Chapter 56
gradatim in the old fable the tortoise won the race from the hare not by a single burst of speed but by plodding on steadily tirelessly in the civil war it was found that lee's army could not be overwhelmed in a single battle but one federal general perceived that it could be worn down by time and pressure of numbers i propose said grant to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer it took more than a summer it took nearly a year but he did it in the moral realm likewise all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare character is not attained over night the only way to develop moral muscles is to exercise them patiently and long heaven is not reached at a single bound but we build the ladder by which we rise from the lowly earth to the vaulted skies and we mount to its summit round by round i count this thing to be grandly true that a noble deed is a step towards god lifting the soul from the common clod to a purer air and a broader view
we rise by things that are undefeat by what we have mastered of good and gain by the pride deposed and the passion slain and the vanquished ills we hourly meet we hope we aspire we resolve we trust when the morning calls us to life and light but our heart grows weary and ere the night our lives are trailing in the sordid dust we hope we resolve we aspire we pray we think that we mount the air on wings beyond the recall of sensual things while our feet still cling to the heavy clay wings for the angels but feet for men we may borrow the wings to find the way we may hope and resolve and aspire and pray but our feet must rise or we fall again only in dreams is a ladder thrown from the weary earth to the sapphire walls but the dreams depart and the vision falls and the sleeper wakes on his pillow of stone
heaven is not reached at a single bound but we build the ladder by which we rise from the lowly earth to the vaulted skies and we mount to its summit round by round j g holland from complete poetical works end of section fifty six
