Are you familiar with the life story of the late Hubert Howe Bancroft, who died a few years ago at the age of eighty-six? His career alone should satisfy you that achievement after forty is indeed a possibility even in some vocation unattempted before forty.

Bancroft died known as one of the most prolific writers of history America has ever produced. He was the author of thirty-four enormous volumes, covering the history of the Pacific Coast region of both North and South America. Not one of these was written before he was forty years old. Until forty he had written nothing except letters and business statements. He had no college training to help him realize his ambition of becoming a famous historian. He had only a public school education, and of a limited kind.

In his native place of Grandville, Ohio, Ban-croft began life humbly. He worked first as a tannery boy, then as a farmhand. Afterwards he removed to Buffalo, where he found employment as a clerk in a book store. From Buffalo he went to San Francisco, opening a book store of his own. In San Francisco he prospered exceedingly. He grew to love
the city and the whole Pacific Coast country. Gradually he formed the project of writing the history of the Pacific States on a monumental scale.

For years he collected books and manuscripts bearing on this. He employed innumerable assistants for the work of research. And he persistently, patiently taught himself to write history.

In 1874, being then forty-two, he brought out his first historical volumes. Thereafter he continued to write until he was more than eighty years old. His last work was a delightful book of reminiscences, telling the story of his life and times in a forceful, virile way. It was the book of an old man who had contrived to stay young.

Which is another important point emphasized by the career of Hubert Howe Bancroft. Not only is accomplishment possible after forty. The effort to accomplish tends to prolong rather than shorten life, provided the task is of a truly pleasurable nature. Bancroft loved his work as a historian. It kept dullness and boredom out of his life. It was a never failing tonic to his mind. Being a tonic to his mind, it acted favourably on his whole organism. That is why he could work so hard and so long, with physical benefit, not physical harm.

You, I will venture to say, have not been similarly enthusiastic about the work you have been doing. If you had been, it is hardly likely that you would now have to confess failure. And the trouble may be that you have been trying to do work for which you are by nature quite unsuited.

More likely, though, your failure is the result simply of neglect to cultivate proper interest in your work and neglect to develop, through self-training, other characteristics requisite to success. Have you ever taken the trouble to make a real study of your qualities and your defects? Certainly that is something you ought to do now, something you must do if you would convert defeat into victory.