496. THE MINOR, AND SOME OF THE MA-1 Maxims. 1. If a person fees wrong, he will JOR PASSIONS. The following common expressions are full of meaning: such judgments are passed every day, concerning dif ferent individuals; "You might have seen it in his eyes: the looks of the man is enough; he has an honest countenance: his manner sets every one at his ease; I will trust him for his honest face; should he deceive me, I will never trust any body again; he cannot look a person in the face; his appearance is against him; he is better (or worse,) than I took him to be." be very sure to judge wrong, and thence do wrong. 2. Passions strong, judgment wrong, all he world over. 3. Always do the very best you can, and then you'll be a wise man. 4. Children should be encouraged to do, whatever they un dertake, in the very best manner. 5. He who aims low, can never hit exalted objects; and he who is accustomed to do the best he can, in lower things, will be best prepared to attain excellence in the highest. 6. Children should never be allowed to fall into habits of disorder in anything; nor permitted to put things out of order, or make work for others. 7. Of goods, prefer the greatest; of evils choose the least. 8. Children are always more attracted and interested by oral instruction, than by book instruction. Anecdote. A Quaker was waited on by four of his workmen, to make their compliments to him, and ask for their usual Newyear's gifts. The Quaker told them, There are your gifts, choose fifteen francs, or the Bible. All took the francs, but a lad, about fourteen, who chose the Bible, as the Quaker said it was a good book; and, on opening it he found, between the leaves, a gold piece of forty francs. The others held down their heads, and the giver told them, he was sorry they had not made a better choice. Varieties. 1. We cannot be truly just, without prudence, or truly prudent, without justice; because prudence leads us to in MISCELLANEOUS. 1. The habituating children to work for, and serve the poor, particu-quire what is just; and justice alone can larly poor children, with a good will, may justly be regarded, as tending to promote the reception of the highest order and quality of heavenly virtue. 2. It is not in knowing the will of God, but in doing it, that we shall be blessed. 3. The noblest aspect in which the divine majesty of the Lord can be viewed, is that, in which he presented himself, when he said, that he "came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister;" and how great a privilege ought we to esteem it to be, to follow his example. 4. What a pity it is, that pa rents and teachers are not more anxious to mend the heart, than furnish the heads of their children and pupils! 5. Charity is something more than a word, or wish; it is the consistent practice of true wisdom. Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, prevent that perversion of intellect taking place, which often passes for prudence, but is only cunning, the offspring of selfishness. 2. Temperance signifies the right use of the right things, furnished by nature for our enjoyment, so that they may not injure, but benefit us; and instead of unfilling us for our duties, dispose and fit us for their performance. 3. He, who is not temperate, is a slave to his appetites and passions; the slave of drinking, gluttony and lust; of pride, vanity and ambition; because he is not at liberty to be, what he was created to be. Of beasts, it is confessed the ape- Day, or the sweet approach of even and mon, If sweet content is banished from my soul, 498. AFFIRMING, with a judicial oath, is expressed by lifting ap the right hand and eyes towards heaven; if conscience be applied to, by laying the right hand upon the breast exactly upon the heart; the voice low and solemn, the words slow and deliberate; but when the affirmation is mixed with rage or resentment, the voice is more open and loud, the words quicker, and the countenance has all the confidence of a strong and peremptory assertion. Notes. The Duke had reproached Lord Thurlow with his plebeian extraction and his recent admission to the peerage. He rose from the woolsack and advanced slowly to the place from which the chancellor addresses the house, then fixing his eye on the Duke (in the words of a spectator,) "with the look of Jove when he has grasped the thunder," spoke as follows: My Lords-I am amazed; yes my Lords, I am amazed at his grace's speech. The noble duke cannot look before him, behind him, or on either side of him, without seeing some noble peer, who owes his seat in this house to his successful exertions, in the profession to which I belong. Does he not feel that it is as honorable, to owe it to these, as to being the accident of an accident? all these noble lords, the language of the noble duke is as applicable, and as insulting, as it is to myself. But I don't fear to meet it single and alone. No one venerates the peerage more than I do-but, my lords, I must say, that the peerage solicited