Imatges de pàgina
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planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, and whose leaf shall not wither.Ps. i. 3.

Light is an emblem of joy, and darkness of sorrow; thus Isaiah (speaking of the happiness of those who relieve the oppressed, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and "distribute to the necessity of the saints") says, their light shall break forth as the morning;" but Job says, "the light of the wicked shall be put out, and (even) the spark of their fire shall not shine."-Isa. lviii. 8. Job, viii. 5.

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Pure air diffuses life, and health, and joy; but miasma produces fevers, pain, and death.

A good soil bears good fruit, and is free from noxious weeds and destructive insects; but a dunghill reeks with pernicious gases, and teems with all that is offensive.

A good man may be likened to a river whose waters are clear and sparkling, whose banks are clad with fertility, and whose current is unobstructed; but the wicked to a stagnant pool mantled with corruption, or to a mountain torrent, muddy, turbulent, and destructive.

A healthy body is not only free from positive pain, it is also full of sensible delight; but a vicious state of health entails great sorrow.

A good man, like the bee, lives upon honey: but as for the wicked man, the gall of asps is within him."

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QUOTATIONS.-Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.—Ps. xcvii. 11.

Let the righteous be glad; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Ps. lxviii. 3.

The voice of rejoicing is in the tabernacle of the righteous.-Ps. cxviii. 15.

Do what is good, and no evil shall touch thee.-Tob. xii. 11.

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A good man is satisfied from himself.-Prov. xiv. 14. Psalm cxxviii.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; (but) shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart!-Ps. xxxii. 10, 11. Hosea, xiv.

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness.-Prov. x. 28.

The light of the righteous rejoiceth.—Prov. xiii. 9.
The righteous doth sing and rejoice.-Prov. xxix. 6. .
Know thou this truth, enough for man to know,
Virtue alone is happiness below.-Pope.

The happiness of human kind

Consists in rectitude of mind.- Cotton.

Man's greatest virtue, is his greatest bliss.-Pope.
Satan says, "Which way
I walk is hell, myself am hell."
Milton.

He that hath light within his own clear breast,
May sit i' the centre and enjoy bright day;
But he that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts,
Benighted walks under the mid-day sun,
Himself is his own dungeon.- Milton.

Vita beata in virtute posita est.

Nihil est aliud bene beateque vivere, nisi honeste et recte vivere. Cicero.

Bono mentis fruendum est, si beati esse volumus.

CONCLUSION.

Cicero.

THEME LX. A rolling Stone gathers no Moss.

INTRODUCTION.

1ST REASON. To change one's business or abode is expensive: New implements and new furniture must be purchased and numerous fees be paid.

2ND REASON.-Every change of business or abode is attended with great loss: Furniture and goods no longer required must be sold at a sacrifice, and much time must be wasted.

3RD REASON.-Every time a man changes his locality or business, he has to build up new acquaintances, new patrons, and a new character; all the labour, expense, and care, exerted to procure his former connection, are wasted, and he has to begin the world" afresh.

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4TH REASON. The public is afraid to trust fickle and changeable people, because experience has shown that they cannot be depended on; in consequence of which, they make slower and slower progress at every change.

5TH REASON.-Every time a man leaves his proper home to settle among strangers, he encounters great opposition from the envy and jealousy of those amongst whom he intrudes: He is looked upon as an interloper, and every endeavour is made to prevent his success.

6TH REASON.-Roving, restless minds are always deficient in self-denial, patience, perseverance, tenacity and courage, which alone can command success: Whenever a lucky speculation has brought them money, their discontent and love of change prompt them to risk it in some fresh enterprise; whenever any obstacle occurs, their impatience and want of moral courage impel them to fly from it rather than to encounter and overcome it.

7TH REASON.-Every time à man changes his occupation, he is older than he was when he made the previous change; but energy, strength, the power of endurance, and that spirit of daring which carries a young man through the greatest difficulties, decline with advancing years.

SIMILES.A tree frequently removed from place to place can never thrive.

A butterfly spends the summer in roving about the garden, but has no store laid up for the winter.

A candle that is frequently blown out and relighted will not burn so long, or give the same amount of light, as if it were suffered to burn continuously.

A house or wall that is pulled down, to be erected in some other place, is attended with great waste and expense.

Fire removed from one grate to another, loses much of its heat, and requires fresh fuel to reconcile it to the change.

Essence is greatly injured by being poured from bottle to bottle.

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.-Prov. xxvii. 8.

A garment is not altered without both loss and expense.

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QUOTATIONS. Three removes are as bad as a fire.
Into whatsoever house ye enter there abide.-Luke, ix. 4.
Go not from house to house.-Luke, x. 7.

I never saw an oft-removèd tree,

Nor yet an oft-removèd family,

That throve so well as those that settled be.

Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee.

Unstable as water thou shalt not excel.-Gen. xlix. 4.
Were man

But constant he were perfect; that one error
Fills him with faults.-Shakspeare.

Fortune, like Proteus, is brought back to herself by persisting.-Lord Bacon.

Patience and perseverance will overcome mountains. All novelty is injury; because it defaces the present state of things.-Lord Bacon,

Everything suffers from translation except a bishop.

Lord Chesterfield.

Pietra mossa non fa muschio.

Saxum volubile non obducitur musco.

CONCLUSION.

THEME LXI. Little Neglect may breed great Mischief.

INTRODUCTION.

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1ST REASON.-Little neglects often pave the great losses: As a small rent, unrepaired, will soon run through the whole length of a garment.

2ND REASON.-A little neglect may cause a wanton exposure to serious injury: As when a sportsman creeps through a hedge with his gun unlocked, he exposes his life to every thorn and straggling sprig.

. 3RD REASON.-A careless negligence may prove the germ of vast successive evils: Thus, wet feet, a draught after violent exercise, or a slighted cold, may become the ultimate cause of death from pulmonary consumption.

4TH REASON. It may be the means of suggesting mischief to others, by offering great facilities for its accomplishment As when a door or window is left open at night-time, it invites the robber to enter for plunder, and sometimes to commit murder for concealment or security.

5TH REASON.-It may interrupt a vast concatenation of events all depending on each other, like the links of a chain: Thus the harmony of the Albans and Romans, being interrupted by the neglect of Fuffetius to join the Roman army in their attack upon the Tuscans, produced a rupture between the allied nations; a war ensued, Fuffetius was slain, and Alba Longa levelled to the ground.

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