SCORN, CONTEMPT. 482.SNEER is ironical & pprobation; with a voice and countenance of mirth, somewhat exaggerated, we cast the severest censure; it is hypocritical mirth and good humor, and differs from the real by the sly, arch, satyri cal tones of voice, look and gesture, that accompany it; the nose is sometimes turned up, to manifest our contempt, disdain. Scoav-is the extreme of contempt; that disdain, which springs from a person's opinions of the meanness of an object, and a consciousness, or belief of his own worth and superiority. Satan beheld their flight, And to his mates-thus, in derision call'd: O what a rogue and peasant slave am I! What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, Thou look'st a very statue of surprise, The Investigation of Thought. While investigating the nature of thought, we forget that we are thinking: we propose to understand that, which, in the very effort to do so, necessarily becomes the more unintelligible; for while we think that we appreciate the desired end, the power that enables us to do so, is a part of the thing sought, which must remain inexplicable. Since it is impossible to understand the nature of thought by thinking, it is manifest, that every modification of thought, must be quite obscure in its nature; and, for the same reason, in judging of what we call ideas, we must use ideas derived from the same original, while every judgment is only a new modification. Therefore, the only true philosophy of mind, must, as to its principles, be revealed. Has there been such a revela. tion? Anecdote. Brotherly Love. A little boy, seeing two nestling birds peck at each other, inquired of his elder brother, what they were doing. "They are quarreling," was the reply. "No," replied the other, "that can not be, for they are brothers." VARIETIES. But seven wise men the ancient world did know; We scarce know ser'n, who think thems'le's not so. If a better system's thine, Impart it freely; or make use of mine. 3. He, who knows the world, will not be too bashful; and he, who knows himself, will never be impudent. 4. To speak all that is true, is the part of fools; to speak more than is true, is the folly of too many. 5. Does a candle give as much light in the day time, as at night? 6. I am not worthy of a friend, if I do not advise him when he is going astray. 7. A bad great man, is a great had man; for the greatness of an evil, makes a man's evil greater. 8. All public vices, are not only crimes, but rules of error; for they are precedents of evil. 9. Toyish airs, please trivial ears; they kiss the fancy, and then betray it. 10. Oh! what bitter pills men swallow, to purchase one false good. Aside the devil turn'd, For envy, yet with jealous leer malign, Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plain'd: Self-love never yet could look on Truth, But with blear'd beams; sleck Flattery and she Are twin-born sisters, and so mix their eyes, As if you sever one, the other dies. The tombs, and monumental caves of death, look Amid the chords bewilder'd laid; A sudden trembling-seized on all his limbs, Full fast he flies, and dares not look behind him; Come, old sir,-here's the place-stand still; Anecdote. A nobleman, traveling in Scotland, was asked for alms, in Edinburgh, by a little ragged boy. He told him he had no change; upon which the boy offered to procurit. His lordship finally gave him a piece! of silver, which the boy conceiving was to be changed, went for that purpose; but, on his return, not finding his benefacter, he watched several days; at length the gentleman passed that way; when the boy accosted him, and gave him all the change, counting it with great exactness. The nobleman was so pleased with the boy's honesty, that he placed him at school, with the assurance of provid ing for him afterwards; which he did, and that boy became an ornament to humanity. Etiquette of Stairs. In showing a vis itor-up or down stairs, always precede him, or her: there is a common error upon this subject, which ought to be corrected. Some persons will suffer you to precede them; even when they hold the light. Gentlemen should always precede ladies, up and down stairs. Etiquette of Riding. The gentleman should keep the lady on the right hand, that she may the more conveniently converse with him, and he may the more readily assist her, in case of accident. Varieties. 1. When you have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more; so that your appearance may all be of a piece. 2. Miraculous evidence, is inefficacious for producing any real, or permanent change in one's confirmed religious sentiments; and this is the reason, that no more of the Scribes and Pharisees of old, embraced the christian religion. 3. The great secret, by which hap piness is to be realized, is to be contented with our lot, and yet strive to make it better, by abstaining from everything that is evil. 4. Every one is responsible for his own acts: als must be judged according to their deeds. 5. Is it not much easier to blame, than to avoid blame? 6. What is the difference between good and evil? 7. What makes us so discontented with our condition, is the false and exaggerated estimate, we form of the happiness of others. 8. It is much easier to plunge into extravagance, than to reduce our czpenses; this is pre-eminently true of nations, as well as individuals. 