Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-07

william Mathews in the North American Review
We all remember the boyish sarcasm wher
some disgruntled urchin remarked ruefuIl,
that he would have beat the race if so-and-sc
had not been the case. "If' is conjunction
the victor would say contemptuously, and the
chorus OF laughter that invariably followed
showed how thoroughly the boys understood
the nature of an If.
DR.. William L. Mathews. the author Of that
charming book, ''Getting On in the World,
has in the current number of the North Ameri.
can Review this sensible lecture on the famous
conjunction:
A newspaper writer, speaking of the late
Thomas ]. Potter, who, as general manager OF
the Union Pacific railway, received an annual
salsry of $40. 900, says that he began his career
twenty Ave years ago as hneman on an Iowa
railway at $45 per month. '.He worked his
way up" it is added, from the latter position
to the former, land there is not young man
on any railroad in the United States for whom
the same result is not possible if he should put
into his work the same amount Of brains and
zeal which Mr.. Potter did" How inspiring !!
What q trumpet-call to young railway en-
pioyes to become, one and all, presidents of
great lines and the recipients of yearly salaries.
each one of which is in itself fortune III
he should put into his work." &c. No doubt
and IF my aunt had been man she would
have been my uncle" 1t is Just and ONLY that
provoking If" reader, that prevents a beggar
from becoming Rothschild, or you and me
from rivaling Webster at the bar. Gladstone in
the senate, or Scott and Dickens in fiction.
If" is q very small word-a monosyllabIe of
two letters onIy-yet how immense is that ..if rs
Thousands of persons who now languish in oh
security would astonish the world, were thew
not, like Mirabeau in his youth. confined in the
castle of IT,
''If but had an opening" signs MANY a
young man in these days of overcrowded pro-
fessions and multiplying competitors for Office
and place, ''the world should see what can
do" III but had an openingi"-as if the
very seal and sign of ability-the essential dif-
ference between it, or genius and diIettant-
ism-was not regal superiority to the s.open-
ings" and s'opportunities' which 30 MANY
aspirants to wealth and honor make a condi.
rion of success. The successful man is the one
who made way when he could not find one;
who made the adverse circumstances. over
which others were moaning, the ministers and
aids to his advancement instead of BECOMING
their slave. The difficulties which dishearf.
ened them only stiffened their sinews; the
block of granite which was an obstacle in their
pathway became q stepping stone in his. A
lad of twelve years of age, who already played
the piano very skillfully, once said to Mozart;
Herr Kapellmeister, I should very much
like 70 compose something. How am
to ,ou bes %a.. va isS RSs ,o. said ~, Mozart
boy, composed much earlier" ..Yes" re-
piled Mozart .sbut asked nothing aboutit. II
one has the spirit of composer, one writes be-
canse he cannot help il" On another occasion
writing in reply to . friend who had
asked about his way Of composing music, he
names certain occasions when his ideas Hov
best and most abundantly, and sdds: whence
and how they come know not, nor can force
them Why productions takes from
my hands that particular form and style which
makes them Mozartish and different from the
works Of other composers q probably ovirr
to the Same cause which renders my nose n,
and 20, large or aquilline, or, In short, makesit
Mozsrt's and different from those OF other
people, for really do not study 70 aim II any
10 tell young man that be can become .
millionaire railroad king, &c., 1T he win put
into his work the same amount Of brains and
SEAL q A or did before he became : miIliou-
airs Or railroad king + the yerisst driveL Il q
equivalent 10 saying that be wiz become 4
samson II he VII ouly put forth { ssmson's
strength, or that II an astronomical student
will put into hin work the mental energy. he
spixi1uAl force Of Newton, be win a. - xreaf
things - Nevto1-vhich y not vsry siAnn-
isting statement II Il Be true. How sfrsu91iv
men persist n regarding moral ouaiitieS ~
habits merely and not gifhl The viii = ! nam
ri snfowmGat = we'll = ~ mental fheoitiej
and = wanttt lsas badae - v1n1 u6a1al
!.