Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-11-16
8 Rome Was Not Built In a Day
ESSAY By MISS LUCY HARPER, READ
BEFORE THE FAIRVIEw FARMERS


ESSAY BY MIS- LUCY HARPER, READ
BEFORE THE FAIRvIEw FARMERS
ALLIANCE.
1.-THE busy world shoves angrily aside
The man who stands with arms akimbo set
Until occasion tel 5 him what to do;
And he who waits to have his task marked
out
Shall die and leave his errand uhfultilled."
Behold the founder of Rome walking
forth into n region uninhabited and waste.
He looks earnestly ut the scene. so quiet in
its desolation, little dreaming that he was
laying the foundation of II city that would
in after years become famous.
At first It is dotted here and there with
rude huts, and the wall that surrounded it
was exceedingly low. Time moves on and
the town begins to grow. Soon the dreary
valley smiles with golden haryests; the
busy wheel whirls round; the mart Of
and the temples of religion rear
high their lofty fronts; science enlists the
elements Of the earth in its service. Art
awakening, clothes it in beauty ; and rep.
resentatiycs Of distant regions make it
their resort.
Ere long the little town'on the Tiber be-
gan to enlarge by conquest and concilia-
ton, incorporating within herself the many
warlikc tribes Of Italy, After a fierce
struggle of more than n century, she laid
Carthage (the former mistress Of the Medl-
tCrrancan) ~lifcleSs at her ieet.
From this era she paused not n moment
in her care or Of universal conquest. Nation
after nation submitted TO her sway. Army
succeeding army was scattered before her
legi0ns like the dust of Il summer threshing-
floor. Her cOnSuls sat enthroncd in regal
state in every city of the civilized world.
and the luboring mother, clasping her in
FAINT to her bnsoin, fed to the remotest
Businesses when she saw atar the sunbeam
glittcring upon the Roman Eagle.
As the centuries glided by, the city be-
came the mistress of the known world,
Should not this teach us a lesson of persc-
verancef 1t was perseverance that built
the Pyramid on Egypts plain, erected the
magnificent temple ut Jerusalem enclosed
in adamant the Chinese Empire opened u
highway across the broad Atlantic lcyeled
the forests Of a new world, and reared in
its stead n community of States.
BY perseverance Napoleon raised himself
from 0bscurity to Il throne, and made him
self felt by powerful and enlightened ma
tions. Sent the terror OF his name across
seas and oceans; his will was pronounced
and feared as destiny he broke down the
barrier OF the Aims and made them I'@h
ways MS lame was spread beyond the
bounds of civilization to the stepes of the
Co>Sack and the desert of Arabia, How
can we tell, how little we know the brain
and heart struggles which it cost to make a
Newton, a Howard or u thanningy How
many days of toll, how many nights d wear-
mess, month, and years Of yigilaat and pow
erfuI efforts were spent to perfect in them
what the world has bowed to in reyerance.
Their words have n power, their deeds Il
glory. How did they become possessed of
wealth ofsOul? Why are their names watch.
words of power, set high on the temple of
lame! They were the sons of uhremItting
industry. They We're once as weak and
frail rs any OF us. Once the very alphabet
of that language which they welded with
such magic effect was unknown to them 4;
they tohed tong to learn it and longer still
to obtain the secret of its highest charm
ana mightiest power, and even longer, for
those living, glorious thoughts which they
babe it bear to an astonishing and admir-
ing world. Their characters, which are
now given to the world as true patterns of
greatness, were made by that untiripg Ell.
ergy which marked their whole lives.
From childhood to age, they knew no such
word as fail. Defeat only gave them pow.
er; difficulties taught them the necessity
OF redoubled energy (; danger gave them
courage the sight of great labor inspired
them with corresponding exertions,
So it has been with all men and women
who have been cminently successful in any
vocation in life. We may haye talent and
genius, yet il We make no exerlions to I'M
prove them. they will avail us nothing.
We should not expect to make any great
accomplishments in a day, but only after
much hard labor and study. Perhaps some
have become discouraged because they are
not like Midas, They think If they only
had a fortune they would accomplish great
things. They fail to recall the innumerable
numbers who have at first struggled
through the depths of poverty and have
afterwards become pOsscsSors of palaces
and thrones. Capt. Cook. the circumnayi-
gator of the globe, was born in a mud hut.
and started in life as a cabin-boy; Furger-
son. the profound philosopher and states.
man, was II poor printers boy, whose
greatest luxury at one time was n penny
roll; Columbus. the discovcror of Ameri-
ca, the son Of Il w0ol-comber; Homer, the
son Of a farmer; Demosthenese, the son of
II brewer; Whitfield. the son of an inn.
keeper; Johnston, Goldsmith. Coleridre,
and n multitude of Others of high standing
knew the pressure Of limited circumstances
and have demonstrated TO the world that
poverty is no insurmountable obstacle to
success. Their fame has been like the hin.
naclc that ascends higher and higher, until
ut last it becomes a most conspicuous and
towering object Of attraction.
1t is truly said VIC should Judge the future
by the past, and 1t is often asserted that
history repeats itself. When we examine
the history of Grecian civilization. we find
many things of interest to us as American
citizens and most of which we are repeat
ing every day. The Spartan Republic,
founded by L%ycurgus. had u striking par
allel IN almost every American colony that
was established. The rise and progress of
the power of Athens, under the Institutes
of Scion, had u marked similarity to the
Development Of American affairs. from the
time of the adoption OF the Constitution to
the beginning OF the civil war, The age
of Pericles, with Its universal suffrage, its
wonders Of invention In science, arts aud
literature. and its final change into every
thing that wal evil and oppressive, Is now
being reproduced In our own cauntry. but
among the hosts ra!lying to the standard
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