Little Visits with Great Americans, Vol. 1 (of 2) / Or Success, Ideals and How to Attain Them
The Project Gutenberg eBook, Little Visits with Great Americans, Vol. I (of 2), Edited by Orison Swett Marden
LITTLE VISITS WITH GREAT AMERICANS
OR SUCCESS IDEALS AND HOW TO ATTAIN THEM EDITED BY ORISON SWETT MARDEN AUTHOR OF “PUSHING TO THE FRONT,” ETC., ETC., ETC. ——————— THE SUCCESS COMPANY NEW YORK 1905
Copyright, 1903 By THE SUCCESS COMPANY New York ——— Copyright, 1904 By THE SUCCESS COMPANY New York ——— All Rights Reserved
“Experience,” says the proverb, “is a dear school, and none but fools learn therein.” The inference is that to be wise one must suffer himself to be taught by the experience of others. This volume contains the life stories, told by themselves, of many successful men and women, with emphasis on those experiences which to them appear to have been the turning points in their lives.
It is not likely that there is anywhere in existence a similar collection of heart-to-heart talks with distinguished people of equal value to this. The idea of requesting the leaders in invention, manufacture, transportation, commerce, finance, in political and public life, and in the professions of the ministry, the law, literature and art, to bequeath in their own words the stories of their lives, their ideals, and the lessons of their experience, to the American public, originated with Orison Swett Marden, and contributed in no small degree to the immediate and remarkable popularity of Success, in which many of these interviews first appeared. The early files of the magazine are long since exhausted, but the interest in, and demand for, these articles is sufficient assurance that they are of enduring merit, and deserve to be collected in permanent form.
We regard them as a trust. We do not feel that we have a right to withhold them from the public. We have accordingly fulfilled our obligation by presenting them in attractive form, and we are well assured that young and old alike who are striving to attain their ideals in life will recognize the fact that the highest form of self-interest will lead them to read and absorb the practical helpfulness contained in these pages. Many and varied careers have been selected, so that each one may find his ideal of success fulfilled in real life, and be aroused to a lofty aspiration and resolute determination to achieve like eminence. With Emerson we say, “Hitch your wagon to a star,” and, with Lowell, “Not failure, but low aim, is crime.”
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PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
Success Maxims
HIS GRANDFATHER WAS A BANKER.
HIS FIRST EXPERIMENTS.
A NOVEL METHOD OF TELEGRAPHING.
HIS FIRST PATENT.
POVERTY AS AN INCENTIVE TO EFFORT.
NEVER DID ANYTHING WORTH WHILE BY CHANCE.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE INVENTORS.
THE WIZARD AT HOME.
MRS. EDISON IS ALSO AN INVENTOR OF GOOD ABILITY.
RISES EARLY AND WORKS LONG.
THE MAN WHOSE GUNS WILL CLEAR A JUNGLE.
HIS BRAIN IS BUILT UP OF INVENTIVE CELLS.
BITING OFF THE DOG’S TAIL.
PAT’S ANXIETY TO TRY “THE BOSS,” AND ITS RESULT.
HOW THE MAINE “BACKWOODSMAN” CAPTURED A ROBBER.
FROM GAS MACHINES TO INCANDESCENT LAMPS.
THE GENESIS OF THE AUTOMATIC GUN.
AUTOMATIC GUNS MADE SMOKELESS POWDER INDISPENSABLE.
HOW LI HUNG CHANG BECAME INTERESTED IN MAXIM.
HOW A FIRST-CLASS FRAUD WAS EXPOSED.
IT IS HARDER NOW TO GET A START.
MR. CARNEGIE’S FIRST WAGES.
HIS FIRST GLIMPSE OF PARADISE.
IT IS BEST TO BEGIN AT THE BOTTOM.
HE WAS AN EXPERT TELEGRAPH OPERATOR.
THE RIGHT MEN IN DEMAND.
HOW TO ATTRACT ATTENTION.
CARNEGIE AND THE SLEEPING-CAR.
THE MARK OF A MILLIONAIRE.
A FORTUNATE LAND PURCHASE.
THE HOMESTEAD STEEL WORKS.
A STRENGTHENING POLICY.
MR. CARNEGIE’S PHILANTHROPY.
CARNEGIE’S VIEWS ON THRIFT.
“THE MISFORTUNE OF BEING RICH MEN’S SONS.”
HOW HE BECAME MAYOR OF DETROIT.
A GREAT CHANGE PROPHESIED.
HE WAS NOT A DEMAGOGUE.
