Impossible," said Napoleon, "is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools."

Constant application overcomes the greatest difficulties.

Any man can do what any other man has done.
-DR. YOUNG.

I hold as doctrine, to which I owe, not much indeed, but all the little I ever had, viz., that, with ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable.

-SIR THOMAS F. BUXTON.

Why should he despair of success, since effects naturally follow their causes, and the divine Providence is wont to afford its concourse to such proceedings.

-BARROW.

Never despair-it kills the life,

And digs an early grave

The man who rails so much at Fate,

But makes himself her slave.

Up! rouse ye to the work-

Resolve victory to gain,

And hopes shall rise, and bear rich fruit,
Which long in dust have lain.

'Tis no use bewailing

Our want of success,
And all unavailing

Our tears of distress.

Unless we are roused to act upon ourselves, unless we engage in the work of self-improvement, unless we purpose strenuously to form and elevate our own minds, unless what we hear is made a part of ourselves by conscientious reflection, very little permanent good is received. -THE REV. W. E. CHANNING.

Every man is the architect of his own fortune.

Prediction of failure does not affect me.

-MARCONI.

Not all who seem to fail, have failed indeed;
Not all who fail have therefore worked in vain :
For all our acts to many issues lead;

And out of earnest purpose, pure and plain,
Enforced by honest toil of hand or brain,
The Lord will fashion in His own good time,
(Be this the labourer's proudly humble creed)
Such ends, as to his wisdom fitliest chime
With His vast love's eternal harmonies.
There is no failure for the good and wise;
What though thy seed should fall by the wayside
And the birds snatch it; yet the birds are fed;
Or they may bear it far across the tide,
To give rich harvests after thou art dead.

Failures are but the pillars of success.

-WELSH PROVERB.

A feverish display of over-zeal

At the first outset, is an obstacle

To all success; water, however, cold

Will penetrate the ground by slow degrees.

Some persons, if asked to point out the kind of man best fitted to get well through the world, would pitch upon the vigorous and able man, judging that, in a scene where there are SO many obstacles, the

* Prof. Johnson's edition.

power of meeting and overcoming them must be the most important of all qualifications. Others might indicate the man of great vivacity and quickness of parts he who watches and takes advantage of everything, feels interested in everything, and never for

It ap

one moment allows his faculties to be at rest. Now these are valuable qualifications in their way, and no doubt of great use in enabling a man, as the common phrase is, to get through the world. Yet, I question, if they are the most essential of all qualities for that purpose. The force of an individual is often found of little avail against the great inert obstacles which he meets in the course. High nervous activity wears itself out, and often perishes before it has effected anything. pears to me that the kind of man truly best fitted to get well through life is he who, while possessing a fair share of the above qualities, abounds more in a certain passiveness of character, fitting him to take almost every troublesome thing easily. This man does not so much cope with difficulties, as he ducks and let them pass over his head. He never allows himself to get into an excitement, either for or against anything or anybody. -R. CHAMBERS.

Everything is uncertain till you possess it. Ancaeos, a king of the Lelégës in Samos, planted a vineyard, and was warned by one of his slaves that he would never live to taste the wine thereof, Wine was made from its grapes, and the king sent for his he thought of his prophecy now.

slave asking him what The slave made answer,

"There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip," and the words were yet scarce spoken, when news was brought that a bear had burst into the vineyard and was laying Up started the king in a fury, seized

waste the vines.

his spear, and went forth to attack the bear, but was killed in the encounter.*

Shame on that thing in the form of a man

Which says that it can't, while there's hope that it can!
But success to the workers with muscle and brain,
Who, whene'er defeated, will try once again!
Though want and distress make all others quail,
With labour and faith true men never fail.

Keep up your courage, friend,

Nor falter on the track

Look up, toil bravely on,

And scorn to languish back!

A true heart rarely fails to win-
A will can make a way-

The darkest night will yield at last
Unto the perfect day.

The rules of the founder of the great banking house of Rothschild formulated and bequeathed to his children read as follows:

Carefully examine every detail of your business,
Be prompt in everything.

Take time to consider, but decide positively,

Dare to go forward,

Bear troubles patiently.

Be brave in the struggle of life.

Maintain your integrity as a sacred thing.

Never tell business lies,

Make no useless acquaintance,

• From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.