Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

ing; he has measured the sun a million of times greater than the earth; he has calculated the distance, which separates it from that orb, whose brilliance his feeble gaze cannot sustain; he has recognized in the myriads of the stars which sparkle in the firmament, so many other suns spread through the immensity of the universe, around which revolve their respective systems of opaque globes, all of whose movements they regulate. Capable in his diminutiveness of raising his ideas to an expanse without bounds, the earth is no more to his enlarged conceptions than a grain of sand lost in the infinity of space. Is there not, in all this, matter for much reflection on the superiority of the human mind, which enables it to comprehend objects of such magnitude though nature seems to have condemned it to vegetate within so narrow a circle? Bertrand.

of

932. Early Prejudice.---We are involved so early in the prejudices so many whose interest is concerned to communicate them to us, that it becomes extremely difficult to distinguish through the rest of life, what is natural to us and what is artificial.---St Pierre.

933. Opposite Interests of Capitalists and Labourers.-The securing to each man the fruits of his labour, more or less effectually, appears to be essentially necessary to the existence of any considerable community. But from the various dispositions of men, some are found disposed to accumulate such fruits, while others consume them in immediate enjoyment. A consequence of this different conduct is, that some are in possession of certain stocks of these fruits, denominated wealth, while others are destitute of them. Now if the owner of this wealth lend, or in any way advance a portion to one who wishes to use it, such owner may stipulate to have not only an equal quantity of wealth returned at a subsequent period, but also something exceeding an equal quantity, as a remuneration for the accommodation afforded by the loan or advance. This excess is called profit; and it may be much or little, compared with the quantity advanced. It is evidently the immediate interest of the party advancing to obtain much profit, and it is as evidently the immediate interest of the party to whom the advance is made, to pay as little profit as possible. Now in a state circumstanced as Great Britain is at present, these parties represent two numerous classes. The party advancing represents the capitalists, whose immediate interest it is to have as high a profit as possible, and the party to whom the advance is made represents the labouring portion of the community, who are without capital, and whose immediate interest it is that as low a profit as possible should be paid for the advance. Here, then, we have two classes in a nation, whose immediate interests are directly opposed, and particular measures or systems of policy may most materially affect the relative conditions of these two classes--enriching the one at the expense of the other.---Hopkins.

934. The World as it is.—In this world men thrive by villany; and lying and deceiving are accounted just, and to be rich is to be wise, and tyranny is honourable; and though little thefts and petty mischiefs are interrupted by the laws, yet if a mischief become public and great, acted by princes, and effected by armies, and robberies be done by whole fleets, it is virtue, and it is glory.-Taylor.

935. A Noble Minded Man.—What can be more honourable than to have courage enough to execute the commands of reason and conscience; to maintain the dignity of our nature, and the station assigned us: to be proof against poverty, pain, and death itself; so far as not to do any thing that is scandalous or sinful to avoid them: to stand adversity under all shapes with decency and resolution? To do this is to be great above title and fortune. This argues the soul of a heavenly extraction, and is worthy the offspring of the Deity.—Coleridge.

936. A Good Conscience.—

What stronger breast-plate than a heart untainted?
Thrice is he arm'd, that hath his quarrel just;

And he but naked, though locked up in steel,

Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.-Shakspeare.

937. Learning.-Were matters so managed, that men turned their speculation into practice, and took care to apply their reading to the purposes of human life; the advantage of learning would be unspeakable; and we see how illustriously such persons shine in the world: and therefore nothing can be said to the prejudice of learning in general, but only to such a false opinion of it, as depends upon this alone for the most eligible, and only qualification of the mind of man; and so rests upon it, and buries it in inactivity.-Charron.

938. Falsehood.-—There is no vice, that doth so cover a man with shame, as to be found false and perfidious.—Bacon.

939. A gentleman of fortune will be often complaining of taxes, that his estate is inconsiderable, that he can never make so much of it as the world is ready to imagine. A mere citizen, on the other hand, is always aiming to shew his riches; says, that he employs so many hands, he keeps his wife a chaise and one, and talks much of his Chinese ornaments at his paltry cake-house in the country. They both aim at praise, but of a distinct kind. Now, supposing the cit worth as much in money as the other is in land, the gentleman surely chooses the better method of ostentation, who considers himself as somewhat superior to his fortune, than he who seems to look up at his fortune, and consequently sets himself beneath it-Shenstone.

940. Virtue without Fear.-When, upon mature deliberation, you are persuaded a thing is fit to be done, do it boldly; and do not affect privacy in it, or concern yourself at all, what impertinent censures or reflections the world will pass upon it. For if the thing be not just and innocent, it ought not be attempted at all, though never so secretly. And if it be, you do very foolishly to stand in fear of those who will themselves do ill in censuring and condemning what you do well. Epictetus.

941. Poverty and Superfluity.-There are miseries which wring the very heart; some want even food; they dread the winter; others eat forced fruits; artificial heats change the earth and seasons, to please their palates. I have known citizens, because grown rich, so execrably dainty, as to swallow at a morsel the nourishment of a hundred families : great are they who can behave well in these extremities: let me be nor happy nor unhappy; that is, neither rich nor poor: I take sanctuary in an honest mediocrity.-Bruyere.

