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He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. "BIBLE-PROVERBS."

Forbear wrath only kindles wrath,
And stirs up passion's fire;

While answering softly mildly tends

To check the bitterest ire.

Clemency can never exert itself more laudably than when there is the most cause for resentment.

-PLINY.

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

"BIBLE-PROVERBS."

Check your anger. Pause before you put into

execution the deeds which it prompts.

It is said of Julius Caesar, that, upon any provocation, he would repeat the Roman alphabet before he suffered himself to speak, that he might be more just and calm in his resentments. The delay of a few moments has set many seeming affronts in a juster and kinder light; it has often lessened, if not annihilated, the supposed injury, and prevented violence and revenge.

*

If you are angry, then before speaking, count ten. If you are very angry, count hundred. Thereby you will not commit any sin in anger, or feel unhappy. "MODI THIRD READING BOOK."

* From The Book of Humour, Wit and Wisdom.

One help against immoderate anger consists in the consideration of our own failings, especially in reference to Almighty God, and our duty to Him; which are much greater than any demerits of others towards us: I provoke my Creator daily, and yet I desire His patience towards me, and find it. With what face can I expect gentleness from my Creator, if every small provocation from my fellow-creatures puts me in a passion?

-SIR M. HALE.

Meekness makes any condition tolerable and easy to be endured. He that meekly bears any suffering takes off the edge of it, that it cannot wound him; whereas he that frets and rages at it, whets it, and makes it much sharper than it would be. Nay, in some cases, makes that so, which would not else be so at all, as particularly in the case of reproachful words, which, in themselves, can do us no harm, they neither hurt our bodies, nor lessen our estates; the only mischief they can do us is to make us angry, and then our anger may do us much more; whereas he that meekly passes them by, is never the worse for them: nay, the better; for he shall be rewarded by God for that patience. "THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN."

Prayer is the great remedy against anger; for it must suppose it, in some degree, removed before we pray; and then it is the more likely it will be finished when the prayer is done. We must lay aside the act of anger as preparatory to prayer; and the curing the habit will be the effect and blessing of prayer; so that, if a man, to cure his anger, resolves to address himself to God by prayer, it is first necessary that by his own observation and diligence, he lay the anger aside before.

his prayer can be fit to be presented; and when we sopray, and so endeavour, we have all the blessings of prayer which God hath promised to it to be our security for success.

-JEREMY TAYLOR

M. ABAURET, THE PHILOSOPHER.

It was said of M. Abauret, a philosopher of Geneva, that he had never been out of temper. His female servant had been in his house for thirty years, and during that time she had never seen him in a passion. Some persons, anxious to put him to the proof, promised this woman a sum of money, if she would endeavour to make him angry. She consented; and knowing that he was particularly fond of having his bed well made, she, on the day appointed, neglected to make it. He observed it, and next morning spoke of the circumstance to her. She answered that she had forgotten it; she said nothing more, but on the same day she again neglected to make the bed. The same observation was made on the morrow by the philosopher; and she again made some excuse in a cooler manner than before. On the third day he said to her, "you have not yet made my bed: you have apparently come to some resolution on the subject, and you probably found that it fatigued you. But after all, it is of no consequence, as I begin to accustom myself to it as it is." She threw herself at his feet, and avowed all to him.*

From Hanwell Extracts.

5. ANIMALS AND TALES OF ANIMALS.

ANIMALS.

ANIMALS SYMBOLICAL.

The ant, frugality and prevision;

The ape, uncleanness ;

The ass, stupidity;

The bat (blind as a bat);

The bear, ill-temper, uncouthness;

The bee, industry;

The bull, straightforwardness;

The bull-dog, pertinacity;

The butterfly, sportiveness, living in pleasure;

The cat, slyness, deceit ;

The calf, lumpishness;

The cock, vigilance, overbearing insolence;

The crow, longevity;

The crocodile, hypocrisy :

The cuckoo, cuckoldom;

The dog, fidelity, dirty habits;

The dove, innocence, harmlessness;
The eagle, majesty, inspiration ;
The elephant, sagacity, ponderosity;
The fly, feebleness, insignificance;
The fox, cunning, artifice;

The goat, lasciviousness;
The goose, conceit, folly;
The grasshopper, old age;
The hare, timidity;
The hawk, penetration ;
The hen, maternal care;

The horse, speed, grace;

The jackdaw, vain assumption, empty conceit;
The kitten, playfulness;

The lamb, innocence, sacrifice;

The lark, cheerfulness;

The lion, noble courage;

The monkey, tricks;

The mule, obstinacy;

The nightingale, forlornness;
The ox, patience, strength;
The parrot, mocking verbosity ;
The peacock, pride;

The pigeon, cowardice ;

The pig, obstinacy, dirtiness;

The puppy, empty-headed conceit ;

The raven, ill-luck;

The sheep, silliness, timidity;

The sparrow, litigiousness;

The spider, wiliness;

The stag, cuckoldom ;

The swallow, a sunshine friend;

The swan, grace;

The swine, filthiness, greed;

The tiger, ferocity;

The turtle-dove, conjugal fidelity;

The vulture, rapine;

The wolf, cruelty.*

DOG.

The dog has not unaptly been described as a gift of providence to man-an aid almost indispensable for his conquest and management of the lower animals.

From Rev. Dr. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

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