9. Be decisive, or mild, according to circumstances. 10. Su. your conduct to the occasion. As flame ascends, Nature Never did bring forth a man without a man; Spare not, nor sport too much; be this your care- SIMPLE LAUGHTER. 483. RAILERY-may signly a bantering, a prompting to the use o jesting language: good Lumored pleas antry, or sight sat.re; satirical merr.ment. wit, irony, burlesque. It is very difficult indeed, to mark the precise boundaries of the different passions. a.s some of them are so slightly touch'd, and often melt into each other; but because we cannot perfectly delineate every shade of sound and passion, is no reason why we should not attempt approaches to it. 486. RAILLERY, without animosity, puts on the aspect of cheerfulness; the countenance smiling, and the tone of voice sprightly. Let me play the fool the track of its agency shall exceed human sight and calculation. Anecdote. The duke of Orleans, on be ing appointed regent of France, insisted on the power of purdoning: "I have no objection," said he, "to have my hands tied from doing harm; but I will have them free to do good." Truth. Truth will ever be unpalatable to those, who are determined not to relinquish error, but can never give offence to the honest and well-meaning: for the plain-dealing remonstrances of a friend-differ as widely from the rancor of an enemy, as the friendly probe of a surgeon-from the dagger of an assassin. Varieties. 1. Envy is blind to all good; and the ruling passion of the envious is, to detract from the virtues of others. 2. A good person will have no desire to influence others, any farther than they can see that his course is right. 3. Good fortune, however long continued, is no pledge of future secu With mirth and laughter; so let the wrinkles come, rity. 4. Cases often occur, when a prudent And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark! 487. Miscellaneous. 1. It is impossible, to estimate, even an inconsiderable effort to promote right education. 2. It is said, that a stone, thrown into the sea, agitates every drop of water in that vast expanse; so it may be, in regard to the influence we exert on the minds of the young. 3. Who can tell, what may be the effect of a singie good principle, deeply fixed in the mind; a single pure and virtuous association strongly riveted, or a single happy turn given to the toughts and affections of youth? It may spread a salutary and sacred influence over the whole life, and thro' the whole mass of the child's character. Nay more; as the character of others, who are to come after him, may, and probably will depend much on his, the impulse we give cannot cease in him, who first received it, it will go down from one generation to another, widening and deepening, and eaching forth with various modifications, till and dignified confession, or acknowledgment 488. HOR20R-18 an ex cessive degree of fear, or a painful emotion. which makes a person tremble: it 18 generally composed of fear and hatred or disgust; the recital of a bloody deed fills one with horror; there are the horrors of war. and the HORROR. horrors of famine, horrible places and horrible Hark! the death-denouncing trumpet--sounds Woman's Love. As the dore will clasp its wings to its side, and cover and conceal the arrow, that is preying on its vitals, so is the nature of wo man. to hide trom the world the pangs of wounded affection. Anecdote. Swearing nobly Reproved. Prince Henry, son of James II., had a particular aversion to the vice of swearing, and profanation of the name of God. When at play, he was never known to use bad words; and on being asked the reason, why he did not swear, as well as others, answered, that he knew no game worthy of an oath. The same answer he gave at a hunting match, when the almost spent stag was killed by a butcher's dog, that was passing along the road; the huntsmen tried to irritate the prince against the butcher, but without succeeding. His highness answered coolly, "True, the dog killed the stag, but the butcher could not help it." They replied, that if his father had been served so, he would have stoorn so, as no one could have endured it. "Away," said the prince, "all the pleasure in the world is not worth an oath." Varieties. 1. A selfish person is never contented, unless he have every thing his own way, and have the best place, and be put first 489. PLOTTING CRUELTY AND HORROR! Mac- in every thing; of course, he is generally unbeth's soliloquy before murdering Duncan. (Start- happy. 2. The mind of man is, of itself, ing.) "Is this a dagger, which I see before me?" opaque; the Dirine mind alone, is luminous. (Courage.) The handle toward my hand? Come, He is the light of both worlds, the natural and let me clutch thee:" (Wonder.) "I have thee not; spiritual. 3. Is it not better to remain in a and yet I see thee still." (Horror.) "Art thou not, state of error, than to understand something fatal vision, sensible to feeling-as to sight? or art of a truth, and then reject it, because we do thou but a dagger of the mind? a false creation, not understand it fully? 4. Guilt was never proceeding from the heat-oppress'd brain?" (Eyes a rational thing; it disturbs and perverts the saring, and fired to one point.) "I see thee yet. faculties of the mind, and leaves one no longin form as palpable as that which now I draw." er the use of his reason. 