The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-12

that of ambition Accompanied by this
latter, the small talent becomes the
worst anictiOn known to man You
then demand OF this modest talent that
"hich II Is never able to give. and you
become confused, irritatcd and despair
Ing because 1t disappoInts you and
you attribute your failure TO every
cause imaginable except the real one
your own innatc lack of power. Tho
one who has been given a small talent
coupled with ambition aims at tar
get beyond the range Of his weapon
and is irreyocably doomed TO sec hIs
shots fall short Tho half talent OF
the ambitious is no longer the orna-
mental pl;lut he cultivatcs for his own
pleasure. &c cultivatcs 1t FOR what
lie expects VI to produce. His effort
Is no lonEc' to ind employment for
himself, but 10 accomplish something.
70 reach Il success compared to Others,
to pursue glory. fame, wealth admira-
ton and all the tributes which the
public ,rr Mys voluntarily to the chosen
MED him Why should not the public
reward him too? 1t renders 1t nom
az. TO the cNccptionally gifted indi-
, yidnll vino VINO stands stan, out prominently,
plane. Bat such pcrsCn is neither
the half talent nor the ta!.nt
Let me be allowed to rspoat hero
the definition of talent which | have
given i'll my Psyche physiology OF
Gcnins and Talent: "a talented in
dividual Is a being who performs ac-
tons that are generally or frequent
~ prncticed in a better way than the
majority of those who have tried 10
devote themselves 10 tho same routinc''
From this follows that 1t does not
surprise or dazzlc 10y the novelty oc
its efforts. 1t docs not demand new
ideas or general change Of ordinary
habits. II does not demand of the pub
lie personal efforts that are distastc-
tul TO the lazy. While they I'LL tho
eager and active with JOY and pride,
like manly sports. 1T simply produces
the ethical pleasure YOU feel when
you see repeated in an artistic manner
performances already known and often
seen. The fundamental element Of
talent IS limitations. Now almost every
man, VINO is not suffering from a NOR
hid cessation of development. is more
or less capable of this, as is even our
prc-and-snb human cousin, the mon.
practice and study. III brief. the tai,
cnt may be taught and TO a certain
poiut every normal human being is
may. even without any risk go still
further and say: Talent is culture in
Its encrgetically active form. But 90
culture Is nowadays so widespread, so
crous as ants. every second man be-
ing a talent Just as wo speak of Il
proletariatc of the liberal professions.
we may talk Of proletariatc of tall
cnts. The student is no longer sure
that his diploma is a sure guarantee
that he VIII be able to make liv-
ing. and this fact places the highly
civilized people face TO face with a
very painful social economic ques-
ton. If the talent must he a milk
COW. 1T no more guarantees - safe way
of making living than it gratiiies
tho vanity, and this is the cause, aside
from the material distress OF tho pro-
lctariate of talents OF the stirring in
ner tragedies of crushed and tortured
pride.
II you wish the wcll-bcing of any
one. you should rathcr wish him to lie
absolutely devoid Of talent than the
possession of small talent coupled
with ambition, an ambition which ia
always strong enough to suit even tho
Ianoat Drodigious genius. AS