me,-not I the peerage. Nay more, I can say, and will say, that as a peer of parliament as speaker of this right honorable house, as keeper of the great seal,-as guardian of his majesty's conscience, -as lord high chancellor of England-nay, even in that character alone, in which the noble duke would think it an affront to be considered-but which character none can deny me as a MAN, I am, at this time, as much respected, as the proudest peer I now look down upon. A man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd! Is a sharp wit match'd with too blunt a will: [wills Anecdote. Butler, Bishop of Durham, and author of the Analogy, being applied to for a charitable subscription, asked his steward what money he had in his house; the steward informed him there were five hundred pounds. "Five hundred pounds!" said the bishop; "what a shame for a bishop to have such a sum in his possession!" And he ordered it all to be given to the poor immediately. Bold with joy, The world 1; still deceived by ornament. Laconics. I have seen the flower--wither ing on the stalk, and its bright leaves-spread on the ground. I looked again; it sprung forth afresh; its stem was crowed with new buds, and its sweetness filled the air. I have seen the sun set in the west, and the shades of night shut in the wide horizon: there was no color or shape, nor beauty, nor music; gloom and darkness brooded around. I looked! the sun broke forth again upon the east, and gilded the mountain-tops; the lark rose-to meet him from her low nest, and the shades of darkness fled away. I have seen the insect, being come to its full size, languish, and refuse to eat: it spun itself a tomb, and was shrouded in the silken cone: it lay without feet, or shape, or power to move. I looked again: it had burst its tomb; it was full of life, and sailed on colored wings through the soft air; it rejoiced in its new being. Varieties. 1. Many a young lady can chatter in French or Italian, thrum the piano, and paint a little, and yet be ignorant of housekeeping, and not know how even to make a loaf of bread, roast a piece of meat, or make a palatable soup. 2. It is a false idea to think of elevating woman to her right position of intelligence and influence in society, without making her thoroughly and practically acquainted with the details of domestic life. 3. It is wrong for either men or women, to bury themselves in their everyday avocation, to the neglect of intellectual and moral culture, and the social amenities of life: but it is still worse to give exclusive attention to the latter, and utterly neglect the former; because, in the former are involved lected duties never bring happiness: even our first and most important duties. 4. Negthe best of society would fail to delight, if enjoyed at the expense of human duties. 5. That which is our duty should always take precedence: otherwise no effort to obtain happiness can be successful. Still-let my song-a nobler note assume, Can he forbear-to join the general smile Is melody? The happiness of human kind, And wisdom-neither sad, nor sour. A villain, when he most seems kind, 499. REVISION. Having gone thro', briefly, with the major passions, and given illustrations of each, before dismissing these important subjects, it may be useful to present the minor ones; occasionally alluding to the principal ones. The accompanying engraving represents calm fortitude, disfretion, benevolence, goodness, and nobility. Admiration may also be combined with amazement: surprise, (which signifies-taken on a sudden,) may, for a moment, startle; astonishment may stupefy, and cause an entire suspension of the faculties; but AMAZEMENT has also a mixture of perturbation; as the word means to be in a maze, so as not to be able to collect one's self: there is no mind that may not, at times, be thrown into amazement at the awful dispensations of Providence. ADMONITION TO ACT JUSTLY. Remember March, the ides of MARCH remember! Did not great Julius-bleed for JUSTICE' sake? What! shall one of us, That struck the foremost man of all this world, Anecdote. Ethelwold, bishop of Winchester, in king Edgar's time, sold the gold and silver vessels belonging to the church, to relieve the poor, during a famine, saying: "There is no reason, that the senseless temples of God, should abound in riches, while his living temples ware perishing with hunger." DOMESTIC LOVE AND HAPPINESS. O happy they! the happiest of their kind! Laconics. 1. The idle often delay till to morrow, what ought to be done to-day. 2. Science is the scribe, and theology the interpreter of God's works. 3. Regret is unavailing, when a debt is contracted; tho' a little prudence, might have prevented its being incurred. 4. A loud, or vehmen? mode of delivery, accompanied by a haughty action, may render an expression highly offensive; but which would be perfectly harmless, if pronounced properly. 5. Dishonesty chooses the most expeditious route; virtue the right one, thougin it be more circuitous. 