The Washington herald., 1907-09-14
THE OPTIMIST

l think that IN considering our rela-
tions TO those Of our fellow-men. we are
all prone to make too much of accidents
of birth OF fortune. as II those things
really counted for the real things of life
II has not been 50 many years ago tina;
the only criterion Of a gentleman was
his gentle birth his freedom from the
cares OF toll; the fact that a man had
ancestors. Nous avons change tous celat
And so it Is with the title nobleman!
There is no one who can really make us
noble but ourselves. The power 70 be
mobiles lies IN our own hearts and souls;
in the worthiness Of our ambitions, in the
cleanliness OF our desires, In our unset
hshness. in our kindly attitude toward
our fellows. Men may be
Noble by birth. yet nobIer by great deeds.
And deeds are not always 70 be judged
as the world judges them. Few know
the circumstances Of our action but our
selves; the real springs that moved us;
the real motives behind Us-anf II is our
own conscience shall tell us whether We
are noble or not The advice given by
Charles Kingsley to the girl might well
be applied to all Of us:
BE good. sweet maid and let Who WiI he clever;
Do noble things not dream them all day long;
And 50 make life death. and that vast forever
One grand sweet song
To strive for the striving's sake. 10 Do
ones best under all circumstances. is one
sure test Of nobility Of character Aris-
totle, describing a noble man. said.
lie does not rec9Iect injuries: f5r accurate recol
lection, especially of injuries is not Characteristic
q the msgnanim0Us soul but he rather 0gerlOoks
them. Ho is not fond q talking q people f0r he
viii neither speak e himself nor # anybody Else
tar be- does not care that Ee himself should h
praised. nor that others should be blamed.
To have the leaven Of nobility in ones
soul IS to be well girded with armOr
against most Of the sorry ills OF this life
Defeat TO the noble soul only means
harder striving. disappointment means
chasteniEg. sorrow means a cleansing OF
the spirit. The noble man finding him
cast of and alone. VIII only seek 10 make
himself more Worthy-IiviHg a fine, clean
/ honest life that shall be a perpetual ex-
ample 20 others and a constant blessing
to himself. II is indeed from the very
heart Of disaster in this worlds affairs
that the noble soul viii wiring the great
| est good; as LongfeIlow says.
Noble souls through dust and heat.
Rise from disaster and dfeaf
The strong r.
And conscious still e the divine
Within them. DIE ru earth sagiue
No longer
I
/ de We're" struck at the very heart Of
/ false chivalry which recognized only Ia,
nobility of birth when he wrote.
Hgveer ~ b.. II seems 20 me
Tis anlv noble 10 De- g1rd
Kind hearts are more than ecroneis
And simple faith than Norman blood.
/ Upon US all. then. lies the duty Of fos
/ tering that spark of nobIeusss withou
/ which no human over lived The spark s,
/ there 10 be killed. II We choose. by sIoth
! hy seIdshness, by doubt. by suspicion. by a
multitude Of evils any one Of which may
I overthrow US and make US descend iu th.
/ scale But for US who look with hope
+ ful, optimistic eyes toward the best. tina
+ spark Of nobility In our souls IS 10 b,
/ kindled into great flame, and in it
/ heat We can take up the more uaufull7
( and diligently The everyday duties o
/ lite For us mobiles Of to-day there ar,
/ dragons YET TO fight, for us. too. Their,
/ IS the fair lady Virtue. whose glove ",
+ may proudly wear displayed upon on
/ helm and in whose name We may carr
+ our lives on 20 a glorious victory.
/ Re notlel And the uoHisness that lies
In other men, sleeping. bat never dead
/ VIII TlSg iU MAJESTY 90 meet thine own
Then wilt thou see II Elsam iu many eyes.
Then VIII T1re light around Thy path no shed.
And tHog wilt us7em1Tc De- sad and lone