Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

6. They do not task their faculties, nor improve their powers, nor attempt, as they ought, to rise to superior excellence. They have no high, commanding object, at which to aim; but often seem to be passing away life without object and without aim. The consequence is, their efforts are few and feeble; they are not waked up to any thing great or distinguished; and therefore fail to acquire a character of decided worth.

7. My friends, You may be whatever you resolve to be.Resolution is omnipotent. Determine that you will be something in the world, and you shall be something. Aim at excellence, and excellence will be attained. This is the great secret of effort and eminence. I cannot do it, never accomplished any thing; I will try, has wrought wonders.

8. You have all perhaps heard of the young man, who, having wasted, in a short time, a large patrimony, in profligate revels, formed a purpose, while hanging over the brow of a precipice from which he had determined to throw himself, that he would regain what he had lost. The purpose thus formed he kept; and though he began by shovelling a load of ooals into a cellar, he proceeded from one step to another, till he more than recovered his lost possession, and died an inveterate miser, worth sixty thousand pounds.

9. I mention this, not as an example to be imitated, but as a signal instance of what can be accomplished by fixed purpose and persevering exertion. A young man who sets out in life with a determination to excel, can hardly fail of his purpose. There is, in his case, a steadiness of aim,-a concentration of feeling and effort, which bear him onward to his object with irresistible energy, and render success, in whatever he undertakes, certain.

LESSON LXXXII.

On Happiness of Temper.-GOLDSMITH.

1. WRITERS of every age have endeavored to show-that pleasure is in us, and not in the objects offered for our amuse ment. If the soul be happily disposed, every thing becomes capable of affording entertainment; and distress will almost want a name. Every occurrence passes in review, like the figures of a procession; some may be awkward, others ill dressed; but none but a fool is, for this, enraged with the master of the ceremonies.

2. I remember to have once seen a slave, in a fortification in Flanders, who appeared no way touched with his situation. He was maimed, deformed, and chained; obliged to toil from the appearance of day till night-fall, and condemned to this for life; yet, with all these circumstances of apparent wretchedness, he sung, would have danced, but that he wanted a leg, and appeared the merriest, happiest man of all the garrison. 3. What a practical philosophy was here! a happy constitution supplied philosophy; and though seemingly destitute of wisdom, he was really wise. No reading or study had contributed to disenchant the fairy-land around him. Every thing furnished him with an opportunity of mirth; and though some thought him, from his insensibility, a fool-he was such an idiot as philosophers should wish to imitate; for all philosophy is only forcing the trade of happiness, when Nature seems to deny the means.

4. They who, like our slave, can place themselves on that side of the world in which every thing appears in a pleasing light, will find something in every occurrence to excite their good humor. The most calamitous events either to themselves or others, can bring no new affliction; the whole world is, to them, a theatre, on which comedies only are acted. All the bustle of heroism, or the rants of ambition, serve only to heighten the absurdity of the scene, and make the humor more poignant. They feel, in short, as little anguish at their own distress, or the complaints of others, as the undertaker, though dressed in black, feels sorrow at a funeral.

5. Of all the men I ever read of, the famous Cardinal de Retz possessed this happiness of temper in the highest degree. As he was a man of gallantry, and despised all that wore the pedantic appearance of philosophy, wherever pleasure was to be sold, he was generally foremost to raise the auction. Being a universal admirer of the fair sex-when he found one lady cruel, he generally fell in love with another, from whom he expected a more favorable reception. If she, too, rejected his addresses, he never thought of retiring into deserts, or pining in hopeless distress: he persuaded himself-that, instead of loving the lady he had only fancied that he had loved her;--and so all was well again.

6. When fortune wore her angriest look, and he at last fell into the power of his most deadly enemy, Cardinal Mazarine, (being confined a close prisoner in the castle of Valenciennes,*) * Pronounced Val-en-scenes', a city in the north of France, situated on the river Scheldt.

he never attempted to support his distress by wisdom or philo sophy; for he pretended to neither. He only laughed at him self and his persecutor; and seemed infinitely pleased at his new situation. In this mansion of distress,-though secluded from his friends,—though denied all the amusements, and even the conveniences of life, he still retained his good humor; laughed at the little spite of his enemies and carried the jest so far as to be revenged, by writing the life of his jailer.

7. All that the wisdom of the proud can teach-is to be stubborn, or sullen, under misfortunes. The Cardinal's example will instruct us to be merry, in circumstances of the highest affliction. It matters not whether our good humor be construed, by others, into insensibility; or even idiotism; it is happiness to ourselves; and none but a fool would measure his satisfaction by what the world thinks of it.

