t never disappoints:-
~'ris not 10 mortais to command success.
But we'll do more. Sempronius; we'll deserve it,"
EpIctetus once received . visit from .
certain magnificent orator going to Rome
on lawsuit, who wished TO learn from
the Stole something Of bis philosophy.
Eptctetus received bis visitor cody, not
belisving In his sincsritv. you will only
criticise my STYLE" said he; mot really
wishing 70 lsarn principles. well. but,
said The orator. III attend to that sort
Of thing. ahall be . mere pauper like
you, with no plate, nor equipage, nor
land. don't want such thiugs," re-
piled Hpictetus; "and besides, you are
poorer than I en-, after al. Patron OF no
patron. what care II You 90 care. an
l1ahee tAAn yoa. don't care what Cesar
thiaks VI me. 6attsr no one. This u