grew up they were divided, for the one was the rich man's heir and the other the poor nurse's brat. But in virtue of that early companionship, they have a resemblance to, and liking for, each other; and, were it not for the difference of apparel, they might even now be esteemed the children of one parent. But their paths in life are different. By patient, plodding, and not too particular industry, Talent contrives, somehow, to shuffle himself into the first rank; while Genius, too often idle and thriftless, having been born poor, is content to remain for ever humble-happy in the liberty of feeding the life-lamp with a scanty supply of the oil of wealth, and dying, oftentimes, as he has lived, obscure and unappreciated: but the spark that glistened in his eye, and made his meagre face all beautiful, was divine. And when he sinks, untended, possibly, and unknown, into a pauper's grave, the world suddenly awakes to the knowledge that a great spirit has departed; and shrugging its ponderous shoulders, immediately busies itself in raising a subscription to do marble honours to his dead remains. But the picture is not all shadow; for, while Talent clothes itself in purple and fine linen and fares sumptuously every day, Genius lives in a world of its own creation, and discovers beauty and order everywhere. Everywhere, in the most foul and unlikely objects; in the crowded city streets no less than in solitary forests, and beside the giant relics of an elder world. While Talent is planning, copying, imitating, stealing-Genius is creating; while Talent is bowing its stately head in acknowledgment of the world's honours, thickly surging, like the waters of a mighty river, at its feet-Genius, with its hands in its pockets, is thinking great thoughts, to which the world will, one day, be also proud to render honour. True Genius is modest and unassuming; but it is difficult, oftentimes, to distinguish the true from the false; and herein lies the great secret of profound criticism. No sooner does a man feel, or fancy-it is just the same-that he possesses the slightest claim to be thought original in his ideas, than he immediately takes pains to appear different from the rest of the world: no sooner does he feel the cacoethes scribendi, than he must needs neglect all the small amenities of life; and, putting on an air of great abstraction, strive to make himself ridiculous in the eyes of his fellows. Business henceforth must have no place in his recollection, and the payment of tradesmen's bills becomes a thing of no importance. This is the very affectation of genius, and serves only to make its wearer look absurd and foolish-a clown in a royal garment. But Talent never falls into this error. True genius may, and does sometimes, assume the motley, but it is only worn as a permanent garment by the ignorant pretender. Genius and Talent are, as we said, foster-brothers; but they have a sort of cousin-german called Tact. who assumes the dress, and partakes the characteristics of both occasionally; and, of the two, is perhaps the most clevercertainly the most business-like. For while Genius is devising, and Talent striving to comprehend, Tact, with a skill peculiarly his own, contrives to make practical. Genius conceived the railroad, Talent constructed the tunnels and viaducts, but Tact formed the company and managed to get the Bill shuffled through the House-not forgetting to make himself chairman of the directors or chief engineer of the line. If Genius writes a book, Talent and Tact contrive to pocket the profits of its publication. In other words, Genius is the author, while Talent and Tact are publisher and bookseller. If Genius discovers a new law of nature, or invents an original machine, Talent and Tact apply them to the ordinary affairs of life, and get the credit of both. Genius is life personified, Talent is life in reality-the first represents the mind, the last the breeches-pocket; and the world is ever ready to do homage to that which is nearest its own comprehension: we are more apt to admire the beauty of a painted picture than to comprehend the glory of the living landscape whence the artist drew his inspiration. And it is ever so; the unreal has more attraction than the realand, though truth is stranger than fiction, we admire the last rather than the first, because we have the Talent to appreciate in greater proportion than the Genius to discover. Genius is a wedding garment: Talent an every-day suit. It is given to man, sometimes, to wear them both; and blest is he who wears them worthily. SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL. BY CHARLOTTE YOUNG. THE shoulder to the wheel! But man must up and do. In thy mind are idly lying Powers that all thy foes outnumber; For a purpose never-dying, Thou canst rouse them from their slumber. Rouse thee, then, begin to-day, Man who rules, or man who delves Upward look, but ever say, God helps those who help themselves! The shoulder to the wheel! For there's work enough to do, For thy country, for thyself, For the child who loveth you. Rouse thee, then, begin to-day, Man who rules, or man who delves- God helps those who help themselves! Odd-Fellows and Foresters. THE question is frequently asked, especially in London, which Order possesses the greatest strength in members and funds? In order to set the matter at rest, a friend, who is a member of both societies, has taken the trouble to analyse the figures published in the latest returns of each. These figures he has courteously placed at our disposal, as well as that of the Friendly Societies' Journal, an extremely useful and well-conducted London monthly, from which, in another page, we insert a pertinent article on the "Press and Friendly Societies." At the commencement of 1860, the Manchester Unity had 305,261 members, with a capital of more than £2,000,000; while, according to their own directory, the Foresters had 168,576 members, in 2,233 courts, or an average of 75 in each. The members of the Manchester Unity were distributed in 3333 lodges in 441 districts, averaging 92 to each lodge. These figures, in our Society at least, have considerably increased during the past year. The first of the following tables exhibits the distribution of members in each Order in all parts of the civilized world : 21 The following is a still further analyzation of the numbers of the two societies in the principal centres of home population, being chiefly compiled in reference to the electoral districts under the Reform Act. Nottingham 1,331 375 The List of Lodges says 305,214-the Port Natal District of forty-seven Members being omitted, perhaps in error. |