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These are the times that try men’s souls
By Jeremy | August 11, 2005
I've been reading 1776 this summer. Completing it has taken far too long, but the delays were evidently a divine thing. They insured that I would read this passage on the train this morning:
"In August, [General George] Washington had an army of 20,000. In the three months since, he had lost four battles -- at Brooklyn, Kips Bay, White Planis, and Fort Washington -- then gave up Fort Lee without a fight [humilitating, abject military disasters, all]. His army now was divided as it had not been in August and ... he had only about 3,500 troops under his personal command. ... "Sick at heart over the suffering and despair he saw, but inspired by the undaunted resolution of many around him, [Common Sense author Thomas] Paine is said to have committed his thoughts to paper during the retreat [across New Jersey]. ... He began what he called The Crisis, with its immortal opening lines: "'These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.'" (pp. 249, 251)My summer hasn't been nearly as bad as Washington's (to even compare them seems trite), but it has been difficult. Oh, to be one who "stands it now," not the summer soldier or sunshine patriot who shrinks in the face of adversity.
Topics: books, george washington, leadership, life, quote, resiliency | No Comments »
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