GOVERNOR PINGREE’S LUXURIOUS HOME.
HIS PARENTS HELPED HIM.
ALWAYS INTERESTED IN COMMERCE.
HIS PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS.
PERSEVERANCE, MR. FIELD’S ESSENTIAL TRAIT.
QUALITIES THAT MAKE FOR SUCCESS.
A STANCH INHERITANCE.
HE WAS ALWAYS PROMPT.
STEP BY STEP UPWARD.
“WAKING UP” A TOWN.
SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES.
ECONOMICAL WAYS.
CHRISTIAN PHILANTHROPIST.
HIS ADVICE TO YOUNG MERCHANTS.
CONDITIONS THEN AND NOW.
THE VALUE OF “PUSH.”
SIR THOMAS WAS WON.
WHEN HE BORROWED FIVE CENTS.
AMERICAN BUSINESS METHODS GAVE HIM HIS START.
HE OWNS NEARLY FIVE HUNDRED STORES.
CHANCES FOR YOUNG MEN TO-DAY.
“THRIFT IS THE TRUE SECRET OF SUCCESS.”
AN AGE OF OPPORTUNITIES.
THE FIRST HUNDRED DOLLARS.
TRAITS OF INFLUENTIAL MEN.
SOME SECRETS OF SUCCESS.
THE BOTTOM OF THE LADDER.
A WORD ABOUT CHEAP HOTELS.
HE BEGAN AS A GROCERY CLERK.
NO LUCK IN HIS ACHIEVEMENT.
STRICT HONESTY IS NECESSARY.
WHEN YOU START IN LIFE IN A STRANGE CITY, DO NOT EXPECT “SOFT SNAPS.”
THE PUBLIC WOULD RATHER INVEST ITS MONEY IN MEN THAN IN FINE BUILDINGS.
FROM THE FOUNDATION UP.
WISE DEVELOPMENT OF INHERITED TENDENCIES.
HE WILL MASTER EVERY DETAIL.
WORKING AS A MACHINIST.
HE WAS SO POOR HE HAD TO DO HIS OWN COOKING.
IT IS WELL TO KNOW WHAT MEN HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
HE TRIED TO DO MORE THAN HE WAS PAID TO DO.
THERE ARE AS GOOD CHANCES IN THE WORLD TO-DAY.
HE INHERITED A TASTE FOR HARD WORK.
HE LOVED HIS WORK.
A NICKNAME THAT BECAME A REAL TITLE.
AN IMPORTANT MISSION WELL PERFORMED.
HOW HE WAS ELECTED TO THE PRESIDENCY OF HIS COMPANY.
HIGH-PRICED MEN ARE IN DEMAND.
LOOKS LIKE EDWIN FORREST.
HE WORKED IN A FACTORY AT TEN.
THE LATER ARISTOCRACY.
THE NEED OF ORGANIZED LABOR.
HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION.
FOR THE EIGHT-HOUR WORKDAY.
STRIKES AS A LAST RESORT.
YOUNG MEN IN POLITICS.
OPPORTUNITIES AND TALENTS.
THE CITIZENSHIP THAT COUNTS.
THE BOYHOOD OF ROOSEVELT.
WHERE HE GAINED STRENUOSITY.
HE DASHED INTO THE VORTEX OF THE CHASE.
HE SHOWED PIONEERS HOW TO WINTER CATTLE.
HE CIVILIZED MANY “BAD MEN” BY HIS INFLUENCE.
“GAMENESS” WAS NEEDED; ROOSEVELT HAD PLENTY.
HIS FRONTIER LIFE WAS AMPLY WORTH THE WHILE.
SIX YEARS OF INDIAN FIGHTING.
HIS RECORD IN THE CIVIL WAR.
A LOYAL, DAUNTLESS LEADER.
A YOUNG MAN’S CHANCES IN THE ARMY.
CHARACTER THE FOUNDATION OF TRUE COURAGE.
COURAGE NATURAL TO AMERICANS.
A YOUNG LAWYER’S CHANCES THEN AND NOW.
ARE SPECIAL ADVANTAGES NECESSARY?
WHAT SUCCESS MEANS.
THE GOOD LUCK OF BEING PREPARED.
TURNING OBSTACLES INTO AIDS.
DOES LACK OF OPPORTUNITY JUSTIFY.
MR. CHOATE’S ANTECEDENTS.
DOES SUCCESS BRING CONTENT AND HAPPINESS.
THE DELUSION OF LUXURY AND EASE.
