The Bossier banner., 1895-06-13
Men Who Have Won Success.

knowledge and Duty. By Orison
SWEET Marden. Crown 8vo. New
York: Houghton, Mifain & Co.
$1.50.
This is book for boys and girls
whose environments seem to forbid
them to indulge in aspirations for
fame and fortune and even for mod
crate success in life. The authors
purpose is to show that the outward
circumstances of humble origin and
poverty, and all that they imply, after
all are not an inseperable claim bind
ing youth to his low estate, and
that one who makes up his mind to
"get to the front" may start with
reasonable expectation of getting
there-provided, of course, he has
the required intelligence. We all
must command such a motive as this,
and the only question to consider in
putting an estimate on MIR. Marden's
book is whether it will do good to
those for whom it has been written.
It we should Judge the book in any
other way than this, we should do
the author grave injustice.
We might say that the general
reader would find the book tiresome,
but that would not be relevant crit
icism, for the book is not offered for
the instruction and entertainment of
the general reader. So, too, if We
should say that there was no great
literary merit in the book, we should
say what would be quite immaterial,
for the authors hope is not to achieve
literary fame, but to send message
to bright boys and girls in adversely
that shall stimulate their ampitions
and help them to break from their
surroundings. We must judge MIR.
Merdens work by his own standard
the standard of usefulness-and de-
termine what its effects will be upon
his chosen class of readers. Doing
this, we shall acknowledge freely that
he has performed a great public ser
| vice, in that he has written a book
full of inspiration and help to those
who SO much need help and inspira-
ton. Ifw could follow Mr.. Marden's
book into the farm house, the ma
chine shop, the mining camp, and the
prairie cabin, we should see, beyond
doubt, many boy and girl aroused
by it to a determination to start upon
a career of honor and usefulness. No
argument is needed to prove that a
book that will operate in this way is
deserving OF commendation.
The plan of the work is quite
unique. Mr.. Marden, so he tells us,
made up his mind years ago that il
it ever should be in his power to dc
it, he would write book "to encour.
age, inspire, and stimulate boys and
| girls who long to be somebody and
do something in the world, but fee
that they have no chance in ife."-
There were hundreds OF books in
those days which prescribed for the
young what they should do to wir
success, but there was none which
in Mr.. Marden's judgment, was the
best that could be written. He be
lieves that this ideal book for youths
| should be erich in concrete examples
Of great achievements" and shouli
depend for its influence not so mucl
upon the didactic remarks of th,
author as upon anecdotes illustrating
how famous men and women hai
come from small beginnings. FL,
determined that when he should writ,
his book he would stock it will
homely advice, free from cant ant
materialism, and that he should d.
his best to satisfy the cravings o
youth for stories of successful live,
and for hints and information of ,
sort to help them make their way i,
the world.