Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-03-09
HEAVY HEARTS AND LIGHT HEARTS.

HEAVY HEARTS AND LIGHT HEARTS.
What's the use ofit?-Trouble, trouble, what
a world Of it we have; "man is born to trouble.
Sand all is vanity and vexation of sprit"-
thus and thus it is written. There are the
troubles ofinfancy, of youth, of manhood, Of
old age! The troubles Of poverty and the trou-
bles Of riches! The trouble of living, and the
trouble of diving! Who has not his troubles;
who claims exemption from lhcm?-who sees
the end of them?-And yet after all, what's the
use Off This fretrtng and repining, this sor-
rowing and signing, this moping and mourn
ing making misery more miserable.-In the
name Of common sense, l say, What's the use of
,t.2 Does il soothe pain, soften affection, or
ward off misfortune? Will it call back deceas-
ed friends, or prevent others from dying, or de-
liver us from poverty, or make US healthy, or
meliorate in one particular our condition? Then
use s eftaS 3;
Suppose the times are tight and pinching,
that trade is dull, that you cannot make money
enough to live as you would wish, and are o.
blged to labour harder even for the little you
do obtain than is agreeable, do you grleve a.
bout it? are you sad and disheartened? do you
abandon hope and wish yourself dead? Pshaw!
what's the use ofh9-you get along if you are
industrious and frugal, and the most fortunate
do no more. Besides a light heart will not
break your fortune, nor heavy one make 1t,
so you may as we'll have the one as the other.
Ist your misfortune TO have one OF those
pests Of society, s!anderous neighbour, who
speaks ill of you, and delights TO DO you every
secret, backhanded injury he can, who never
fails secretly to traduce your character, mis-
represent your conduct and motives, and ever
tries to excite prejudices against you! And does
this discompose and trouble you? what's The use
ofH2 Keep the windward of The fellow; letyour
actions give the lie 10 his accusations, and you
need not employ words for the purpose. Wait
the issue, and you will see the maxim, verified
in his case, that"he who spitteth against the
wind, sptteth in his own face" And here,
too. it may be remembered that heavy heart
is no answer to an accusation, though 1t be
false one, and that light heart is not the heart
that pleads guilty before men; you had better
therefore have the last than first on all ac-
counts.
Are men dishonest? will long face and sad
heart reform them? are you sometimes deceived
wronged, cheated? will being discouraged mend
the matter, or melancholy make you sharper
in YOUR future dealing! not whit. Losses are
lessons, all men buy their experience at the same
market, though all may not pay the same price
for the commodity. The only way is to make
much of what comes dear; and you can do this
with light heart better than a heavy one.
heavy heart ,ohat's the use Of IT.
But it may be, things don't 60 on right at
home; that you have scolding wife, cross
children and with all an extravagant family;
that there's bad management in the wigwam.
We'll this is very sad, but will fretting make it
better9 will sad heart make sunshine in a
cloudy house? No-then ,ohars the use Of IT.
You are no, the first one in the world who
might sing
''First when Maggy was my care,
Heaven, thought, was in her air
Now we're married: spier nae mair."
And every hen pecked husband may as well
add the conclusion
s.WhistIe ore the lave OFT"
Isee no profit in being miserable in this case
light heart is still better than heavy heart.
Perhaps all this while some love-sick body
has been running over line after line, TO see ii
had aught to say why he should not be unhaP-
nv. An unkind mistress, hard heart, an IN
defatigable rival; coque.ry, an, these is Pan
ldora's box!-Thou has gotten myself into
pretty Pickle-but,
"Pray, iflooking well can't move her,
Will looking i'll prevail
What think you Of that, now know 1t IS
useless 20 tell a meditating, moon-loving, me.
lancholy lover, that there are whole fiocks OF
eI,I