Come to Think of It

Mottoes of Ancient Greece:

Know Thyself

Seize Occasion

Industry is All

The Mean is Best

Look to the End of Life

The Most of Men are Evil

Haste, If Thou Would’st Fail

— Alfred Armand Montapert, The Supreme Philosophy of Man: The Laws of Life, taken from a graphic on p. 112.

The Law of Correct Use of Man

      The most important thing to learn in life, is how to live. There is NOTHING men are so anxious to keep as their life . . . and NOTHING they give so little attention to. Happiness and success in life do not depend on our circumstances, but upon ourselves. More men have ruined themselves than have ever been destroyed by others. Of all the ruins, the ruin of man is the saddest, and “a man’s worst enemy,” as Seneca said, “is the one in the breast.”

     Some men have a purpose in life, and some have none. Our first objective should be to make as much out of ourselves as can be made out of the stuff that is in us. “The aim of every man,” said Humboldt, “shall be to secure the highest and most harmonious development of his powers to a complete and consistent whole.” We must not, however, attempt this merely with a selfish objective, or we are foredoomed to failure. For as Bacon said, “No man’s private fortune can be an end in any way worthy of his existence.” Some of the best and greatest minds — Plato, Aristotle, St. Paul, Buddha — would never have been content to perfect themselves merely for themselves. We are to make the best of ourselves FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS.

— Alfred Armand Montapert, Ibid., from “Segment 19,” p. 113.

The Law of Adversity

      There is a law of man’s nature to the effect that the more opposition a person faces the better his chances are of getting ahead. He that wrestles with us strengthens our muscles, and sharpens our skill. The essence of LIFE is struggle. Strength comes from struggle, weakness from ease.

     The greatest men in history learned to go against the current by being thrown into the maelstrom, where they had to battle for their life or drown. Only the school of hard knocks graduates men cum laude for the business of living. So runs the story through the lives of most of the world’s successful men and women.

     O. W. Holmes wrote, “If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I wouldn’t pass it around. Wouldn’t be doing anybody a favor. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don’t say embrace trouble. That’s as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say, meet it as a friend, for you’ll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it.”

— Alfred Armand Montapert, Ibid., from “Segment 22,” p. 130.

The Law of Aging

     Each year, we should be more joyful than ever before, because we have fewer years ahead in which to be joyful. AS WE GROW OLDER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO US THAT EVERY HOUR SHALL BE AS RICH WITH VALUE AND BEAUTY AS POSSIBLE. We cannot afford to allow one minute to go by that does not bring wisdom, love, and beauty to our lives. Some lives, like evening primroses, blossom most beautifully in the evening of life.

     When the great finals come, each one will be asked five questions. First: What did you accomplish in the world with the power God gave you? Second: How did you help your neighbor and what did you do for those in need? Third: What did you do to serve God? Fourth: What did you leave in the world that was worthwhile when you came from it? Fifth: What did you bring into this new world which will be of use here?

— Alfred Armand Montapert, Ibid., from “Segment 46,” p. 237.