Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/391



clrudgerj^ which  has  befallen  him,  over  visions  of departed  promise  that  rose  so  flush  in  his  youth- ful manhood, now  all  fled,  leaving  him  but  the  one hope of  final  rest. So time  slowly  drags  along, while fortune  flits  before. Talk to  the  unfortu- nate of bearing  up,  of  the  folly  of  despair,  of  the greater difficulties  conquered  by  the  heroic  struggles of others,  and  he  will  point  you  to  years  of  unrequited toil, to  the  bright  yellow  ignis  fatuus  that  ever  eludes his grasp,  to  the  many  times  when  undismayed  he  rose after a  fall,  and  applied  himself  with  new  energy  to new  tasks,  until  bruised  in  heart  and  bleeding  he  can rise no  more. He asks  not  your  sympathy ;  for  his failure he  makes  no  defence;  he  will  never  return  to his  friends  humiliated;  leave  him  alone  to  diel

It is  sad  to  see  dead  hope  entombed  in  a  sound body, to  see  the  vigorous  mind  cramped  as  in  a  cruel prison-house, and  the  guide  of  young  manhood  brought low. To him  who  was  thrown  upon  himself  in  youth, and accustomed  to  the  rough  cares  of  life,  it  makes little difference  where  or  how  his  lot  is  cast. If he cannot  be  cook  he  can  be  scullion,  line  his  stomach with satisfying  kitchen  grease  and  be  happy. But with those  who  have  been  carefully  guarded  in  their 3^outh it  is  not  so. Crush the  enthusiasm  in  an  am- bitious sensitive heart,  put  out  the  fire  that  drives the machinery,  and  you  ma^y  bury  what  is  left. Work is not  the  well-bred  young  man's  misfortune;  with  an object  he  will  work  his  fingers  to  the  bone,  he  will work his  brain  until  the  veins  on  his  hot  forehead swell almost  to  bursting;  he  will  leave  behind  him dead half  a  score  of  your  mechanical  drudges  at work. Poverty is  not  his  misfortune;  to  be  well housed, well  fed,  and  well  clothed  are  trifles  to  him who has  a  purpose  in  hand. His misfortune  is  to have  his  intuitions  stifled,  his  talents  choked,  his mind withered  for  want  of  development ;  this  it  is  that makes him  sour  and  misanthropic,  all  worth  living for, growth,  development,  culture,  an  intellectual  life,