The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-02
WHAT IS SUGGEST
An Escr Interesting Question Anawercd
In Sensible NJ ,nner.

lips, but not always used with discrim-
ination. 1t is often confused with tho
nero qualification OF wishes, or the pos
session OF something in itself desirable:
whorcas it should be confined to tho
prosperous results OF our own efforts. A
youth at school or college gains prizo
for tho best essay in his class. But If
somo one olso has written it for him,
can wo consider him successful com
potter? young man Graves wealth.
and suddenly, by tho death of rcla-
tive. hc finds himself rich; but is this
tho success that he would have earned
had he, by his own industry and energy,
gained tho much-coveted possession?
Another through tho interest of his
friends, or through bribery. gains q
place and position Of honor for which
he has novor fitted himself; he has OBJ
tanned seeming success, but is
1t tho true one which talent
and power and patient ondoavor
would have earned? This differ
ence Is not one of more words. Sue
cess is something which every ono wants
and hopes for. naturally and rightly,
for 1t is to great degree the measure
OF his lifc-happinoss. and his valuo to
tho whole world For this reason, it is
OF great Importance that IL be distinct
ly understood in what it consists. and
how 1t must be secured. If there is q
vague notion that it means any and
every pleasant thing that wo may do
sire, procured by whatever means arc
ut hand. ami with as littlo personal Of
iort a. may DO, energy and cndcavor
VIII be at discount They will only
come in as last resort, when all easier
methods have failed; and thus tho no.
blcst elements OF manhood and woman
hood VIII remain comparatively undo
velopcd. But il, on the other hand,
success Is understood to mean achieve
m1nt through personal cxertion of mind
or body, then all the valuable attributes
OF activity, vigilance, skill, pcrsevcr-
anco and power will expand and
strengthen by continual practice.
There arc many fortunate men
9 who are not es,ful-,nen on
whom tho world has smiled from
thcr birth up. who havo enjoyed tho
benefits OF good home. Of good cdu-
cation OF loving friends. OF much assist
ance and encouragement and ample op-
portunics who yet do not succeed be-
cause they depend on these things and
fail TO put forth their powers, and to
exercise their own talents and abilities
And there are Others who arc successful
In spite o! many privations and misfort-
unoS With fow carly advantages OF
trainn., or education, with litllo help
and many discouragementa, they vet
work hard and struggle manfully, and
through the struggle gain n power and
stamina which command success iii
whatever they undertake. 1t is indeed
always problem for wisdom and intel
iigonco to solve. how far external ad-
vantages continue to be advantageous,
and whore kindness ceases TO be kind.
recent writer says, with truth:
There is o kind OF aid which it is i'm
! moral for friend to give, and equally
immoral for another to receive. 1t is tho
MD which talos the place OF Some work
we ought to have done, somo energy We
ought to have put forth. some strength
and power of character wo ought to
havo attained" What is thus true of
success is in the main also true of de-
feat; it comes from within rather than
from without Many persons arc in tho
habit OF referring all their disappoint-
ments TO some untoward circums tances.
There was lack OF opportunity or adj
part some unforeseen d iificulty arose
beyond their power to overcome, or
some opposing force camc in which no
ono could countcract; tho very stars
III their courses fought against Sisera."
But keener insight into their own
nature would usually show them that
deeper cause was ut work in their fail
IRE than any OF these things; that hal
they put forth moro energy, or exercised
more paiiencc. or ceen more brave and
rcsolutc. or had taken more precau-
tions, these disadvantages might have
been overcome and these Ohstac lies might
have been conquered. Or pcrchancc.
their defcat arose from an ambition too
great to correspond with their capaci-
ties. and humber ventures might have
proved successful. Whatever it NAV
have been it was probably the result OF
an internal defect, or error OF iudr-
ment. or lack Of energetic action. and
when that is discovered the first stem
has been taken toward turning past
failures into future success. 1t is not
opportunity or friends or fortuitous cir
cumstances that chiefly determine our
success; it is the spirit within us. of
which Goethe speaks when he saws:
"Lifo lies before US as huge quarry
lies before tho architect; he deserves
not tho namo of an architect cyccnt
whom out of this fortuitous mass he
can combine with the greatest economy
and fitness and durability some form.
tho pattern of which originated in his
spirit "-Philadelphia Ledger.
WHAT A MAN COSTS.