"Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character"

In this quote, Horace Greeley is highlighting the fleeting nature of fame, appeal, and riches. He compares popularity to a vapor, something that is short-lived and can easily disappear. Appeal, he states, is a mishap, something that can reoccur without warning. And riches, he says, can also vanish rapidly, like wings that can fly away. Nevertheless, Greeley believes that there is one thing that endures through all of life's modifications, and that is character. He recommends that a person's real worth and tradition depends on their character, which is something that can not be removed or lost.