Patron or no
patron, what care I? You DO care. I am richer than you. I don't
care what Caesar thinks of me. I flatter no one. This is what I
have, instead of your gold and silver plate. You have silver
vessels, but earthenware reasons, principles, appetites. My mind
to me a kingdom is, and it furnishes me with abundant and happy
occupation in lieu of your restless idleness. All your
possessions seem small to you; mine seem great to me. Your desire
is insatiate--mine is satisfied." (5)
Talent is by no means rare in the world; nor is even genius. But
can the talent be trusted?--can the genius? Not unless based on
truthfulness--on veracity. It is this quality more than any
other that commands the esteem and respect, and secures the
confidence of others. Truthfulness is at the foundation of all
personal excellence. It exhibits itself in conduct. It is
rectitude--truth in action, and shines through every word and
deed. It means reliableness, and convinces other men that it can
be trusted. And a man is already of consequence in the world when
it is known that he can be relied on,--that when he says he knows
a thing, he does know it,--that when be says he will do a thing,
he can do, and does it. Thus reliableness becomes a passport to
the general esteem and confidence of mankind.
In the affairs of life or of business, it is not intellect that
tells so much as character,--not brains so much as heart,--not
genius so much as self-control, patience, and discipline,
regulated by judgment.
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