have already
endeavored to show that it is generally for the interest of young men
to rely upon their own exertions. It is extremely difficult for a
person who has ever relied on others, to act with the same energy as
those who have been thrown upon their own resources.[4] To learn the
art of inheriting property or receiving large gifts, and of acting with
the same energy as if left wholly to our own resources, must be
reserved, I believe, for future and wiser generations of our race.

I repeat it, therefore, every person had better defer going into
business for himself, until he can stand entirely on his own footing.
Is it asked how he can have funds from his own resources, before he has
actually _commenced_ business for himself? Why the thing is perfectly
easy. He has only to labor a few years in the service of another. True
it is, he may receive but moderate wages during this time; but on the
other hand, he will be subjected to little or no risk.

Let 1,000 young men, at the age of 30 years, enter into business with a
given amount of capital, all acquired by their own hard earnings, and
let them pursue their business 30 years faithfully; that is, till they
are 60 years of age. Let 1,000 others commence at the age of 20, with
three times the amount of capital possessed by the former, but at the
same time either inherited, or loaned by their friends, and let them
pursue their calling till _they_ are 60 years of age; or for a period
of 40 years. We will suppose the natural talents, capacity for doing
business, and expenditures--in fact every thing,--the same, in both
cases. Now it requires no gift of prophecy to foretell, with certainty,
that at 60 years of age a far greater proportion of the 1,000, who
began at 30 and depended solely on their own exertions, will be men of
wealth, than of those who began at 20 with three times their capital.
The reason of these results is found in the very nature of things, as I
have shown both above, and in my remarks on industry.

But these views are borne out by facts. Go into any city in the United
States, and learn the history of the men who are engaged in active and
profitable business, and are thriving in the world, and my word for it,
you will find the far greater part began life with nothing, and have
had no resources whatever but their own head and hands. And in no city
is this fact more strikingly verified than in Boston. On the other
hand, if you make a list of those who f