Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Culture of the understanding is, indeed, one of the best methods of fubduing the heart to softness, and redeeming it from that favage ftate in which it too often comes from the hands of nature. The more our reafon is ftrengthened, the better the is enabled to keep her feat on the throne, and to govern those paffions which were appointed to be her fubjects; but which too often rebel, and fucceed in their unnatural revolt. But befides the effect of mental culture, in calling forth and increasing the powers of the reasoning faculty, it seems to poffefs an influence in humanizing the feelings, and meliorating the native difpofition. Mufic, painting, and poetry, teach the mind to select the agreeable parts of those objects which furround us, and by habituating it to a pure and permanent delight, gradually fuperinduce an habitual good-humour. It is of infinite importance to happiness, that the mind fhould be accuf tomed from infancy to turn from deformed and painful scenes, and to contemplate whatever can be found of moral and natural beauty. The fpirits under this benign management, contract a milkinefs, and learn to flow all cheerily in their smooth and yielding channels; while, on the contrary, if the young mind is teafed, fretted, and neglected, the paffages of the fpirits become rugged, abrupt, exasperated, and the whole nervous fyftem seems to acquire an exceffive irritability. The ill treatment of children has not only made them wretched at the time, but wretched for life; tearing the fine contexture of their nerves, and roughening, by example, and by some secret and internal influence, the very constitution of their tempers.

So much of the happiness of private life, and the virtues of mothers and daughters in particular, depend on the government of the temper, that the temper ought to be a principal object of regard in a well-conducted education. The fuffering of children to tyrannise, without controul, over fervants and inferiors, is, I am convinced, the ruin of many an amiable difpofition. The virtues of humanity, benevolence, humility, cannot

be

be too early enforced; at the fame time care fhould be taken that an infant of two or three years old fhould never be beaten or spoken to harfhly for any offence which it can poffibly commit. In fhort, let every method be used which reafon, religion, prudence, and experience can fuggeft, to accomplish the purpofe of fweetening the temper, and banishing the furies from fociety. May the endeavour be fuccefsful: and may we only read, that there have indeed been fuch animals as fhrews and viragos, but that the breed is extinct in England, like the breed of wolves!

[merged small][graphic]

T

The Impression of Truth on the Mind when suggested by striking Analogy.

WHEN

THEN Charles the 5th had refigned the fceptre of Spain and the imperial crown of Germany, he retired to the monaftery of St Juftus, near the city of Placentia, in Eftremadura. It was feated in a vale of no great extent, watered by a small brook, and furrounded by rifing grounds covered with lofty trees. From the nature of the foil, as well as the temperature of the climate, it was efteemed the most healthful and delicious fituation in Spain. Here he cultivated, with his own hands, the plants in his garden; and fometimes he rode out to a neighbouring wood, on a little horse, attended only by a fingle fervant on foot. When his infirmities confined him to his apartment, and deprived him of these more active recreations, he either admitted a few gentlemen, who refided near the monaftery, to visit him, and entertained them familiarly at his own table; or, he employed himself in studying mechanical principles, and in forming works of mechanifm, of which he had always been remarkably fond, and to which his genius was peculiarly turnéd. He was extremely curious with regard to the conftruction of clocks and watches; and having found, after repeated trials, that he could not bring any two of them to go exactly alike, he reflected, with a mixture of furprize as well as regret, on his own folly (as he might alfo on his cruelty and injuftice) in having exerted himself, with so much zeal and perfeverance, in the more vain attempt of bringing mankind to an uniformity of fentiment concerning the doctrines of religion.* Happy would it have been for Europe if this juft and ftriking analogy had occurred to the monarch during the plenitude of his power! And happy might it now prove, if allowed to operate against the spirit of bigotry and perfecution, which still actuates many individuals, and even large communities!

* See Robertson's History of Charles V.

The

THE

The Story of Abbas.

:

HE fun appearing above the horizon, Solyman proftrated himself in the profoundest adoration. When he arofe from his devotions, he advanced towards the English merchant, his fellow-traveller, with a look of kindness mixed with pity and concern. The merchant understood him: but as he was unwilling to controvert the principles of his religion, he made no apology for his conduct during the devotions of Solyman.

[ocr errors]

The mild morning light which was diffused over the vallies and streams, the various beauty of the meadows, the regular difpofition of bloffomed hedge-rows, the foothing murmur of bees at their early labour, and the full concert of the feathered creation, drew their conversation on the universal beneficence of nature.feel,' faid Solyman, a delight, which I can neither account for nor defcribe. These mountains gilded with the rays of the orient fun, thofe painted vallies that fhame the rich carpets of Perfia, yon diftant waters which gleam with the shifting effulgence of light, the general bufy voice of joy and activity in the animal creation, confpire to fill my heart with inexpreffible pleasure.'

That pleasure,' replied the merchant, I believe proceeds from fympathy: it is fcarce poffible, unless you have fome peculiar caufe of mifery, not to be pleafed when you fee every thing around you happy. On the contrary, if you go into the manfions of forrow, it will be impoffible to withstand the infection of it.The God of nature seems to have given us these sympathetic feelings, to link our affections in the great chain of fociety: hence, focial virtue is not left to depend folely on the moral will, but is founded on the principles of our nature.

• But the object of your adoration is fo profufe of his favours, that I fhould now be glad to find some convenient fhade. I think I difcover a cave on the fouthern

[blocks in formation]

declivity of the mountain; let us retire to it during the heat of the day.'

As they were advancing towards the cave, they perceived a beaten path, leading directly from it to a diftant rivulet. This made them apprehenfive that it might be the habitation of fome wild-beaft, that had worn the path by conftantly going to drink at the ftream: but their fears were foon removed upon the appearance of an aged hermit, advancing flowly towards the rivulet with an earthen pitcher. At fight of the travellers, he hafted to his abode with all the feeble precipitancy of age. They agreed not to disturb him, and only took the advantage of the rock which projected over his cell to shelter themselves from the fun: but they had not long continued in this fituation before the hermit, perceiving them to be inoffenfive travellers, invited them into his cave.

You will excuse,' said the hoary fage, the caution of years: these mountains are not secure from the ravage of human ferocity; and these grey hairs would be no defence from the wanton cruelty of man. I have fuffered fo much from my own fpecies, that I have at last forsaken their fociety: I thought it better to give up the conveniencies of it, than to bear the evils; and I have long lived in this folitary cave on nothing more than what uncultivated nature would afford me.'— Thofe fufferings,' faid Solyman,muft, indeed, have been extraordinary, that could make you give up one of the greatest advantages of life, the focial intercourse of your fellow-creatures. The narratives of age,' replied the hermit, are seldom agreeable to youth; but as inftruction can be gained only from experience, you will do wifely to learn it from the misfortunes of Abbas.

I was born to a competent fortune in the province of Lureftan: but being early left an orphan, my affairs came under the cognizance of a jufticiary court, which the members of it call the court of equity; but fo equitable were they with regard to me, that they claimed two parts of my little fortune for their care of the

third.'

« ZurückWeiter »