8. The happiest silly fellow I ever knew, was of the number of those good natured creatures that are said to do no harm to any but themselves. Whenever he fell into any misery, he called it, “ seeing life." If his head was broke by a chairman, eticked by a sharper, he comforted himself by imbernian dialect of the one, or the more fashionaother. Nothing came amiss to him.

[ocr errors]

cention to money matters had incensed his father to such a degree, that all intercession of friends in his favor was fruitless. The old gentleman was on his death bed. The whole family (and Dick among the number) gathered around him.

10. "I leave my second son, Andrew," said the expiring miser, " my whole estate; and desire him to be frugal."Andrew, in a sorrowful tone, (as is usual on those occasions) prayed Heaven to prolong his life and health to enjoy it himself!

-66

11. "I recommend Simon, my third son, to the care of his elder brother; and leave him, beside, four thousand pounds." "Ah! father," cried Simon, (in great affliction to be sure) may Heaven give you life and health to enjoy it yourself!" 12. At last turning to poor Dick, "as for you, you have always been a sad dog; you'll never come to good: you'll never be rich; I leave you a shilling, to buy a halter." "Ah! father," cries Dick, without any emotion, "may Heaven give you life and health to enjoy it yourself!"

LESSON LXXXIII.

The Sleepers.-MISS M. A. BROWNE.

1. THEY are sleeping! Who are sleeping?
Children, wearied with their play;
For the stars of night are peeping,
And the sun hath sunk away.
As the dew upon the blossoms

Bow them on their slender stem,
So, as light as their own bosoms,
Balmy sleep hath conquered them.

2. They are sleeping! Who are sleeping?
Mortals, compassed round with wo,
Eyelids, wearied out wita weeping,
Close for very weakness now:
And that short relief from sorrow,
Harassed nature shall sustain,
Till they wake again to-morrow,
Strengthened to contend with pain!

3. They are sleeping! Who are sleeping?
Captives, in their gloomy cells;
Yet sweet dreams are o'er them creeping;
With their many-colored spells,

All they love-again they clasp them;
Feel again their long-lost joys;

But the haste with which they grasp them,
Every fairy form destroys.

4. They are sleeping! Who are sleeping?
Misers, by their hoarded gold;
And in fancy now are heaping
Gems and pearls of price untold.
Golden chains their limbs encumber,
Diamonds seem before them strown:
But they waken from their slumber,
And the splendid dream is flown.

5. They are sleeping! Who are sleeping?
Pause a moment, softly tread;
Anxious friends are fondly keeping
Vigils by the sleeper's bed!
Other hopes have all forsaken,—
One remains, that slumber deep
Speak not, lest the slumberer waken
From that swect, that saving sleep.

6. They are sleeping! Who are sleeping?
Thousands, who have pass'd away,
From a world of wo and weeping,
To the regions of decay!

Safe they rest, the green turf under:
Sighing breeze, or music's breath,
Winter's wind, or summer's thunder,
Cannot break the sleep of death!

LESSON LXXXIV.

A Good Scholar.-MAY.

1. A GOOD scholar is known by his obedience to the rules of the school, and to the directions of his teacher. He does not give his teacher the trouble of telling him the same thing over and over again; but says or does immediately whatever he is desired. His attendance at the proper time of school is always punctual. Fearful of being too late, as soon as the hour of meeting approaches, he hastens to the school, takes his place quietly, and instantly attends to his lesson. He is remarkable for his diligence and attention. He reads no other book than that which he is desired to read by his master. He studies no lessons but those which are appointed for the day.

2. He takes no toys from his pocket to amuse himself or others; he has no fruit to eat, no sweetmeats to give away. If any of his companions attempt to take off his eye or his mind from his lesson, he does not give heed to them. If they still try to make him idle, he bids them let him alone, and do their own duties. And if, after this, they go on to disturb and vex him, he informs the teacher, that both, for their sake and for his own, he may interfere, and, by a wise reproof, prevent the continuance of such improper and hurtful conduct.

3. When strangers enter the school, he does not stare rudely in their faces; but is as attentive to his lesson as if no one were present but the master. If they speak to him, he answers with modesty and respect. When the scholars in his class are reading, spelling, or repeating any thing, he is very attentive, and studies to learn by listening to them. His great desire is to improve, and therefore he is never idle,-not even when he might be so, and yet escape detection and punishment.

4. He minds his business as well when his teacher is out of sight, as when he is standing near him, or looking at him. If possible, he is more diligent when his teacher happens for a little

« ZurückWeiter »