DOES HEREDITY OR ENVIRONMENT MAKE MEN? 495 



man with a few shells or arrow heads was rich. The fact, as Thorn- 

 dike suggests, that Croesus and Rockefeller were the two richest men 

 in the world is due almost wholly to their superior natural powers over 

 those of other men to acquire wealth. But the fact that Croesus ac- 

 cumulated only a few thousands, or at most a few millions, while 

 Rockefeller has accumulated perhaps a billion, is almost wholly a 

 matter of the differences in environment between the ancient and 

 modern world. 



The differences among men, therefore, as I trust we have shown 

 throughout this book, are almost entirely due to their differences in 

 natural powers and aptitudes. But none of this remotely discourages 

 us from stimulating and educating those powers and aptitudes, nor 

 should it discourage the individual from developing his own inner 

 natural capacities and tendencies to the utmost. To do this is the 

 only way to attain his prize in life. And whether he starts with one 

 talent, two, five or a hundred, makes very little real difference. We 

 all regret that we do not have greater natures than we have. I should 

 really like to be such a man in intellect as was Plato or Pericles. I 

 should like especially to have the musical appreciation of Fritz Kreisler 

 and the power to play the piano like Josef Hofmann. But as William 

 James pointed out, we can not be everything. And to want to be 

 everything is as foolish and as much a waste of good energy as it is for 

 a dog to bay at the moon. If we had everything we would probably 

 lose that immense incentive of ambition and rivalry which, just be- 

 cause men are different, probably leads them to make nearly all the 

 practical achievements and moral conquests of life. 



In his wonderful little book, Talks to Teachers and Students, James 

 relates a story that goes to the heart of the problem. He says that one 

 day he had an old carpenter making some repairs on his house at Cam- 

 bridge. They were talking about the differences among men — why it 

 is that some men begin at the bottom of the ladder and climb up, while 

 others start at the top and slide down. Incidentally I remember that 

 Josh Billings said, when a man starts down-hill in this world, it seems 

 that all creation is greased for the occasion. However, the old carpen- 

 ter finally made a remark which James states was one of the most pro- 

 found observations upon human life he had ever heard or read in all the 

 philosophies of men. "There is very little difference," said the car- 

 penter, "between one man and another; but, what little there is, is 

 very important." 



Have we not here the crux of the whole matter? I suppose, if, 



