5. A man of falsehood. 2. Pay as you go, and keep from 444. There are also three great divisions Maxims. 1. Want of punctuality is a species in POETRY, which is closely allied to music; and both of them originate in the WILL, or affections: and hence, the words of the psalm, hymn, poem, and the music in which they are sung, chanted, or played, constitute the forms, or mediums, through which the affections and sentiments are bodied forth. Is not genuine music from heaven? and does it not lead there if not perverted? May not the same be said of poetry? Woe betide the person, that converts them into occasions of evil! How blind is pride; what eagles are we still . In matters that belong to other men ; What beetles-in our own. Who fights With passions, and overcomes them, is endued Nature-to each-allots his proper sphere; Reform. He, that looks back to the history of mankind, will often see, that in politics, jurisprudence, religion, and all the great concerns of society, reform-has usually been the work of reason, slowly awakening from the lethargy of ignorance, gradually acquiring confidence in her own strength, and ultimately triumphing over the dominion of prejudice and custom. Varieties. 1. What is mercy and its uses? 2. Individuals and nations, fail in nothing they boldly attempt, when sustained by virtuous purpose, and determined resolution. 3. Some persons' heads are like beehives: not because they are all in a buzz, but 445. THE USES OF ELOQUENCE. In every that they have separate cells for every kind situation, in all the pursuits of life, may be of store. 4. What nature offers, with a smilseen the usefulness and benefits of eloquence. ing face, fruit, herb, and grain—are just In whatever light we view this subject, it is what man's pure instinct would choose for evident that oratory is not a mere castle in food. 5. The majority-ought never to the air: a fairy palace of frost-work; desti- trample on the feelings, or violate the just tute of substance and support. It is like a rights-of the minority; they should not magnificent temple of Parian marble, ex- triumph over the fallen, nor make any but hibiting the most exact and admirable sym-temperate and equitable use of their power. metry, and combining all the orders, varieties, 6. Death is the enacted penalty of nature's and beauties of architecture. violated laws. 7. Was it causeless, that And when the soul-is fullest, the hushed tongue, Habits of Industry. It is highly impor-washing-was introduced, as a religious tant, that children should be taught to acquire rite, seeing that its observance is so essential habits of industry; for whatever be their habits to the preservation of health? while young, such, for the most part, must they continue to be in after life. Children-are apt to think it a great hardship, to be obliged to devote so much time to occupations, at present perhaps, disagreeable to them; but they ought to be made to believe, that their tasks are not only intended for the informing of their minds, but for the bending of their wills. Good habits are as easily acquired as bad ones; with the great advantage of being the only true way to prosperity and happiness. Anecdote. Conciseness. Louis XIV. who Argues an impotence of mind, that says,- There's beauty-in the deep; famous, even in a prince; and virtue, honorable, 8. Some 446. OUR FIELD. The orator's field is the Maxims. 1. Poverty of mind is often conuniverse of mind and matter, and his sub-cealed under the garb of splendor. 2. Vice—is injects, all that is known of God and man. Study the principles of things, and never rest satisfied with the results and applications. All distinguished speakers, whether they ever paid any systematic attention to the principles of elocution or not, in their most successful efforts, conform to them; and their imperfections are the results of deviations from these principles. Think correctly-rather than finely; sound conclusions are much better than beautiful conceptions. Be useful, rather than showy; and speak to the purpose, or not speak at all. Persons become eminent, by the force of mind-the power of thinking comprehensively, deeply, closely, usefully. Rest more on the thought, feeling, and expression, than on the style; for language is like the atmosphere-a medium of vision, intended not to be seen itself, but to make other objects seen; the more transparent however, the better. Hast thou, in feverish, and unquiet sleep,- And jagged ridge above, that seems as sand, What is Worth? The spirit of the age says,-"Worth-means wealth; and wisDOM-the art of getting it." To be rich is considered, by most persons-a merit; to be poor, an offence. By this false standard, it is not so important to be wise and good, as to be rich in worldly wealth; thus it is, every thing, as well as every person, has its price, and may be bought or sold; and thus-do we coin our hearts into gold, and exchange our souls-for earthly gain. Hence, it is said, "a man is worth so much;"-i. e. worth just as much as his property or money, amount to, and no more. Thus, wealth, worth, or gain, is not applied to science, to knowledge, virtue, or happiness; but to pecuniary acand everything else were dross. Thus the quisition; as if nothing but gold were gain, body-is Dives, clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day; while the mind-is Lazarus, lying in rags at the gate, and fed with the crumbs, that fall from the tables of Time and Sense. Varieties. 1. Instead of dividing mankind into the wise and foolish, the good and wicked, would it not be better to divide them into more or less wise and foolish, more or less good or wicked? 