6. Is the soul a mere vapor, a something without either essence or form? 7. Impressions, firmly fized in the mind, and long cherished, are erased with great difficulty; how important, then, they should be good ones. Difficulty is a severe instructor, set over us by the supreme ordinance of a parental guardian and legislator, who knows us better than we know ourselves, and he loves us better too. He, that wrestles with us, strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper. This amicable conflict with difficulty obliges us to an intimate ac quaintance with our object, and compels.us to consider it in all its relations. It will not suffer us to be superficial.. VARIETIES. Sleep-seldom visits sorrow; When it does, it is a comforter. Why, on that brow, dwell sorrow and dismay, Nor joy, nor grieve too much, for things beyond our carль. In life-unknown, forgot-in death. Love never reasons, but profusely gives; Their hearts, their fortunes, and their beings blend. Still raise for good-the supplicating voice, Tis not the coarser tie of human laws, That binds their peace, but harmony itself, Attuning all their passions into love; Where friendship-full, exerts her softest power, Ineffable, and sympathy of soul; Merit seldom shows For p.aces in the court, are but like beds- But leave to HEAVEN the measure, and the chows Call it diversion, and the pill goes down 500. Arguing requires a cool, sedate attentive aspect, and a close, slow, and emphatical accent, with much demonstration by the hand; it assumes somewhat of authority, as if fully convinced of what it pleads for; and sometimes rises to great vehemence and energy of action: the voice clear, distinct, and firm as in confidence. REASONING WITH DEFERENCE TO OTHERS. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, 591. AFFECTATION-displays itself in a thousand different gestures, airs, and looks, according to the character which the person affects. Affectation of learning gives a stiff formality to the whole person: the words come stalking out with the pace of a funeral procession, and every sentence has the solemnity of an oracle. Affectation of pity-turns up the goggling whites of the eye to heaven, as if the person was in a trance, and fixes them in that posture so long, that the brain of the beholder grows giddy: then comes up deep grumbling, a holy groan from the lower part of the thorax, but so tremendous in sound, and so long protracted, that you expect to see a goblin rise, like an exhalation from the solid earth thus he begins to rock, from side to side, or backward and forward, like an aged pine on the side of a hill, when a brisk wind blows: the hands are clasped together, and often lifted, and the head shaken with foolish vehemence; the tone of voice is canting, or a sing-song lullaby, not much removed from an Irish howl, and the words godly doggerel. AFFECTATION OF BEAUTY, and killing-puts a fine woman, by turns, into all sorts of forms, appearances and attitudes, but amiable ones: she undoes by art, or rather awkwardness, all that nature has done for her; for nature formed her almost an angel and she, with infinite pains. makes herself a monkey: this species of affectation is easily imitated, or taken off: in doing which, make as many, and as ugly grimaces, motions and gestures, as can be made; and take care that nature never peeps out; thus you may represent coquettish affectation to the life. Anecdote. A nobleman advised a bishop to make an addition to his house, of a new wing, in modern style. The prelate answered him, "The difference between your advice and that which the devil gave to our Saviour is, that Satan advised Jesus to change stones into bread, that the poor might be fed; and you desire me to turn the bread of the poor into stones. A wise poor man, Is like a sacred book that's never read; Laconics. 1. To know is one thing, to do. is another. 2 Consider what is said, rather than who said it: and the consequence of the argument, rather than the consequence of him, who delivers it. 3. These proverbs, maxims, and laconics, are founded on the facts, that mankind are the same, and that the passions are the disturbing forces; the greater or less prevalence of which, give individuality to character. 4. If parents give their children an improper education, whose is the misfortune, and whose the crimes? 5. The greater your facilities are for acquiring knowledge, the greater should be your efforts and genius-is the power of making efforts. 6. The world's unfavorable views of conduct and character, are as floating clouds, from which the brightest day is not free. 7. Never marry-but for love; and see that thou lovest only what is lovely. This World. What is the happiness that this world can give? Can it defend us from disasters? Can it preserve our hearts from grief, our eyes from tears, or our feet from falling? Can it prolongour comforts? Can it multiply our days? Can it redeem ourselves, or our friends from death? Can it soothe the king of terrors, or initigate the agonies of the dying? VARIETIES. Three poets, in three distant ages born, Under a portrait of Milton-Dryden. The poetry of earth is never dead!