Think, too, of those historic successes of which there was not the
faintest sign until far past middle life--they are not many, to be
sure, but they are inspiring. Some of the great headlands that
shoulder out into history--Washington, Lincoln, and the like--became
visible to the world after forty-five.
Of course, it is true that the immense majority of the world's great
achievers--generals, statesmen, poets, philosophers, inventors,
builders--have been young men. But the noble exceptions contain
sufficient encouragement for you if you still have the heart of
purpose.
I like to think of a man fighting his best fight just at the end of
life. There has always been something attractive to me about the
expression of Western hardihood, "Dying with his boots on," and the
attitude of character that it describes.
From my infancy the story of the _Bon Homme Richard_ has been like
wine to my blood. Be you like that ship, my dear friend past fifty!
She had, apparently, failed, but she kept in service. She had reached
the age of decay, and her timbers scarcely held together; yet she did
not go out of commission.
She attacked the _Serapis_, one of the youngest and stanchest and best
equipped of the matchless navy of England.
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