AND for yon grave-faced folly, need not far to look for her How ruefully she sigheth after chances long gone by, How sulkily she moaneth over evils without cure! I have known a true-born mirth, the child of innocence and wisdom, But when its breast is healed, it runneth gladly with its fellows: Holdeth aloof from the social world, intent on wiles and death. NEED but of light philosophy to dare the world's dread laugh; The laugh of a hooting world hath in it a notion of sublimity, A droll conceit parrieth a thrust that should have hit the conscience, Neither can he long endure the searching gaze of wisdom. It is pleasanter to see a laughing cheek than a serious forehead, But common men are cowards, and dread an empty laugh. Fear a nettle, and touch it tenderly,-its poison shall burn thee to the shoulder; But grasp it with bold hand,-is it not a bundle of myrrn? Betray mean terror of ridicule, thou shalt find fools enough to mock thee; But answer thou their laughter with contempt. and the scoffers will lick thy feet. OF COMMENDATION. THE praise of holy men is a promise of praise from their Master; To tell thee the chords of thy heart are in tune with the choirs of heaven. ber, And the cordial quaffed with thirst may generate the fumes of presump tion. So seek it not for itself, but taste, and go gladly on thy way, For the mariner slacketh not his sail, though the sandal-groves of Araby allure him; And the fragrance of that incense would harm thee, as when, on a summer evening, The honied yellow flowers of the broom oppress thy charmed sense : And a man hath too much of praise, for he praiseth himself continually; Neither lacketh he at any time self-commendation or excuse. PRAISE a fool, and slay him: for the canvass of his vanity is spread ; And is glad when his course is cheered by the sympathy of brethren ashore. The praise of a good man is good, for he holdeth up the mirror of Truth, That Virtue may see her own beauty, and delight in her own fair face: The praise of a bad is evil, for he hideth the deformity of Vice, Casting the mantle of a queen around the limbs of a leper. Praise is rebuke to the man whose conscience alloweth it not: And where conscience feeleth it her due, no praise is better than a little. He that despiseth the outward appearance, despiseth the esteem of his fellows; And he that overmuch regardeth it, shall earn only their contempt: The honest commendation of an equal no one can scorn, and be blame less, Yet even that fair fame no one can hunt for and be honoured: If it come, accept it and be thankful, and be thou humble in accepting; If it tarry, be not thou cast down; the bee can gather honey out of rue : And is thine aim so low, that the breath of those around thee Can speed thy feathered arrow, or retard its flight? The child shooteth at a butterfly, but the man's mark is an eagle; Ally thee to truth and godliness, and use the talents in thy cnarge; With a friend, praise him when thou canst; for many a friendship hath decayed, Like a plant in a crowded corner, for want of sunshine on its leaves: ment: For thou that dost so zealously commend, art acknowledging thine own inferiority, And he, thou so highly hast exalted, shall proudly look down on thy es teem. WILT thou that one remember a thing?—praise him in the midst of thy advice; Never yet forgat man the word whereby he hath been praised. Better to be censured by a thousand fools, than approved but by one man that is wise; For the pious are slower to help right, than the profane to hinder it: And justly, should recompense well-doing, as well as be strict with an offender; The laurel is cheap to the giver, but precious in his sight who hath won it, Many a father hath erred, in that he hath withheld reproof, But more have mostly sinned, in withholding praise where it was due: There be many such as Eli among men; but these be more culpable than Eli, Who chill the fountain of exertion by the freezing looks of indifference: Ye call a man easy and good, yet he is as a two-edged sword; He rebuketh not vice, and it is strong: he comforteth not virtue, and it fainteth. There is nothing more potent among men than a gift timely bestowed, EXPECT not praise from the mean, neither gratitude from the selfish ; And his stubbornness never shall acknowledge the good he hath taken from thy hand: Yea, rather will he turn and be thy foe, lest thou gather from his friend ship, That he doth account thee creditor, and standeth in the second place, thee, So shalt thou have a better praise, and reap a richer harvest of reward. |