942. Custom and Error.-If it were seriously asked, (and it would be no untimely question,) Who of all teachers and masters, that have ever taught, hath drawn the most disciples after him, both in religion and in manners? it might not be untruly answered CUSTOM. Though virtue be commended for the most persuasive in her theory, and conscience in the plain demonstration of the spirit finds most evincing; yet so it happens for the most part, that custom still is silently received for the best instructor; filling each estate of life and profession with abject and servile principles, depressing the high and heaven-born spirit of man, far beneath the condition wherein either God created him, or sin hath sunk him. To pursue the allegory, custom being but a mere face, as echo is a mere voice, rests not in her unaccomplishment, until by secret inclination she accorporate herself with error, who being a blind and serpentine body without a head, willingly accepts what he wants, and supplies what her incompleteness went seeking. Hence it is that error supports custom, custom countenances error; and these two between them would persecute and chase away all truth and solid wisdom out of human life, were it not that God, rather than man, once in many ages calls together the prudent and religious councils of men, deputed to repress the encroachments, and to work off the inveterate blots and obscurities wrought upon our minds by the subtle insinuation of error and custom, who with the numerous and vulgar train of their followers make it their chief design to envy and cry down the industry of free reasoning under the terms of humour and innovation; as if the womb of teeming truth were to be closed up, if she presume to bring forth aught that sorts not with their unchewed notions and suppositions.

Milton.

943. The Evil of Septennial Parliaments.—It is intolerable, that in so large a space of a man's life as seven years, he should never be able to correct the error he may have committed in the choice of a representative, but be compelled to see him every year dipping deeper into corruption; a helpless spectator of the contempt of his interests, and the ruin of his country. During the present period of parliaments a nation may sustain the greatest possible changes; may descend by a succession of ill counsels, from the highest pinnacle of its fortunes to the lowest point of depression, its treasure exhausted, its credit sunk, and its weight almost completely annihilated in the scale of empire. Ruin and felicity are seldom dispensed by the same hand, nor is it likely any succour in calamity should flow from the wisdom and virtue of those, by whose folly and wickedness it was inflicted.-Robert Hall.

944. True Eloquence.---The eloquence of Mr Adams resembled his general character, and formed, indeed, a part of it. It was bold, manly, and energetic; and such the crisis required. When public bodies are to be addressed on momentous occasions, when great interests are at stake, and strong passions excited, nothing is valuable in speech, further than it is connected with high intellectual and moral endowments. Clearness, force and earnestness, are the qualities which produce conviction. True eloquence, indeed, does not consist in speech. It cannot be brought from far. Labour and learning may toil for it, but they will toil in vain. Words and phrases may be marshalled in every way, but they cannot compass it. It must exist in the man, in the subject, and in the occasion. Affected passion, intense expression, the pomp of declamation, all may aspire after it---they cannot reach it, It comes, if it comes at all, like the outbreaking of a fountain from the earth, or the bursting forth of volcanic fires, with spontaneous, original, native force, The graces taught in the schools, the costly ornaments and studied contrivances of speech, shock and disgust men, when their own lives and the fate of their wives, their children, and their country, hang on the decision of the hour. Then words have lost their power, rhetoric is vain, and all elaborate oratory contemptible. Even genius itself then feels rebuked and subdued, as in the presence of higher qualities. Then, patriotism is eloquent; then, self-devotion is eloquent. The clear conception, outrunning the deductions of logic, the high purpose, the firm resolve, the dauntless spirit, speaking on the tongue, beaming from the eye, informing every feature, and urging the man onward, right onward to his object---this, this is eloquence; or rather, it is something greater and higher than all eloquence, it is action-noble, sublime, godlike action.-Webster.

LONDON; Printed and Published by J. H. STARIE, 59, Museum Street, and to be had of all Booksellers.

Materials for Thinking,

EXTRACTED FROM THE WORKS OF

ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORS.

'WHATEVER CHARITY WE OWE TO MEN'S PERSONS, WE OWE NONE TO THEIR ERRORS."-Bishop Burnet.

No. XXXVI.

Published Weekly.

[Price One Penny.

945. Inconveniences of Greatness.---Let us begin with him (the great man) by break of day; for by that time he is besieged by two or three hundred suitors, and the hall and anti-chambers (all the outworks) possessed by the enemy; as soon as his chamber opens, they are ready to break into that, or to corrupt the guards, for entrance. This is so essential a part of greatness, that whoever is without it, looks like a fallen favourite, like a person disgraced, and condemned to do what he pleases all the morning. Let us contemplate him a little at another special scene of glory, and that is his table. Here he seems to be the lord of all nature; the earth affords him her best metals for his dishes; her best vegetables and animals for his food; the air and seas supply him with their choicest birds and fishes; and a great many men, who look like masters, attend upon him; and yet, when all this is done, even all this is but a table d'hote, it is crowded with people for whom he cares not, with many parasites and some spies; with the most burthensome sort of guests, the endeavourers to be witty; but every body pays him great respect; every body commends his meat, that is, his money; every body admires the exquisite dressing and ordering of it, that is, his clerk of the kitchen, or his cook; every body loves his hospitality, that is his vanity. But I desire to know why the honest innkeeper, who provides a public table for his profit, should be but of a mean profession; and he who does it for his honour, a munificent prince. You will say, because one sells, and the other gives: nay, both sell, though for different things; the one for plain money, the other, for I know not what, jewels whose value is in custom and in fancy. If, then, his table be made "a snare to his liberty," where can he hope for freedom? There is always, and everywhere, some restraint upon him. He is guarded with crowds, and shackled with formalities. The half hat, the whole hat, the half smile, the whole smile, the nod, the embrace, the parting with a little bow, the comparative at the middle of the room,

« ZurückWeiter »