The Washington herald., 1907-10-26
THE OPTIMIST.

There Is one good lesson for the true
optimist TO heed, and that is that what
ever befalls there is mighty little use or
good tn be accomplished by railing blindly
and wildly against fate. II is too bad
seeing how often we war with evil fate,
that fate were not something specific.
definite. that we might bravely strike at.
demolish, do away with Gen. Lew Wal
lace. In ben Hur." expressed this
thought: ''The wrath PECULIAR to ardent
natures rudely awakened by the sudden
annlhiiation OF a hope-dream, II you
will-in which the choicest happiness were
thought 20 be certainly within reach. In
such cases nothing intermediate will
carry of the passiCa,-the quarrel is with
fate. II were well in such quar-
rels, II fate were something tangible, to
be dispatched with a look or a blow, TO
a speaking parsonage with whom high
words were possible; then the unhappy
mortal would not always end the affair
by Furnishing himself"
In the old Greek mythology the Fates
had some OF the attributes Of Gods, and
the workings of Fate were immutable.
Seneca declared that Fate maketn his
circuit; and If for a time he forget some
things at last he revisiteth them He
afiiicteth some more rarely. and others
more often but leaveth nothing exempt
and free from evil"
1 suppose that in THAI thought lies our
only consolation when we feel that We
are in the hands and at the mercy OF
fate-that the thing is inexOrable and
'leaveth nothing exempt" that what we
suffer at the hands Of fate is shared by
our brethren, and whining about it VIII
do no good. AS Shakespeare says:
What fates impose that men must needs abide;
II boots not 20 resist both wind and tide.
Along the same lines 1t was the same
poet who in another play wrote:
There's a divinit. doth shape or ends.
Rougn-hew them how We viii
And reading that Alright we may come
to see that the only weapon there is 10
be used successfully against remorseless
fate we must fashion out Of our own
souls. our own hoDes-perhaps, even. our
/ own despaIrs
Who are we. to Judge and rail at fate?
Seeing what has happened to-day. is it
given 10 Us 10 know the end? The ilI
that seems so immeasureable now, may
it not after ALL be a blessing in disguise?
Pate holds the strings and Men. like Children.
move
But as they're led: Success is from above.
as Lord Landsdowne wrote
Butler. in his "Hudibras." gave US a
I thought that will help Us much 20 take
I the right attitude toward fate when he
wrote:
Success. the mark no mortal VI,
Or surest hand. can always hit;
For whatsoe'er We peTTetrate,
We do but row-ve' re steeTel by fate
Which in SIcCess Oft dlsinheTits,
For spurious causes. noblest merits
4 That is the thought that ought to help
us-fate steers, but we row the boat
/ That is our task: 10 row. To keep on row.
| ing. trusting always 10 the God OF the
ultimate decency Of things that all our
/ labor is not 10 be in vain; that at last
some day, we shall reach the haven't
not Of our desires. then one that shall
! enable US TO land and work out our own
/ salvation.
I A-El b1 bttlNFr WIN AlcltrEF Nt4Ds ~ 4AlS
I 'Festus," cried:
/ Flldl thy fate! Be-do-bear-snd thsnk Codi
/ That is the spirit with which 10 assail
/ the difficulties Of life An. how they
I threaten 10 overwhelm rs sometimes
/ How our dearest friends misunderstand
US and mold alOof. how those we love
! arm themselves with silence that We can.
/ not penetrate. Dark come the days. ant
/ the outlook for the future seems 10 bt
/ all gloom and sadness; and energy, seem
/ ingly directed 10 no end--it seems tha
4 the evil fates have Us firmly IN theil
/ grasp and there is no salvation possible
/ It is our business to cultivate strength
/ Of soul so that we may. II We must
stand alone, and whatever the pain a
the heart, smile at fate's gTimest jests
/ Well for rs Il we have the strength
/ If not. then, perforce. we must rely OF
/ the tender spirits Of those who love us
/ and whom we love and look to. and {,
whom we may in confidence appeal TO
/ help
Nv fate depends alone on YOU,
] am hut what you make ne:
/ DiVinely blest If you prove tue,
] F-rF0rle II Won Frrzaka me