PERSEVERANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 38

PERSEVERANCE.

By Aurora Lynnb.

Blessed is he who is a genius born, But cursed he of perseverance shorn !

Perseverance is "an infinite capacity for taking pains," a " remarkable steadiness of purpose and will." We owe everything to perseverance. It is a mighty power that nothing will stay, no obstacle will daunt.

Most of those fortunate people who have made names for themselves, and have risen high in the world's estimation and esteem, have accomplished it all by perseverance. Some people possess this quality in a far more marked degree than others. It is not always allied with genius. In fact very frequently it happens that the fortunate possessor of it has no other quality to recommend him. It does not work by fits and starts, and it is not easily moved. It works away with a steady doggedness, undaunted and unmoved by passing events. Confident of its own reward, it does not pause to search for a quicker, easier, but less sure way. There are some who have not the slightest atom of perseverance. They may have other gifts more brilliant and taking, but this one has been denied them. If they are fortunate enough to own a friend who does possess the quality they lack, and who, for friendship's sake, persistently implores and helps them to strive onward, they will probably succeed ; but if Jeft to their own resources they lie Btaguant and dormant, " hid under a bushel," because of their indolence and inability to devote themselves to steady progress. It is the slow, hard plodding that succeeds in everything— gradually and slowly, but all the more surely.

Those who have been blest with the glorious gift of genius have not so much need of perseverance. It is those who have' only average capacities that need it, and if Nature has not favoured them with the gift they should strive to cultivate it, for much can be done towards training it by ourselves. There are some who perhaps have not any bright qualities — who come under the heading " Dull." Let them not despair, for by perseverance—that steady, hard plodding — they may accomplish almost as much as if they bad been born clever, and \a some cases more.

How often do we see in a family two brothers or two sisters one of whom is clever but indolent and the other dull but perseveriDg. They both have the same chances at school, and the clever child learns quicker and gets in advance of the other. Time passes on, and the "dull one" works hard, never grudging the time spent at the books, but the clever one is idle. " I have no need to grind hard like that, for I can always with very little trouble catch up." And so time goes on, and in a few years one is at the top of the ladder, while the other is still on the lowest rung, undecided as to whim to start. We hear so often the remark about one who has succeeded well : " Ob, she. is not at all clever, but very hard, working and persevering I" or, "He has got on splendidly, and he used to be a regular duffer at school ; not at bit clever, but grinds bard I " Then the clever ones who have not suoceeded sigh wistfully : " I wish I had persevered too I " I do not mean to say that all tbe dull ones succeed, and all the clever ones fail ; but I mean that every one who perseveres will Bucceed, -whether they are bright or not. I£ perseveranca be allied to genius, then, together, they have a brilliant and sure futuro. It wduld be far better to have these two as birthgif ts than to be born rich. And now let everyone cultivate perseverance, for it is the most useful quality to posseßS. It is the main road to fame atd fortune, and, though the travelling may be hard, the reward at tha end is sure.

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