fice department he at length carried his point, and on January
10, 1840, penny postage was established throughout Great Britain. Mr.
Hill was chosen to introduce the system, at a salary of fifteen hundred
pounds a year. His success was most encouraging, but at the end of two
years a Tory minister dismissed him without paying for his services, as
agreed. The public was indignant, and at once contributed sixty-five
thousand dollars; and, at the request of Queen Victoria, Parliament
voted him one hundred thousand dollars and ten thousand dollars a year
for life.
Christ knew that one affection rules in man's life when he said, "No
man can serve two masters." One affection, one object, will be supreme
in us. Everything else will be neglected and done with half a heart.
One may have subordinate plans, but he can have but one supreme aim,
and from this aim all others will take their character.
It is a great purpose which gives meaning to life, it unifies all our
powers, binds them together in one cable; makes strong and united what
was weak, separated, scattered.
"Painting is my wife and my works are my children," replied Michael
Angelo when asked why he did not marry.
"Smatterers" are weak and superficial. Of what use is a man who knows
a little of everything and not much of anything? It is the momentum of
constantly repeated acts that tells the story. "Let thine eyes look
straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy ways
be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left." One
great secret of St. Paul's power lay in his strong purpose. Nothing
could daunt him, nothing intimidate. The Roman Emperor could not
muzzle him, the dungeon could not appall him, no prison suppress him,
obstacles could not discourage him. "This one thing I do" was written
all over his work. The quenchless zeal of his mighty purpose burned
its way down through the centuries, and its contagion will never cease
to fire the hearts of men.
"Try and come home somebody," said the fond mother to Gambetta as she
sent him off to Paris to school. Poverty pinched this lad hard in his
little garret study and his clothes were shabby, but what of that? He
had made up his mind to get on in the world. For years this youth was
chained to his desk and worked like a hero. At last his opportunity
came. Jules Favre was to plead a great cause on a certain day; but,
being ill, he chose this young man, absolutely unkno
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