2. It was a proof of low origin, among the ancient Romans, to make mistakes in pronouncing words; for it indicated that one had not been instructed by a nursury maid: what is the inference? That those maids were well educated; particularly, in the pronunciation of the Latin language, and were treated by families as 447. VOCAL MUSIC. In vocal music, there is a union of music and language-the language of affection and thought; which includes the whole man. Poetry and music are sister arts; their relationship being one of heaven-like intimacy. The essence of poetry consists in fine perceptions, and vivid expressions, of that subtle and mysterious analogy, that exists between the physical and moral world; and it derives its power from the correspondence of natural things with spiritual. Its effect is to elevate the thoughts and affections toward a higher state of ex-favorites. How many nursery maids of our istence. Anecdote. A powerful Stimulous. When Lord Erskine made his debut, at the bar, his agitation almost overcame him, and he was just about to sit down. "At that moment," said he, "I thought I felt my little children tugging at my gown, and the idea roused me to an exertion, of which I did not think myself capable." "Tis not enough—your counsel still be true; Blunt truths more mischief than nice falsehoods do. day enjoy such a reputation, and exert such an influence? Indeed, how many mothers occupy such a pre-eminence? Let wisdom and affection answer, and furnish the remedy. 3. The purest and best of precepts and examples should be exhibited to our youth, in the development of their minds, and the for mation of their characters. The seas-are quiet, when the winds are o'er; 448. THE HUMAN VOICE. Among all | Maxims. 1. Blind men must not undertake to the wonderful varieties of artificial instru- judge of colors. 2. Gamesters and race-horses nevments, which discourse excellent music, er last long. 3. Forgiveness and smiles are the where shall we find one that can be compared best revenge. 4. They, are not our best friends, to the human voice? And where can we who praise us to our faces. 5. An honest man's find an instrument comparable to the human word is as good as his bond. 6. Never fish for mind? upon whose stops the real musician, praise; it is not worth the bait. 7. None but a 8. Cultithe poet, and the orator, sometimes lays his good man can become a perfect orator. hands, and avails himself of the entire com- heart. 9. Female delicacy is the best preservative vate a love of truth, and cleave to it with all your pass of its magnificent capacities! Oh! the of female honor. 10. Idleness is the refuge of length, the breadth, the height, and the depth weak minds, and the holliday of fools. of music and eloquence! They are high as heaven, deep as hell, and broad as the uni verse. THE POWER OF IMAGINATION. The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen, The Trine in Man. There are three things of which human beings consist, the soul, the mind and the body; the inmost is the soul, the mediate is the mind, and the ultimate the body: the first is that which receives life from Him, who is life itself; the second, is the sphere of the activities of that life; and the third, is the medium through which those activities are manifested: but it should be remembered, that there is, as the apostle says, a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." 66 Varieties. 1. Nature-makes no emendations; she labors for all: her's is not mosaic work. 2. The more there is prosaic in 449. CICERO AND DEMOSTHENES. An orator, addressing himself more to the pas-orators, poets and artists, the less are they sions, naturally has much passionate ardor; natural; the less do they resemble the copiwhilst another, possessing an elevation of ous streams of the fountain. 3. The more style and majestic gravity, is never cold, there is of progression, the more there is of though he has not the same vehemence: truth, and nature; and the more extensive, in this respect do these great orators differ. general, durable, and noble is the effect: Demosthenes-abounds in concise sublimity; thus is formed the least plant, and the most Cicero,-in diffuseness: the former, on ac- exalted man. 4. Nature is everywhere simcount of his destroying, and consuming ev-ilar to herself; she never acts arbitrarily, erything by his violence, rapidity, strength, never contrary to her laws: the same wisand vehemence, may be compared to a hurri-dom and power produce all varieties, agreeacane, or thunderbolt: the latter, to a wide ble to one law, one will. Either all things extended conflagration, spreading in every are subject to the law of order, or nothing is. direction, with a great, constant, and irre- Home! how that blessed word—thrills the earꞌ sistible flame. Anecdote. Envy and Jealousy. Colonel With illustration simple, yet profound, and with unfaltering zeal Impassioned fervor-of a mind, deep fraught With native energy, when soul, and sense Burst forth, embodied in the burning thought; In it-what recollections blend! It tells of childhood's scenes so dear, O! through the world, where'er we roam, Still turns to those-it left behind. The bird, that soars to yonder skies, Though nigh to heaven, still seems unblessed; Downward-to its own much-loved nest. When given by those of "home, sweet home." 450. POETRY may be written in rhyme, Maxims. 1. It is better to do and not promor blank verse. Rhyme is the correspond- ise, than to promise and not perform. 2. A benefit ence of sounds, in the ending of two (or is a common tie between the giver and receiver. more) successive or alternate words or sylla- 3. The consciousness of well doing is an ample rebles of two or more lines, forming a couplet ward. 4. As benevolence is the most sociable of or triplet: see the various examples given. all virtues, so it is the most extensive. 5. Do not Rythmus, in the poetic art, means the rela- postpone until to-morrow, what ought to be done tive duration of the time occupied in pro- to-day. 6. Without a friend, the world is but a nouncing the syllables; in the art of music wilderness. 7. The more we know our hearts, the it signifies the relative duration of the sound, less shall we be disposed to trust in ourselves. 8. that enters into the musical composition: Obedience is better than sacrifice, and is inseperasee measures of speech and song. bly wedded to happiness. 