Identifier: architectsoffate00mard (find matches)
Title: Architects of fate : or, Steps to success and power : a book designed to inspire youth to character building, self-culture and noble achievement
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Marden, Orison Swett, 1848-1924
Subjects: Success
Publisher: Boston : Houghton Mifflin
Contributing Library: University of Connecticut Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Connecticut Libraries

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the public treasury. The strongest proof, however, of the justice and in-tegrity of Aristides is, that notwithstanding he hadpossessed the highest employments in the republic, andhad the absolute disposal of its treasures, yet he diedso poor as not to leave money enough to defray theexpenses of his funeral. Men of character are the conscience of the society towhich they belong; they, and not the police, guaranteethe execution of the laws. Their influence is the bul-wark of good government. It was said of the first Emperor Alexander of Eussia,that his personal character was equivalent to a constitu-tion. Of Montaigne, it was said that his high reputa-tion for integrity was a better protection for him thana regiment of horse would have been, he being the onlyman among the French gentry who, during the wars ofthe Fronde, kept his castle gates unbarred. There aremen, fortunately for the world, who would rather he rightthan he Pi^esident. Fisher Ames, while in Congress, said of Roger Sher-
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LAFAYETTEHe believed that he was born, not for himself, but for the whole world. THE GRANDEST THING IN THE WORLD. 217 man, of Connecticut: If I am absent during a discus-sion of a subject, and consequently know not on whichside to vote, when I return I always look at EogerSherman, for I am sure if I vote with him, I shall voteright. Character gravitates upward, as with a celestial gravi-tation, while mere genius, without character, gravitatesdownward. How often we see in school or collegeyoung men, who are apparently dull and even stupid,rise gradually and surely above others who are withoutcharacter, merely because the former have an upwardtendency in their lives, a reaching-up principle, whichgradually but surely unfolds, and elevates them to posi-tions of honor and trust. There is something whicheverybody admires in an aspiring soul, one whose ten-dency is upward and onward, in spite of hindrances andin defiance of obstacles. We may try to stifle the voice of the mysterious an-gel

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