The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-05-07

asronished that such useful, industri-
Gus person as yourself, should have been
overcome by this sudden action. Ii is
true you have done great deal Of work
in your time; so have we all, and are
likely to do; which, although it may
fatigue us to think OF, the question is,
whether it will fatigue us to do. Would
you now do me the favour of giving a.
bout half dozen strokes, to illustrate
my argument ~
The pendulum complied, and licked
six times at its usual pace. Now"
resumed the dial, "may be allowed to
inquire, if that exertion was at all ia
tiguing or disagreeabe TO you %
:" Not in the least" replied the pen
dulum, " it is not of six strokes that
complain, nor of sixty, but of millions"
every good" replied the dial; q but
recollect that though you may think of
million strokes in an instant, you are
required to execute but one; aud that,
however often you may hereafter have
TO swing, moment win always be
given you to swing In"
That consideration staggers me, |
confess" said the pendulum. Then
| hope" resumed the dial-plate, we
shall Immediately return TO our duty
for the maids viii lie in bed till noon, if
we stand idIing thus"
Upon this, the weights, who had new
er been accused of light conduct, used
all their influence in urging him TO pro-
coed; when, as with one consent, the
wheels began to turn, the hands began
TO move, the pendulum began TO swing,
and, to its credit, licked as loud as ever
while red beam of the rising sun
that streamed through hole in the
kitchen, shining full upon the dial-plate,
it frightened up as if nothing had been
the matter.
When the farmer came down to
breakfast that morning, upon looking at
the clock, he declared that his watch
had gained half an hour in the night.
.Moral.-A celebrated modern writer
says, Take care of the minutes, and
the hours will take care of themselves
This is an admirable remark, and might
be very seasonably recollected when
we begin TO be " weary in well doing,''
from the thought of having much to
do. The present moment is all we
have TO do with, in any sense the past
is irrecoverable the future is uncer-
tain-nor is it fair TO burthen one mo-
ment with the weight of the next
Sufficient unto the moment is the trouble
thereof If re had to walk hundred
miles, we should still have TO set but
one step at time, and this process con-
tinued would infallibly bring us to our
journeys end. Fatigue generally be-
gins, and is always increased, by calcu-
lating in minute the exertion Of hours.
Thus, in locking forward to future life,
let US recollect that we have not to sus-
tain all its toll, to endure all IFS sufferipgs,
or encounter all lis crosses, at once.
One moment comes laden with its own
iialc burdens, then flies, and is succeeded
by another no heavier than the last. If
one could be borne, so can another and
another.
Even looking forward to single day,
the spirit may sometimes faint from an
anticipation of the duties, the labours,
the trials to temper and patience, that
may be expected. Now this is uniustIy
laying the burden Of many thousand mo
ments upon one. Let any one resolve
always 10 do right noe, leaving hen to
do as it can; and if be were 10 live to
the age Of Methuselah, he would never
Go wrong. But the common error is TO
resolve TO act right after breakfast, or
after dinner, or tomorrow morning, or
nert time; but nor0. just now, this once,
we must go on the same as ever
1t is easy, for instance, for The most
ill-tempered person TO resolve that the
next time he is provoked he will not
let his temper overcome him but the
victory would be to subdue temper on
the present provocation. If, without
taking up the burden Of the future, we
would always make the single effort at
the present moment, while there would,
at any one time, be very little 10 do,
yet, by this simple process continued,
every thing would at last be done.
1t seems easier TO do right tomorrow
than to-day, merely because we forget
that when tomorrow comes, then will
be noe. Thus life passes with many, in
resolutions for the future, which the
present never ful6Is.
1t is not thus with those, who, "by