9. We should not run out of the path of duty, lest we run into the path of danger. 10. He doeth much, that doeth a thing well. Lo! the poor Indian,—whose untutored mind, oratory. Even age itself-is cheered with music; Nature-is the glass-reflecting God, Hath been to me-a more familiar face I learned the language-of another world. Enough to live in tempest; die in port. 66 Anecdote. Moro, duke of Milan, having displayed before the foreign embassadors his magnificence and his riches, which excelled those of every other prince, said to them: "Has a man, possessed of so much wealth and prosperity, anything to desire in this world?"" One thing only," said one of them, "a nail to fix the wheel of fortune." disgraced society, that of swearing admits of Swearing. Of all the crimes, that ever the least palliation. be derived from it; and nothing but perverseNo possible benefit can ness and depravity of human nature, would valence, that by many, it is mistaken for a ever have suggested it; yet such is its prefashionable acquirement, and considered, by unreflecting persons, as indicative of energy and decision of character. those who are in the love, and under the inVarieties. 1. Duty sounds sweetly, to fluence of truth and goodness: its path does not lead thro' thorny places, and over cheerless wastes; but winds pleasantly, amid green meadows and shady groves. 2. A new truth is, to some, as impossible of discovery, as the new world was to the faithless cotemporaries of Columbus; they do not believe in such a thing; and more than this, they will not believe in it: yet they will sit in judg ment on those who do believe in such a contraband article, and condemn them without mercy. THE FALLS OF NIAGARA. The thoughts are strange that crowd into my brain, Deep-calleth unto deep. And what are we, 452. OBSERVATIONS. No one can ever Maxims. 1. A people's education-is a nabecome a good reader, or speaker, by reading tion's best defence. 2. Let not the sun go down in a book; because what is thus acquired upon your wrath. 3. Who aims at excellence, is more from thought than from feeling; will be above mediocrity; and who aims at meand of course, has less of freedom in it; diocrity, will fall short of it. 4. Forbearance is and we are, from the necessity of the case, a domestic jewel. 5. The affection of parents is more or less constrained and mechanical. best shown to their children, by teaching them What we hear, enters more directly into the what is good and true. 6. Feeble are the efforts in which the heart has no share. 7. By taking affectuous part of the mind, than what we see, revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but and becomes more readily a part of ourselves, in passing it over—he is superior. 8. Loveliness i. e. becomes conjoined instead of being ad-needs not the aid of ornament; but is, when unjoined: relatively, as the food which we eat, adorned, adorned the most. 9. No one ever did, digests and is appropriated, and a plaster nor ever can, do any one an injury, without dothat is merely stuck on the body. Thus, we ing a greater injury to himself. 10. It is better can see a philosophic reason why faith is not to know the truth, than to know it, and not said to come by hearing, and that we walk do it. by faith, and not by sight: i. e. from love, that casts out the fear that hath torment; that fear which enslaves body and mind, instead of making both free. Ever distinguish substances-from sound; Pursuit of Knowledge. He, that enlarges his curiosity after the works of nature, demonstrably multiplies the inlets to happiness; therefore, we should cherish ardor in the pursuit of useful knowledge, and remember, that a blighted spring makes a barren year, and that the vernal flowers, however beautiful and gay, are only intended by nature as preparatives to autumnal fruits. Varieties. 1. Business letters should always be written with great clearness and perspicuity every paragraph should be so plain, that the dullest fellow cannot mistake it, nor be obliged to read it twice, to understand it. 2. Lawyers and their clients remind one of two rows of persons at a fire; His peace-branch--o'er a flood of sorrow. one-passing full buckets, the other return453. CONQUERING-LOVE. To learn al- ing empty ones. 3. The bump of self-esteem most any art, or science, appears arduous, or is so prominent on some men's heads, that difficult, at first; but if we have a heart for they can't keep their hats on in a windy day. any work, it soon becomes comparatively 4. A crow will fly at the rate of 20 miles an easy. To make a common watch, or a watch hour; a hawk, 40; and an eagle 80. 5. worn in a ring; to sail over the vast ocean, The heaviest fetter, that ever weighed down &c., seems at first, almost impossible; yet the limbs of a captive, is as the robe of the they are constantly practiced. The grand gossamer, compared with the pledge of a secret of simplifying a science is analyzing man of honor. 6. An envious person, waxit; in beginning with what is easy, and pro- eth lean with the fatness of his neighbor. 7. ceeding to the combinations, difficult, most | Nature-supplies the raw material, and edudifficult: by this method, miracles may be cation-is the manufacturer. wrought the hill of science must be ascended step by step. Conceptions. Would it not be well for metaphysicians to distinguish between the conception of abstract truth, and the conception of past perception, by calling the latter-mental perception, as contradistinguished from all other? Anecdote. Rouge. A female, praising the beautiful color, used by the artist on her miniature, was told by him, that he did not doubt she was a woman of good taste; for they both bought their rouge at the same shop. True philosophy discerns A ray of heavenly light--gilding all forms The dumb shall sing, the lame his crutch forego, Slander meets no regards from noble minds; I shall not look upon his like again. |