TheConquestofObstacles
奧裡森·馬登/OrisonMarden
「Whatafineprofessionourswouldbeiftherewerenogibbets!」saidoneoftwohighwaymenwhochancedtopassagallows.「Tut,youblockhead,」repliedtheother,「gibbetsarethemakingofus;for,iftherewerenogibbets,everyonewouldbeahighwayman.」Justsowitheveryart,trade,orpursuit;itisthedifficultiesthatscareandkeepoutunworthycompetitors.
「Adversityisasevereinstructor,」saysEdmundBurke,「setoverusbyonewhoknowsusbetterthanwedoourselves,asHelovesusbettertoo.Hethatwrestleswithusstrengthensournervesandsharpensourskill.Ourantagonistisourhelper.Thisconflictwithdifficultymakesusacquaintedwithourobject,andcompelsustoconsideritinallitsrelations.Itwillnotsufferustobesuperficial.」
Strongcharacters,likethepalmtree,seemtothrivebestwhenmostabused.Menwhohavestoodupbravelyundergreatmisfortuneforyearsareoftenunabletobearprosperity.Theirgoodfortunetakesthespringoutoftheirenergy,asthetorridzoneenervatesracesaccustomedtoavigorousclimate.Somepeoplenevercometothemselvesuntilbaffled,rebuffed,thwarted,defeated,cashed,intheopinionofthosearoundthem.Trialsunlocktheirvirtues;defeatisthethresholdoftheirvictory.
「Tomakehiswayatthebar,」saidaneminentjurist,「ayoungmanmustlivelikeahermitsandworklikeahorse.Thereisnothingthatdoesayounglawyersomuchgoodastobehalfstarved.」
Wearethevictorsofouropponents.Theyhavedevelopedinustheverypowerbywhichweovercomethem.
Withouttheiroppositionwecouldneverhavebracedandanchoredandfortifiedourselves,astheoakisbracedandanchoredforitsthousandbattleswiththetempests.Ourtrials,oursorrows,andourgriefsdevelopusinasimilarway.
Taketwoacornsfromthesametree,asnearlyalikeaspossible;plantoneonahillbyitself,andtheotherinthedenseforest,andwatchthemgrow.Theoakstandingaloneisexposedtoeverystorm.Itsrootsreachoutineverydirection,clutchingtherocksandpiercingdeepintotheearth.Everyrootletlendsitselftosteadythegrowinggiant,asifinanticipationoffierceconflictwiththeelements.Sometimesitsupwardgrowthseemscheckedforyears,butallthewhileithasbeenexpendingitsenergyinpushingarootacrossalargerocktogainafirmeranchorage.Thenitshootsproudlyaloftagain,preparedtodefythehurricane.Thegaleswhichsportsorudelywithitswidebranchesfindmorethantheirmatch,andonlyservestillfurthertotougheneveryminutestfiberfrompithtobark.
Theacornplantedinthedeepforestshootsupaweak,slendersapling.Shieldedbyitsneighbors,itfeelsnoneedofspreadingitsrootsfarandwideforsupport.