of　importance。　　I　instantly　decided　to　do　my　best　for　the
  edification　of　my　fair　correspondent　（for　no　doubt　entered　my　head
  that　she　was　both　young　and　fair）；　the　more　readily　because　that
  very　question　had　frequently　presented　itself　to　my　own　mind　on
  observing　the　very　capricious　choice　of　Dame　〃Fashion〃　in　the
  distribution　of　her　favors。
  That　there　are　people　who　succeed　brilliantly　and　move　from　success
  to　success；　amid　an　applauding　crowd　of　friends　and　admirers；　while
  others；　apparently　their　superiors　in　every　way；　are　distanced　in
  the　race；　is　an　undeniable　fact。　　You　have　but　to　glance　around　the
  circle　of　your　acquaintances　and　relations　to　be　convinced　of　this
  anomaly。　　To　a　reflecting　mind　the　question　immediately　presents
  itself；　Why　is　this？　　General　society　is　certainly　cultivated
  enough　to　appreciate　intelligence　and　superior　endowments。　　How
  then　does　it　happen　that　the　social　favorites　are　so　often　lacking
  in　the　qualities　which　at　a　first　glance　would　seem　indispensable
  to　success？
  Before　going　any　further　let　us　stop　a　moment；　and　look　at　the
  subject　from　another　side；　for　it　is　more　serious　than　appears　to
  be　on　the　surface。　　To　be　loved　by　those　around　us；　to　stand　well
  in　the　world；　is　certainly　the　most　legitimate　as　well　as　the　most
  common　of　ambitions；　as　well　as　the　incentive　to　most　of　the
  industry　and　perseverance　in　life。　　Aside　from　science；　which　is
  sometimes　followed　for　itself　alone；　and　virtue；　which　we　are　told
  looks　for　no　other　reward；　the　hope　which　inspires　a　great　deal　of
  the　persistent　efforts　we　see；　is　generally　that　of　raising　one's
  self　and　those　one　loves　by　one's　efforts　into　a　sphere　higher　than
  where　cruel　fate　had　placed　them；　that　they；　too；　may　take　their
  place　in　the　sunshine　and　enjoy　the　good　things　of　life。　　This
  ambition　is　often　purely　disinterested；　a　life　of　hardest　toil　is
  cheerfully　borne；　with　the　hope　（for　sole　consolation）　that　dear
  ones　will　profit　later　by　all　the　work；　and　live　in　a　circle　the
  patient　toiler　never　dreams　of　entering。　　Surely　he　is　a　stern
  moralist　who　would　deny　this　satisfaction　to　the　breadwinner　of　a
  family。
  There　are　doubtless　many　higher　motives　in　life；　more　elevated
  goals　toward　which　struggling　humanity　should　strive。　　If　you
  examine　the　average　mind；　however；　you　will　be　pretty　sure　to　find
  that　success　is　the　touchstone　by　which　we　judge　our　fellows　and
  what；　in　our　hearts；　we　admire　the　most。　　That　is　not　to　be
  wondered　at；　either；　for　we　have　done　all　we　can　to　implant　it
  there。　　From　a　child's　first　opening　thought；　it　is　impressed　upon
  him　that　the　great　object　of　existence　is　to　succeed。　　Did　a　parent
  ever　tell　a　child　to　try　and　stand　last　in　his　class？　　And　yet
  humility　is　a　virtue　we　admire　in　the　abstract。　　Are　any　of　us
  willing　to　step　aside　and　see　our　inferiors　pass　us　in　the　race？
  That　is　too　much　to　ask　of　poor　humanity。　　Were　other　and　higher
  standards　to　be　accepted；　the　structure　of　civilization　as　it
  exists　to…day　would　crumble　away　and　the　great　machine　run　down。
  In　returning　to　my　correspondent　and　her　perfectly　legitimate
  desire　to　know　the　road　to　success；　we　must　realize　that　to　a　large
  part　of　the　world　social　success　is　the　only　kind　they　understand。
  The　great　inventors　and　benefactors　of　mankind　live　too　far　away　on
  a　plane　by　themselves　to　be　the　object　of　jealousy　to　any　but　a
  very　small　circle；　on　the　other　hand；　in　these　days　of　equality；
  especially　in　this　country　where　caste　has　never　existed；　the
  social　world　seems　to　hold　out　alluring　and　tangible　gifts　to　him
  who　can　enter　its　enchanted　portals。　　Even　politics；　to　judge　by
  the　actions　of　some　of　our　legislators；　of　late；　would　seem　to　be
  only　a　stepping…stone　to　its　door！
  〃But　my　question；〃　I　hear　my　fair　interlocutor　saying。　　〃You　are
  not　answering　it！〃
  All　in　good　time；　my　dear。　　I　am　just　about　to　do　so。　　Did　you　ever
  hear　of　Darwin　and　his　theory　of　〃selection？〃　　It　would　be　a　slight
  to　your　intelligence　not　to　take　it　for　granted　that　you　had。
  Well；　my　observations　in　the　world　lead　me　to　believe　that　we
  follow　there　unconsciously；　the　same　rules　that　guide　the　wild
  beasts　in　the　forest。　　Certain　individuals　are　endowed　by　nature
  with　temperaments　which　make　them　take　naturally　to　a　social　life
  and　shine　there。　　In　it　they　find　their　natural　element。　　They
