t and industry. The secret of
success? Why, sir, it is will, that is all--will, nerve, 'sand.'"

Let me enlarge on the first great quality of character. Sincerity,
truthfulness--write these on the tablets of your heart; get them into
your blood. This is something that you can cultivate. One of the keen
lawyers of my town whom we elected as judge of our court, and who is
full of the fresh and living wisdom of the people, said this one day:

"A man can cultivate honesty--there is no doubt about that; but a man
who is born honest has a great advantage."

So if you have any taint of the blood which you discover inclines you
toward guile, insincerity, and untruthfulness fortify yourself by the
reflection that _insincerity is a losing game_. Put it on the low
ground of self-interest, and be truthful, be "square."

The old saying that "honesty is the best policy" has lost its original
force by much repetition. And it does not go far enough, either. I am
speaking of more than mere mercantile honesty; I am speaking of
political sincerity, of intellectual sincerity. Never attempt to fool
anybody. We live at such a rate of speed, our perceptions have become
so abnormally sensitive and acute, that it is next to impossible to
deceive any one; and he who attempts it is usually the only one
deceived.

If, then, a man can mount upon this humble stepping-stone of low
personal interest to sincerity for the sake of his own advantage, he
will, after a while, be able to climb higher, to the exalted plane of
truthfulness for the sake of truth; and then he will behold the
beatitudes of righteous living, and experience the joys which putting
oneself in harmony with the order of the universe and the on-going of
events never fails to bring. As a great scientist puts it, "Establish
your polarity, young man, and sleep soundly at night."

And courage: A successful manufacturer said to me one day, in
explaining his own success: _"I never let my idea get cold._ That, I
think, is why I have succeeded. When a great business deal came to my
mind, I did not waste my energy inquiring about whether I could do it.
I did not waste time and strength regretting that I was not stronger.
I did not destroy my force by doubting my own conception. I went at
it. I did it. I spent all my energy on execution after I had once
conceived it. Did I not make mistakes following such a plan? Why, of
course I made mistakes; and God protect me from the man who never made