Elements Of Success

( Originally Published 1885 )

I BELIEVE it was Dr. Young, the celebrated English poet, who said, — "How sad a sight is human happiness!"

We see all around us so many examples of failure and misery in life, that when a clear case of prosperous happiness presents itself the contrast is painful, and we are led to ask, "What are the causes?" When we do see a marked case of success, we instinctively inquire, " What produced that ?" "

The other day I read of one who has, of late years, been well known in this community. He was brilliant, talented, cultured ; he associated with people of refinement and education ; but, alas ! the newspaper report said he was arrested in a distant city and locked up as a street beggar and vagrant ! What did that? Why such a failure? He had become a drunkard.

Twenty-five years ago, in a New England college were two young men. One was poor, working his own way for an education, the other was the son of one of the noblest men in the state, wealthy, and an upright Christian gentleman, moving in the best society. His son was ambitious and proud. He would pass by the poor young man upon the college campus without deigning him any recognition, not even a nod of the head.

Twenty years went by. The rich young man studied law, and was admitted to the bar. After spending some years in a distant part of the country, he returned to his native state a confirmed drunkard. One day he called upon his former college acquaintance and asked for three dollars to pay his bill for lodging, that he might not be turned out into the street.

His friend gave him the money, and hoped he would put it to a good use. With that money, as it afterwards appeared, he bought the liquor which made him drunk ; he be-came noisy and boisterous, got into a street brawl, was arrested, taken to the lock-up, and finally sentenced — and that not for the first time— to six months at the house of correction.

But how much more satisfactory to fall in with incidents of the opposite character. Some of you know something of the early life of James A. Garfield, and of the secret of his success.

Few men, probably, of late years have had a nobler reputation, stood higher in their profession, or fairer before the world than Admiral Farragut, a statue of whom adorns one of the parks in Washington. Let me read you an incident which throws great light upon his career, from which many lessons may be drawn, but from which I will only ask you to notice the underlying principles which brought such signal success to his life : —

ADMIRAL FARRAGUT'S CONVERSION.

In a recent conversation, Admiral Farragut said : "When I was ten years of age I was with my father on board a man-of-war. I had some qualities that I thought made a man of me. I could swear like an old salt, could drink as stiff a glass of grog as if I had doubled Cape Horn, and could smoke like a locomotive. I was great at cards, and fond of gaming in every shape. At the close of dinner one day, my father turned everybody out of the cabin, locked the door, and said to me, —

" 'David, what do you mean to be?' " ' I mean to follow the sea.'

" 'Follow the sea ! yes, to be a poor, miserable, drunken sailor before the mast, be kicked and cuffed about the world, and die in some fever hospital in a foreign clime.'

" 'No,' said I, ' I'll tread the quarter deck, and command as you do.'

"'No, David ; no boy ever trod the quarter-deck with such principles as you have, and such habits as you exhibit. You 'll have to change your whole course of life if you ever become a man.'

"My father left me, and went on deck. I was stunned by the rebuke, and overwhelmed with mortification. 'A poor, miserable, drunken sailor before the mast ! be kicked and cuffed about the world, and die in some fever hospital !' That 's my fate, is it? I'll change my life, and change it at once. I will never utter another oath ; I will never drink another drop of intoxicating liquor; I will never gamble. I have kept these three vows to this hour. Shortly afterwards, I became a Christian. That act was the turning-point in my destiny."

Now, my young friends, what underlies this story? What do you discover besides the simple narrative?

As I read this incident, and re-read it, and pondered upon it, a profound impression of its hidden meaning, of its deep significance, came over me. I could "read between the lines " something not printed on the page. I saw plainly stated three important principles; and still further on three more were discovered. The first three were the fundamental principles of success, the foundation upon which the super structure of a useful and prosperous career was builded. The second three were like unto them, and without which the first would have been rendered null and void. I read (1) that Admiral Farragut had a good CHARACTER. Ah ! boys, character is of primary importance. We can none of us achieve much, worth achieving, without a good character; that which can be depended on in an emergency ; that which is pure and bold, and true and good. Then (2) I notice in his life, as it has been placed before the world, that Admiral Farragut had real ABILITY, — intellect, mind, brains. He was no ignorant man. He was no common-place man in his mental caliber. He had talent. He also had (3) AMBITION. He could never have acquired the world-wide reputation he did, without a high and noble ambition. He proposed to accomplish something worthy in life, and he did. Had he not had a laudable ambition, he would never have made such a brilliant record.

But these three important points are not the only ones that stand out in his life. Three other qualities are apparent. It is clear that Admiral Farragut could never have gained his remarkable reputation without hard and laborious service. He had the quality of (1) industry. He improved his opportunities. He became familiar with all history that related to his profession. It is related of him that during a year's residence in Tunis, our consul, Mr. Charles Folsom, directed his studies, and " gave him a thirst for information," which, as Mrs. Farragut says in a letter, " as his eyes were not strong, kept all his household busy reading to him." His knowledge was varied, and in matters relating to his profession, profound. He was one of the best linguists in the navy. Success comes not from chance, or from talent alone. It is won by fighting for it. It is achieved. No great thing is done, no great prize won, no remarkable success attained, without hard work.

But I have known hard workers not to succeed. I have in mind several boys of my acquaintance who work hard enough. They will fire up like a rocket, and make a bluster and a sputtering, and go off with a whiz and a whir which you would think sufficient to move the world ; but soon the light goes out suddenly, and the result is a burnt stick. They are at work to-day on one thing and to-morrow on another. They lack (2) perseverance. Not so, however, David Farragut ; he had not only industry, but he had persistence ; he was steady, earnest, persevering, year in and year out ; he worked on quietly and faithfully, till he had risen from midshipman to lieutenant, commander, captain, and rear admiral. Still there is lacking one other element to his success. He had labored faithfully and perseveringly for many years, and had acquired no great reputation, no fame. He had not made a great name, but he had (3) patience to wait for the results.

The war finally came, and he was thrown into actual service. He could now exhibit the qualities he had been acquiring during the long years of peace. He was now tried, and was not found wanting. He had entered the navy before he was ten years old, yet he was past sixty when he found the opportunity to distinguish himself, by exhibiting those qualities and that breadth of judgment which had been so long maturing. Ah ! my young friends, we must learn to be patient, and to wait for results. They will come in God's good time. Many a young man wants to jump at one bound to the top of the ladder ; yet that is a dangerous experiment. It is better to climb one round at a time, and the longer the ladder the higher our continued climbing brings us.

Now Admiral Farragut had (1) character; (2) ability; (3) ambition; and he had also (1) industry; (2) perseverance; (3) patience. He won great distinction, and, since there was no proper rank in the navy for him, the grade of Admiral was created for him whose name had become a household word through-out the land. He died as he had lived, a Christian gentleman, and mourned by the whole nation. In battle he was as fearless as Nelson, in public virtue and patriotism not excelled by the greatest heroes of antiquity, while in his spotless purity of character he rivaled the illustrious Collingwood. There are many naval names dear to the American heart, but

"A brighter name must dim their light
With more than noontide ray,
The viking of the river fight,
The conqueror of the bay.
Shape not for him the marble form,
Let never bronze be cast,
But paint him in the battle-storm,
Lashed to his flagship's mast."

Let me assure you, one and all, that any young man to whom God shall give life and health, if he display these six attributes in due proportion and extent, is just as sure of success in life as the sun is to rise tomorrow morning.

One may attain fair or even brilliant success in some direction without a harmonious development of all six of these attributes, although it is by no means sure. But one who has all of these qualities need give himself no uneasiness as to results. They are certain ; but let him patiently bide the time.