- With his delights; for when tired out with fun He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed The poetry of earth is ceasing never! On a lone winter evening, when the frost Has wro't a silence from the stove, there shrills The cricket's song, in warmth increasing ever, And seems to one, in drowsiness half lost, The grasshopper's among some grassy hills. Believe me, if all those endearing young charms, Which I gaze on so fondly to-day, [arms, Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my Like fairy gifts fading away; [thou art, Thou wouldst still be ador'd, as this moment Let thy loveliness fade as it will, And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart, It is not while beauty and youth are thy own, As the sunflower turns on her god, when he sets 503. AUTHORITY-opens the countenance, but | great, but by keeping his resolutions; no per draws the eye-brows a little, so as to give the look an air of gravity. AUTHORITY FORBIDDING COMBATANTS TO FIGHT. Let them lay by their helmets and their spears, And list what, with our council, we have done. 504. Philosophers say, that man is a microcosm, or a little world, resembling in miniature every part of the great; and, in our opinion, the body natural may be compared to the body politic; and if that be so, how can the Epicurean's opinion be true, that the universe was formed by a fortuitous concourse of atoms? which we will no more believe, than that the accidental jumbling of the letters of the alphabet could fall by chance into a most ingenious and learned treatise of philosophy. On pain of death, no person be so bold THE BOOK OF NATURE. Let fancy-lead, And be it ours-to follow, and admire, son ever escaped contempt, who could not keep them. Laconics. 1. Writing and printing serve as clothing to our ideas, by which they become visi. ble in forms, and permanent in duration; thus, painters speak of embodying the fleeting colors of beautiful flowers, by fixing them in some earthly substance. 2. When the pupil of our intellectual eyes becomes adjusted to the darkness of enor, genuine truth dazzles and blinds us. 3. Habit car only get the better of habit; but beware of chang ing one bad habit for another. 4. The torch of improvement, is destined to pass from hand to hand; and what, tho' we do not see the order? 5 When nature is excited, she will put forth her forts; if not in a right, in a wrong way. 6. Con sent is the essence of marriage, the ceremonies-its form, and the duties-its uses. Physiological Ignorance-is undoubt edly, the most abundant source of our sufferings: every person, accustomed to the sick, must have heard them deplore their ignorance-of the necessary consequences of those practices, by which their health has been destroyed and when men shall be deeply convinced, that the eternal laws of Nature have connected pain and decrepitude with one mode of life, and health and vigor with another, they will avoid the former, and adhere to the latter It is strange, however, to observe, that the gener ality of mankind do not seem to bestow a singl thought on the preservation of their health, till it is too late to reap any benefit from their conviction If knowledge of this kind were generally diffused, people would cease to imagine, that the human constitution was so badly contrived, that a state of general health could be overset by every trifle; for instance, by a little cold; or that the recovery of it lay concealed in a few drops, or a pill. Did they better understand the nature of chronic diseases, and the causes which produce them, they could not be so unreasonable as to think, that they might live as they choose, with impunity: or did they know anything of medicine, they would soon be convinced, that though fits of pain have been relieved, and sickness cured, for a time, the re-establishment of health-depends on very different Anecdote. Eat Bacon. Dr. Watson, late powers and principles. bishop of Landaff, was enthusiastically attached to the writings of Lord Bacon; and considered, that no one, desirous of acquiring real sound knowledge, could read the works of that great man too often, or with too much cure and attention. It was frequently reraarked by him-" If a man wishes to become wise, he should eat Bacon." Making Resolutions. Never form a resolution that is not a good one; and, when once formed, never break it. If you form a resolution, and then break it, you set yourself a bad example, and you are very likely to follow it. A person may get the habit of breaking his resolutions; this is as bad to the character and mind, as an incurable distase to the body. No person can become Tis doing wrong-creates such doubts. These Though wisdom-wake, Suspicion sleeps at wisdom's gate, and to simplicity Where no ill seems. 'Tis god-like magnanimity to keep, When most provoked, our reason calm, and clear 1 |