The more important factors are a man's perseverance, his ability to innovate and think of new ideas, to be willing to adapt to changing conditions, to push almost tirelessly at a task or several at a time, during the difficult seasons as well as the prosperous. Certainly a man may be all these on his own, and succeed, wife or no - but to have a wife who possessed these qualities, who could bring out in her husband such steadiness and strength of character by her example and unyielding affection... The worth of such a wife is immeasurable. - James Laurence to his grandson, Laurie