you may remember an Ancient Poet whose Words we have all Studied and Copy’d at School said, long ago, A Man of Words and not of Deeds, Is...

At the end of the week the machinery was stopped and we “cleaned up.” That is to say, we got the pulp out of the pans and batteries, and washed the mud patiently away till nothing was left but the long accumulating mass of quicksilver, with its imprisoned treasures. This we made into heavy, compact snow-balls, and piled them up in a bright, luxurious heap for inspection. Making these snow-balls cost me a fine gold ring—that and ignorance together; for the quicksilver invaded

Mark Twain spend some years in California during the gold rush. Upon arrival he was sure that he was going to strike it rich. After several weeks he was walking around a mine and found a large gold rock. He felt for sure that he had struck it rich. The other miners were hardened men and they had long given up on the naïve dream of getting rich quick. Twain could not wait to show them what he found.

These are the final wishes of Tiberius, emperor of Rome:

It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I had imagined. While my care was employ'd

Ted Williams worked hard at hitting: