The
Uses of
Calam-
ity

And yet the compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a loss of wealth, a loss of friends, seems at the moment unpaid loss, and unpayable. But the sure years reveal the deep remedial force that underlies all facts. The death of a dear friend, wife, brother, lover, which seemed nothing but privation, somewhat later assumes the aspect of a guide or genius; for it commonly operates revolutions in our way of life, terminates an epoch of infancy or of youth which was waiting to be closed, breaks up a wonted occupation, or a household, or style of living, and allows the formation of new ones more friendly to the growth of character. It permits or constrains the formation of new acquaintances and the reception of new influences, that prove of the first importance to the next years; and the man or woman who would have remained a sunny garden-flower, with no room for its roots, and too much sunshine for its head, by the falling of the walls and the neglect of the gardener, is made the banian of the

forest, yielding shade and fruit to wide neigh

bourhoods of men.

I

Compensation.

AM thankful for small mercies.

I

compared notes with one of my friends who expects every thing of the universe, and is disappointed when any thing is less than the best, and I found that I begin at the other extreme, expecting nothing, and am always full of thanks for moderate goods.

INSIST

Experience.

NSIST on yourself; never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life's cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another you have only an extemporaneous, half possession. That which each can do best, none but his Maker can teach him. No man yet knows what it is, nor can, till that person has exhibited it. Where is the master who could have taught Shakspeare? Where is the master who could have instructed Franklin, or Washington, or Bacon, or Newton? Self Reliance.

Gratitude

Origi

nality

The Unessential

Courage

is Contagious

Spontaneity

UR young people are diseased with the theological problems of original sin, origin of evil, predestination, and the like. These never presented a practical difficulty to any man never darkened across any man's road, who did not go out of his way to seek them. These are the soul's mumps and measles and whoopingcoughs; and those who have not caught them cannot describe their health or prescribe the cure. A simple mind will not

know these enemies.

WH

Spiritual Laws.

HAT a new face courage puts on everything! A determined man, by his very attitude and the tone of his voice, puts a stop to defeat, and begins to conquer. Letters and Spiritual Aims.

WE

E love characters in proportion as they are impulsive and spontaneous. The less a man thinks or knows about his virtues the better we like him. Timoleon's victories are the best victories; which ran and flowed like Homer's verses, Plutarch

said. When we see a soul whose acts are all regal, graceful and pleasant as roses, we must thank God that such things can be and are, and not turn sourly on the angel, and say, "Crump is a better man with his grunting resistance to all his native devils." Spiritual Laws.

M2 seem.

EN in all ways are better than they seem. They like flattery for the moment, but they know the truth for their own. It is a foolish cowardice which keeps us from trusting them, and speaking to them rude truth. They resent your honesty for an instant, they will thank you for it always. All that a man has, will he give for right relations with his mates. All that he has, will he give for an erect demeanour in every company and on each occasion.

AS

every man at heart wishes the best and not inferior society, wishes to be convicted of his error, and to come to himself, so he wishes that the same healing should not stop in his thought, but should pene

Man is
Better
Than he

Seems

Selfishness

The
Spirit of
True Aid

Love of
Truth

trate his will or active power. The selfish
man suffers more from his selfishness, than
he from whom that selfishness withholds
some important benefit. What he most
wishes is to be lifted to some higher plat-
form, that he may see beyond his present
fear the transalpine good, so that his fear,
his coldness, his custom may be broken up
like fragments of ice, melted and carried
away in the great stream of good will. Do
you ask my aid? I also wish to be a bene-
factor. I wish more to be a benefactor and

servant, than you wish to be served by me;
and surely the greatest good fortune that
could befall me, is precisely to be so moved
by you that I should say, "Take me and
all mine, and use me and mine freely to
your ends!" for, I could not say it, other-
wise than because a great enlargement had
come to my heart and mind, which made
me superior to my fortunes.

NOT

OTHING shall warp me from the belief that every man is a lover of truth. There is no pure lie, no pure malignity in nature.

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