Enthusiasm...the sustaining power of all great action. It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure has done. It is possible that the scrupulously honest man may not grow rich so fast as the unscrupulous and dishonest one; but the success will be of a truer kind, earned without fraud or injustice. And even though a man should for a time be unsuccessful, still he must be honest: better lose all and save character. For character is itself a fortune... Practical wisdom is only to be learned in the school of experience. Precepts and instruction are useful so far as they go, but, without the discipline of real life, they remain of the nature of theory only. We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery. Hope...is the companion of power, and the mother of success; for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles. An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing. To think we are able is almost to be so; to determine upon attainment is frequently attainment itself; earnest resolution has often seemed to have about it almost a savor of omnipotence. Hope is the companion of power, and mother of success; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles. | 