  develop　freely　just　where　others　shrivel　up　and　disappear。　　There
  is　continually　going　on　unseen　a　〃natural　selection；〃　the
  discarding　of　unfit　material；　the　assimilation　of　new　and　congenial
  elements　from　outside；　with　the　logical　result　of　a　survival　of　the
  fittest。　　Aside　from　this；　you　will　find　in　〃the　world；〃　as
  anywhere　else；　that　the　person　who　succeeds　is　generally　he　who　has
  been　willing　to　give　the　most　of　his　strength　and　mind　to　that　one
  object；　and　has　not　allowed　the　flowers　on　the　hillside　to　distract
  him　from　his　path；　remembering　also　that　genius　is　often　but　the
  〃capacity　for　taking　infinite　pains。〃
  There　are　people　so　constituted　that　they　cheerfully　give　the
  efforts　of　a　lifetime　to　the　attainment　of　a　brilliant　social
  position。　　No　fatigue　is　too　great；　and　no　snubs　too　bitter　to　be
  willingly　undergone　in　pursuit　of　the　cherished　object。　　You　will
  never　find　such　an　individual；　for　instance；　wandering　in　the
  flowery　byways　that　lead　to　art　or　letters；　for　that　would　waste
  his　time。　　If　his　family　are　too　hard　to　raise；　he　will　abandon　the
  attempt　and　rise　without　them；　for　he　cannot　help　himself。　　He　is
  but　an　atom　working　as　blindly　upward　as　the　plant　that　pushes　its
  mysterious　way　towards　the　sun。　　Brains　are　not　necessary。　　Good
  looks　are　but　a　trump　the　more　in　the　〃hand。〃　　Manners　may　help；
  but　are　not　essential。　　The　object　can　be　and　is　attained　daily
  without　all　three。　　Wealth　is　but　the　oil　that　makes　the　machinery
  run　more　smoothly。　　The　all…important　factor　is　the　desire　to
  succeed；　so　strong　that　it　makes　any　price　seem　cheap；　and　that　can
  pay　itself　by　a　step　gained；　for　mortification　and　weariness　and
  heart…burnings。
  There；　my　dear；　is　the　secret　of　success！　　I　stop　because　I　feel
  myself　becoming　bitter；　and　that　is　a　frame　of　mind　to　be　carefully
  avoided；　because　it　interferes　with　the　digestion　and　upsets　one's
  gentle　calm！　　I　have　tried　to　answer　your　question。　　The　answer
  resolves　itself　into　these　two　things；　that　it　is　necessary　to　be
  born　with　qualities　which　you　may　not　possess；　and　calls　for
  sacrifices　you　would　doubtless　be　unwilling　to　make。　　It　remains
  with　you　to　decide　if　the　little　game　is　worth　the　candle。　　The
  delightful　common　sense　I　feel　quite　sure　you　possess　reassures　me
  as　to　your　answer。
  Take　gayly　such　good　things　as　may　float　your　way；　and　profit　by
  them　while　they　last。　　Wander　off　into　all　the　cross…roads　that
  tempt　you。　　Stop　often　to　lend　a　helping　hand　to　a　less　fortunate
  traveller。　　Rest　in　the　heat　of　the　day；　as　your　spirit　prompts
  you。　　Sit　down　before　the　sunset　and　revel　in　its　beauty　and　you
  will　find　your　voyage　through　life　much　more　satisfactory　to　look
  back　to　and　full　of　far　sweeter　memories　than　if　by　sacrificing　any
  of　these　pleasures　you　had　attained　the　greatest　of　〃positions。〃
  CHAPTER　35　…　Living　on　your　Friends
  THACKERAY　devoted　a　chapter　in　〃Vanity　Fair〃　to　the　problem　〃How　to
  Live　Well　on　Nothing　a　Year。〃　　It　was　neither　a　very　new　nor　a　very
  ingenious　expedient　that　〃Becky〃　resorted　to　when　she　discounted
  her　husband's　position　and　connection　to　fleece　the　tradespeople
  and　cheat　an　old　family　servant　out　of　a　year's　rent。　　The　author
  might　more　justly　have　used　his　clever　phrase　in　describing　〃Major
  Pendennis's〃　agreeable　existence。　　We　have　made　great　progress　in
  this；　as　in　almost　every　other　mode　of　living；　in　the　latter　half
  of　the　Victorian　era；　intelligent　individuals　of　either　sex；　who
  know　the　ropes；　can　now　as　easily　lead　the　existence　of　a　multi…
  millionaire　（with　as　much　satisfaction　to　themselves　and　their
  friends）　as　though　the　bank　account；　with　all　its　attendant
  worries；　stood　in　their　own　names。　　This　subject　is　so　vast；　its
  ramifications　so　far…reaching　and　complicated；　that　one　hesitates
  before　launching　into　an　analysis　of　it。　　It　will　be　better　simply
  to　give　a　few　interesting　examples；　and　a　general　rule　or　two；　for
  the　enlightenment　and　guidance　of　ingenious　souls。
  Human　nature　changes　little；　all　that　our　educational　and　social
  training　has　accomplished　is　a　smoothing　of　the　surface。　　One　of
  the　most　striking　proofs　of　this　is；　that　here　in　our　primitive
  country；　as　soon　as　accumulation　of　capital　allowed　certain
  families　to　live　in　great　luxury；　they　returned　to　the　ways　of
  older　aristocracies；　and；　with　other　wants；　felt　the　necessity　of　a
  court　about　them；　ladies　and　gentlemen　in　waiting；