ifficulties and pillowed on hardships.

"The gods look on no grander sight than an honest man struggling with
adversity."

"Then I must learn to sing better," said Anaximander, when told that
the very boys laughed at his singing.

Strong characters, like the palm-tree, seem to thrive best when most
abused. Men who have stood up bravely under great misfortune for years
are often unable to bear prosperity. Their good fortune takes the
spring out of their energy, as the torrid zone enervates races
accustomed to a vigorous climate. Some people never come to themselves
until baffled, rebuffed, thwarted, defeated, crushed, in the opinion of
those around them. Trials unlock their virtues; defeat is the
threshold of their victory.

It is defeat that turns bone to flint; it is defeat that turns gristle
to muscle; it is defeat that makes men invincible; it is defeat that
has made those heroic natures that are now in the ascendency, and that
has given the sweet law of liberty instead of the bitter law of
oppression.

Difficulties call out great qualities, and make greatness possible.
How many centuries of peace would have developed a Grant? Few knew
Lincoln until the great weight of the war showed his character. A
century of peace would never have produced a Bismarck. Perhaps
Phillips and Garrison would never have been known to history had it not
been for slavery.

"Will he not make a great painter?" was asked in regard to an artist
fresh from his Italian tour. "No, never," replied Northcote. "Why
not?" "Because he has an income of six thousand pounds a year." In
the sunshine of wealth a man is, as a rule, warped too much to become
an artist of high merit. He should have some great thwarting
difficulty to struggle against. A drenching shower of adversity would
straighten his fibers out again.

The best tools receive their temper from fire, their edge from
grinding; the noblest characters are developed in a similar way. The
harder the diamond, the more brilliant the luster, and the greater the
friction necessary to bring it out. Only its own dust is hard enough
to make this most precious stone reveal its full beauty.

The spark in the flint would sleep forever but for friction; the fire
in man would never blaze but for antagonism.

Suddenly, with much jarring and jolting, an electric car came to a
standstill just in front of a heavy truck that was headed in an
opposite direction. The huge truck wheels we