Genius and Labor | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 13, 1863

Genius and Labor.

ALEXANDER Hamilton once said to an intimate friend: "Men give me some credit for genius. All the genius I have lies just in this—when I have a subject in hand, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. I explore it in all its bearings. My mind becomes pervaded with it. Then the effort I make is what people are pleased to call the fruits of genius. It is fruits of labor and thought."

Mr. Webster replied to a gentleman who pressed him to speak on a subject of great importance: "The subject interests me deeply but I have no time. There, sir," pointing to a large pile of letters on the table, "is a lot of unanswered letters, to which I must reply before the close of the session (then three days off.) I have no time to master the subject so as to do it justice."

"But Mr. Webster, a few words from you would do much to awaken public attention to it."

"If there be so much weight in my words as you represent, it is because I do not allow myself to speak on any subject till I have imbued my mind with it."

Demosthenes was urged to speak on a great and sudden emergency. "I am not prepared," said he, and obstinately refused.

The law of labor is equally binding on genius and mediocrity. The mind and body rarely visits this earth of ours so exactly fitted to each other, and so perfectly harmonizing together as to rise without effort, and command in the affairs of men. It is not in the power of every one to become great. No great approximation, even toward that which is easiest attained, can ever be accomplished without the exercise of much thought and vigor of action; and thus is demonstrated the supremacy of that law which gives excellence only when earned; assigns to labor its unfailing reward.

May not young men and all others take lessons from this?