MR. CHOATE’S SHARE OF NEW YORK’S LAW BUSINESS.
HE HAD TO EARN HIS OWN WAY.
HE ENTERED YALE AT EIGHTEEN.
HIS BEGINNING AS AN ORATOR.
A SALARY OF .5,000 A YEAR.
OPPORTUNITIES OF TO-DAY.
THERE IS MORE THAN ONE KIND OF SUCCESS.
A SCHOOL TEACHER AT EIGHTEEN.
THE STRANGE RESULT OF A LECTURE.
HIS IDEA OF GENUINE SUCCESS.
HIS START AS A BOY.
ALWAYS FOND OF READING.
A TASTE OF MINING LIFE
THE ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS.
ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN.
MR. PLATT’S CHARACTERISTICS.
HIS FIRST SPECULATION.
AT WORK IN A ROLLING MILL.
A FORTUNATE MISFORTUNE.
“PROGRESS AND POVERTY” CHANGED HIS WHOLE LIFE.
HIS VOLUNTEER GERMAN FRIEND.
HIS FIRST SPEECH IN CONGRESS.
TOM REED LISTENED.
A PEN PICTURE OF TOM JOHNSON.
HE ALWAYS SUPPORTED HIMSELF.
THE TURNING POINT OF HIS LIFE.
A SPLENDID COLLEGE RECORD.
COLLEGE-BRED MEN ARE IN DEMAND
THROWN ON HIS OWN RESOURCES.
WHY HE LONGED TO BE A BAKER.
THE SUPERSTRUCTURE DEPENDS ON THE FOUNDATION.
A LITERARY LIFE MEANS WORK.
A COLLEGE EDUCATION IS AN ADVANTAGE.
THE MAN WITH THE HOE.
ONE OF THE GREAT POEMS OF THE CENTURY.
HIS MOTHER WAS BOTH PRACTICAL AND POETIC.
HE GAINED VALUABLE DISCIPLINE ON A FARM.
BYRON’S POEMS INSPIRED HIM.
ANSWERING HIS CRITICS.
SEED SOWN LONG AGO.
HOW HER BEST POEMS WERE WRITTEN.
THE CREED.
SHE IS A PRONOUNCED OPTIMIST.
DO NOT FEAR CRITICISM.
MERIT IS NOT ALWAYS DISCOVERED QUICKLY.
EDITORS ARE ANXIOUS FOR GOOD ARTICLES.
PERSEVERANCE COUNTS IN AUTHORSHIP.
WILL-POWER
EARLY IDEALS.
ACQUIRING A LITERARY STYLE.
HIS POEMS ALWAYS WERE REJECTED.
HIS FIRST EDITORIAL POSITION.
AN EXPERIENCE IN COLLABORATION.
THE REWARDS OF LITERATURE.
WHAT TRUE HAPPINESS IS.
HE WAS A CARELESS STUDENT.
HE LOVED TO READ.
A FATHER’S FRUITFUL WARNING.
HIS FIRST LITERARY EFFORT.
THE ORIGIN OF “BEN HUR.”
CONVERTED WHILE WRITING HIS OWN BOOK.
HER FIRST NOVEL.
BOOKS SHE ENJOYED.
HER CHARACTERS ARE FROM LIFE.
IN LOVE WITH HER WORK.
SHE IS A GENTLE, FORCEFUL WOMAN.
A MOST INTERESTING STUDIO.
HE WAS NOT A PRECOCIOUS BOY.
HIS WORK WAS ENCOURAGED.
HE ALWAYS TAKES PAINS.
PERSISTENCE AND HARD WORK COUNT.
ART IGNORES NOISE.
GIRLS’ CHANCES AS ILLUSTRATORS.
HOW SHE BEGAN.
REMINGTON’S SCHOOLBOY EFFECTS.
REMINGTON’S ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
HOW HIS WAR PICTURES ARE MADE.
COLOR OF THE PLAINS.
HIS FIRST SKETCH.
DAVENPORT’S UNIQUE STUDIO.
HE DREW CARTOONS IN SCHOOL.
HIS FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT.
AT TEN DOLLARS A WEEK.
HE WAS DISCHARGED IN CHICAGO.
IN CLOVER AT LAST.
A NATURAL ARTIST WILL NEVER REQUIRE AN INSTRUCTOR.
IF YOU DO NOT SEE YOUR MISTAKES, NO ONE ELSE CAN.
THE VALUE OF ARTISTIC INDIVIDUALITY.
WHILE STUDYING ART, ONE SHOULD WORK INCESSANTLY.