5. All evils, in their Here draws his own, and compares them.) "" "Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going; and because of the propensity to evil, into which very nature, are contagious, like the plague; such an instrument I was to use. Mine eyes are mnde the fools of the other senses, or else worth all every one is born; therefore, keep out of the the rest: I see thee still; and on thy blade and dud-infected sphere as much as possible. 6. Is geon. gouts of blood, which was not so before." the eye tired with beautiful objects, or the ear (Doubting.) "There's no such thing." (Horror.) It is the bloody business, which informs thus to m ne eyes. Now, o'er one-half the world, nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse the curtem'd sleep; now witchcraft-celebrates pale Hecate's offerings; and withered murder, alarmed by his sentinel, the wolf, whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace, towards his design-moves ke a ghost. Thou sound and firm-set earth, hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear the very stones prate of my whereabout, and take the present horror from the time, which now su ts with it. While I threat, he lives-I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. (A bell rings.) Hear it not Duncan; for it is a knell, that summons thee to heaven, or to hell. Music! oh! how faint, how weak! Why should feeling-ever speak, When thou canst breaths her soul-so well. with melodious sounds? Love duty, then, I watch that star whose beam so oft And thou, too, on that orb so dear, Thou'lt yet be mine in heav'n! But brings to mind some hope that's fled, And still I wish that hour was near, When, friends and foes forgiven, He help'd to bury, whom he help'd to starve. 490. WEE PING is the expression, or manifestation, of sorrow, grief, anguish or joy, by out-cry, or by shedding tears; a lamentation, he wailing, bemoaning: we may weep each other's woe, or weep tears of joy; so may the rich groves weep odorous gum and balm; there is weeping amber, WEEPING. and weeping grounds; crying-is an audible expression, accompanied, or not, with tears: but weeping always indicates the shedding of tears; and, when called forth by the sorrows of others, especially, it is an infirmity of which no man would be destitute. 491. Whither shall I return? Wretch that I am! to what place shall I betake my. self? Shall I go to the capital? Alas! it is overflow'd with my brother's blood! or, shall I return to my house? yet there, I behold my mother-plunged in misery, weeping and despairing. 2. I am robbed! I am ruined! O my numey! my guineas! my support my all is gone! Oh! who has robbet me? who has got my money? where is the thief? A thousand guineas of golt! hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo! 3. I cannot speak-and I could wish you would not oblige me,-it is the only service I ever refused you: and tho' I cannot give a reason why I could not speak, yet I hope you will excuse me without reason. Had it pleased heaven To try me with affiction; had it rained I am not prone to weeping, as our sex Historians. We find hut few historians of all ages. who have been dilgent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method. to take on trust, what they distribute to the public; by which means, a falsehood, once received from a famed writer, becomes traditional to posterity. Anecdote. Washington and his Mother. Young George was about to go to sea, as a midshipman; every thing was arranged, the vessel lay out opposite his father's house, the little boat had come on shore to take him off, and his whole heart was bent on going. Af ter his trunk had been carried down to the boat, he went to bid his mother farewell, and he saw the tear bursting from her eye. How ever, she said nothing to him; but he saw that his mother would be distressed if he went, and perhaps never be happy again He just turned round to the servant and said, "Go and tell them to fetch my trunk back; I will not go away, to break my mother's heart.” His mother was struck with his decision, and she said to him, “George, God has promised to bless the children, that honor their parents, and I believe he will bless you. an ancient Varieties. 1. Timotheus teacher of oratory, always demanded a double fee from those pupils, who had been taught by others; for, in this case, he had not only to plant, but to root out. 2. He, that shortens the road to knowledge, lengthens life. 3. Never buy, or read bad books; for they are the worst of thieves; because they rob you of your money, your time, and your princi ples. 4. Theocracy-is a government by God himself; as, the government of the Jews; democracy-is a government of the people. 5. Without the intenseness and passion of study, nothing great ever was, or ever will be accomplished. 6. Who can tell where each of the natural families begins, or where it ends? 7. To overcome a bad habit, one must be conscious of it; as well as know how to accomplish the object. 8. The best defenders of liberty do not generally vociferate loudly in its praise. 9. Domestic feuds can be appeased only by mutual kindness and forbearance. 10. Volumes of arguments avail nothing against resolute determination for convince a man against his will, and he is of the same opinion still. When William wrote his lady, to declare, Who never fasts, no banquet e'er enjoys. |