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Give two of the commoner sorts of men equal facilities, and one will fail while the other grows rich. One is a good credit risk, and the other is not. Upon what different meat do they feed? Surely they must differ in essential characteristics; in judgment, prudence, honesty, thrift, energy, economy, tact, diligence, etc. Some men are like horses trained for speed rather than endurance. Your fussy man is apt to be narrow, and to give his affairs much attention, and little thought. He has more zeal than good sense. He loses much labor for lack of judgment to direct it. The amiable, yielding man, who cannot say " no," is often more applauded as a horn of plenty by his customers than by his creditors, while the resolute, pugnacious man may lack tact, and re 80 GIVING AND GETTING CREDIT. Pel or drive away business. One may have energy enough in his play, or at the call of passion, and yet lack the power of persevering work. "Some men would fail in Eldorado," said an American financier. As before stated, those who do not succeed can generally find in themselves the cause of their failure. Most people believe more or less in "luck," And perhaps there is something in it, but the luck of your successful merchant is generally that of having faculties and using them. It is the luck of forecast, insight, and judgment, born in the sky, to be used with energy on earth. It has been said that lucky men are often more the creators than the creatures of circumstances. A restless and progressive people like ours is prone to speculation, because it consorts with enterprise and growth; but ordinary business men, who have the reputation of being speculative, are not generally regarded as the best credit risks. Dreams of quickly acquired wealth, without industry, are apt to bear one away from simple integrities into very uncertain regions; and capital fights shy of "plungers."...