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TRIFLES.

To appreciate small things properly, is a point not well attended to by the mass, and is the attainment of close observation and a refined discernment. The eyes of some are so large, that they disdain to look at, much less analyze, the small threads that make up the warp of human life; and are careless-observers of its filling. Others view every thing through a microscope, and spend so much time in looking, that they take no time for analyzing, and run into an extreme, that is no more to be applauded, than the carelessness of big eyes. The medium course is free from the quagmires of the former, and the thorny asperities of the latter. Time is made up of seconds-they should be prized and improved as well as minutes, hours, and days. The man who misspends the one, is prone to waste the other. The boy who is encouraged to spend pennies for gewgaws, too often acquires a habit that ruins the man. He is taught to place a value on things that have no intrinsic worth-his taste and fancy become vitiated, and his judgment led astray. Mature age sometimes corrects combined trifling errors, contracted in childhood and youth—but habit often proves too strong to be conquered. Parents should remember, that the warp of human life is made up of numberless small threads, and that a coarse filling, carelessly interwoven, may ruin the texture of the fabric of the minds of their children, and all should reflect, that the web is not complete, until death takes it out of the loom-and that wisdom, prudence, virtue-in short, that a good life, is the only filling that will give a smoothness to

the piece, that will be approved by Him, who furnished the stock to be manufactured by us.

Nor are the trifles that affect our temporal and everyday concerns, to be overlooked. We should examine the whole machinery of human nature in the light of charity-not that we will find it in that finished and perfect order, as when it received its finishing touch from the hands of its Creator-but, deranged as is the machine, we should make ourselves as familiar with it as possible—its main and hair springs, its combinations, its levers, its valves, its fly wheel, its generating and motive power; and all the minutiae that forms the grand whole. An ignorance of these, has often been attended with disastrous consequences to individuals, to states, and to nations.

This mastery over the machine, can be obtained only by diligence and application. These ever have and ever will perform wonders. The fabled mouse, with its diminutive teeth, severed a cable that defied the force of a lion and the power of a giant. The operations of nature, our best schoolmaster in natural things—are slow, but sure and uniform-she never leaps. Great good is effected-great estates are accumulated, by adding little to little. Those who pursue a contrary course, like the man who seeks a fortune at the lottery wheel, the gambling table, or in wild speculation, are doomed to find ninety-nine blanks to one small prize, and a large prize, more rare than death by lightning. Most of those who become steeped in crime, enter the mere portals of vice at first-their frail bark is gently moved around by the extreme and scarcely perceptible circles of the awful whirlpool-gradually, they are drawn nearer and closer to the fatal vortex,

until they are rendered powerless, and sink to rise no

more.

The first convivial party, the first social glass, the first infatuating game at cards, the first lucky throw of the dice, the first fortunate lottery ticket, the first success in fancy stocks, the first violation of the sacred decalogue—all apparently TRIFLES in themselves, have proved the entering wedge to the county prison, the state penitentiary, and the barbarous gallows. Reader, think of, and prepare for thy final destiny.

In our intercourse in society, a word, a look, a gesture, a smile, a frown, a sneer, the curl of the lip, a fling of the head, a hint, an inuendo-although small items of communication and expression, may be big with consequences-may break a shaft or burst the boiler of friendship.

All the relations of life are interwoven with TRIFLES, and, unless the shuttle is plied with a skillful hand, the texture of the web will be full of knots, and of many discordant colors. Let all duly appreciate TRIFLESlook at them closely, but let them be reflected by the sunbeams of charity-arranged and woven together by sound discretion, that an even and beautiful fabric may be presented before the gazing millions, at the great day of final examination.

TYRANNY.

Think'st thou, there is no tyranny but that
Of blood and chains? The despotism of vice,
The weakness and wickedness of luxury,
The negligence-the apathy-the evils
Of sensual sloth-produce ten thousand tyrants,
Whose delegated cruelty surpasses

The worst acts of one energetic master,

However harsh and hard in his own bearing.-Byron.

MUCH wind and time are expended, in denouncing monarchies, and the institutions of slavery; both in opposition to the republican form of government adopted by us. To cure these evils, we must cure greater ones, on which they are predicated. Strip the world of vice, in all its borrowed forms, and make every man, woman, and youth intelligent; especially, let them be made to read and understand the Bible; freedom would then be as universal as man. The devil is the father of Tyranny. He first corrupted, then en- · slaved the human family. All Tyranny is based on corruption, and, as virtue predominates, every species of slavery must recede. His Satanic majesty has numerous petty Tyrants, who carry out the principles of his most arbitrary government with an iron hand. His magic power consists in his first paralyzing reason, and bringing all the base passions under his control. The passions being enslaved, the soul becomes torpid, the body passive, and the work is done.

The courts of kings are admirable manufactories for bringing these passions into submission. Luxury, dissipation, and fashion; with their concomitant retinue of subalterns, whether in kingly courts, or in a repub

lic, exercise a Tyranny, more to be dreaded than the guillotine or the scaffold. The former kill soul and body, the man Tyrant can only consign our clay to its mother earth. We must turn back the stream at the fountain head, before we can stop those that flow from it.

When all mankind become free in the Gospel of our immaculate Redeemer, the slavery of vice will be done away. Thrones, kings, and the thraldom of body and mind, will then vanish, like the morning fog before the rising sun. Then we shall see,

"The varying sects of Christians all unite

To spread the common truths of Gospel light."

UNION.

AN enchanting halo surrounds this word, a harmonious euphony vibrates from its sound. It is the most mellow word in our language. It was the watchword in heaven, before this mighty globe was spoke into existence-its melody still echoes there-and will, through the rolling ages of eternity.

It is the magic word that has rallied millions to deeds of noble daring-it has been seized by each successive combination of the human family, to accomplish desired objects-good and evil. All have perceived, that Union is strength, that united, they might stand, divided, they must fall. What language thrills through the soul of the patriot and Christian, like "OUR UNION,”—the watchword of '76. And shall this UNION be preserved to millions yet unborn, or will we, like nations that have gone before us, suffer patriotism to be strangled, basely suffocated, by party spirit and internal dissen

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