a good name must be the fruit of one's own exertion. You cannot
possess it by patrimony; you cannot purchase it with money; you will
not light on it by chance; it is independent of birth, station,
talents, and wealth; it must be the outcome of your own endeavor, and
the reward of good principles and honorable conduct. Of all the
elements of success in life none is more vital than self-reliance,--a
determination to be, under God, the creator of your own reputation and
advancement. If difficulties stand in the way, if exceptional
disadvantages oppose you, all the better, as long as you have pluck to
fight through them. I want each young man here (you will not
misunderstand me) to have faith in himself and, scorning props and
buttresses, crutches and life-preservers, to take earnest hold of life.
Many a lad has good stuff in him that never comes to anything because
he slips too easily into some groove of life; it is commonly those who
have a tough battle to begin with that make their mark upon their age."

When Beethoven was examining the work of Moscheles, he found written at
the end "Finis, with God's help." He wrote under it "Man, help
yourself."

A young man stood listlessly watching some anglers on a bridge. He was
poor and dejected. At length, approaching a basket filled with fish,
he sighed, "If now I had these I would be happy. I could sell them and
buy food and lodgings." "I will give you just as many and just as
good," said the owner, who chanced to overhear his words, "if you will
do me a trifling favor." "And what is that?" asked the other. "Only
to tend this line till I come back; I wish to go on a short errand."
The proposal was gladly accepted. The old man was gone so long that
the young man began to get impatient. Meanwhile the fish snapped
greedily at the hook, and he lost all his depression in the excitement
of pulling them in. When the owner returned he had caught a large
number. Counting out from them as many as were in the basket, and
presenting them to the youth, the old fisherman said, "I fulfill my
promise from the fish you have caught, to teach you whenever you see
others earning what you need to waste no time in foolish wishing, but
cast a line for yourself."

A white squall caught a party of tourists on a lake in Scotland, and
threatened to capsize the boat. When it seemed that the crisis was
really come the largest and strongest man in the party, in a state of
intense fear, sa