Courage enlarges, cowardice diminishes resources. In desperate

Hear now the steadfast wisdom of Christian Nestell Bovee, a philosopher of the 19th century, whose words ring like a clarion call to the heart of humanity: “Courage enlarges, cowardice diminishes resources. In desperate straits the fears of the timid aggravate the dangers that imperil the brave.” This truth, carved from the stone of experience, speaks not merely of war or peril, but of the eternal struggle within the human spirit. It tells us that courage is not only a virtue—it is a force that multiplies strength, sharpens the mind, and awakens hidden reserves of power. Conversely, cowardice weakens the soul, blinds the eyes, and turns even safety into peril.

When Bovee wrote these words, he lived in an age of upheaval—an era that demanded courage not just on battlefields, but in thought, invention, and principle. The 19th century was a time of vast discovery, but also of moral and social conflict. He saw that progress belongs not to the timid, but to the bold; that those who shrink before uncertainty feed their own defeat. For in all endeavors—whether of nations or of hearts—fear narrows vision, while courage expands it. The one who trembles sees only obstacles, but the one who stands firm perceives possibilities even in ruin.

Courage, in Bovee’s wisdom, is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. It is the power to act despite trembling hands and uncertain fate. When desperate straits arise—when the night grows long and hope flickers—the brave find within themselves a light that was invisible in ease. That is why he says courage enlarges resources: for in courage, the mind becomes inventive, the heart becomes resolute, and even the smallest chance becomes a path to salvation. But cowardice, that ancient thief of greatness, shrinks all things. It multiplies dangers by imagining them greater than they are, and turns allies into doubts. Fear makes a thousand enemies where there was only one.

History is rich with proof of this truth. Recall the tale of Leonidas and his three hundred Spartans at Thermopylae, who faced the vast Persian host. Against all reason, they stood firm—not because they expected victory, but because their courage transformed impossibility into legend. Their stand, though ending in death, bought precious time for Greece to rise and defend her freedom. Had they fled, their fear would have spread like wildfire, consuming the hearts of those who might have fought after them. Thus did their bravery enlarge the strength of a nation, while cowardice, had it ruled them, would have doomed it.

We see this same law in every corner of life. In times of crisis—whether in war, in illness, or in the trials of the soul—the timid magnify the shadows, and their fear becomes a contagion. A fearful mind drains the strength of others, whispering doubt into every heart. But the brave, even when afraid, lift those around them. Their composure steadies the trembling, their faith rekindles hope. The one who remains calm in chaos does more good than an army of those who panic. Courage is the alchemy that turns despair into strength; cowardice is the poison that turns safety into ruin.

Yet courage is not a gift granted to a few—it is a flame within all, waiting to be kindled. It grows not through comfort, but through choice. Each time we confront fear instead of yielding to it, we strengthen the muscles of the spirit. And in time, what once terrified us becomes familiar ground. The wise understand this: that resources, whether material or inner, are made abundant not by circumstance but by attitude. The courageous heart finds a way even where none seems to exist, while the cowardly heart sees nothing but barriers.

So let this teaching take root in your life: when danger or uncertainty arises, remember that your greatest weapon is not what you hold in your hands, but what you hold in your heart. Courage enlarges resources—it draws strength from faith, creativity from desperation, allies from strangers. But cowardice diminishes—it closes the door to help, blinds the eye to opportunity, and makes even small troubles seem insurmountable. In every test, therefore, choose to stand tall. For even if you fall, your bravery will light the way for others.

Thus, as Bovee teaches, be not one who feeds the fears of the timid, but one who strengthens the will of the brave. Let your courage become a beacon in desperate times. Act, even when you are afraid; speak, even when your voice shakes; hope, even when the horizon is dark. For the world does not grow through fear—it grows through the courage of those who dare. And when history remembers you, let it be said not that you trembled, but that you stood, and by standing, made others rise.