The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-03-26
THE MORALTST T.,
From a Layman's Note Book.
ADVERSELY.

ADVERSELY.
Ifthere be any of your readers who
murmur and repine under the ffuctu-
atoms OF fortune or the trials OF this
life, a layman, recommends to their
perusal the following beautiful ex-
tract from Addison.
sit is very reasonable to believe
that part Of the pleasure which happy
minds shall enjoy in future state,
will arise from an enlarged contem-
plation of the divine wisdom IN the
government Of the world, and a
discovery of the secret and amazing
steps of Providence from the begin
ming to the end of time. Nothing
seems to be an entertainment more
adapted 10 the nature Of man, if we
consider that curiosity is one Of the
strongest and most lasting appetites
implanted in us, and that admiration
is one Of our most pleasing passions;
and what a perpetual succession OF
enloyments will be afforded to both
these in scene SO large and various
as shall be then laid open to our view
in the society of superior spirits, who
perhaps will join wilkus in 50 delight
full a prospect! In our present con-
dition which is a middle state, our
minds are as it were, checquered with
truth and falsehood; and as our tacul-
ties are narrow, and our views im-
perfect, it is impossible but our curl
osity must meet with many rePulses.
The business of mankind in this life
being rather to act than to know,
their portion of knowledge is dealt to
them accordingly. Plate expresses
his adherence of some fables which
seem to reflect on the Gods as the
authors of injustice; and lays it down
as a principle that whatever is per-
mitted TO beEall a just man, whether
poverty or sickness, or any of those
things which seem to be evils, shall
either in life or in death, conduce to
his good. Ny reader will observe
how agreeable this maxim is to what
we find delivered by a greater au.
thority. Seneca has written a dis.
course purposely on this subject, in
which he takes pains, after the doc.
trine of the Stoics, to show that ad
versity is not in itself an evil, anc
mentions noble saying of Demetrus
that smoothing would be more unhap
ply than a man who had never known
affection" He compares prosperity
to the indulgence of a fond mother
to child, which often proves his
ruin; but the affection of the divine
being to that Of a wise father who
would have his sons exercised with
labor, disappointment and pain, that
they may gather strength and im
prove their fortitude. On this occa
sion the Philosopher rises into tina
celebrated sentiment, that there is no
on earth spectacle more worthy the
regard of a creature intent on hi:
works, than brave man superior te
his sufferings; to which he adds, thai
it must be pleasure to Jupiter him
self to look down from Heaven and
see Cato amidst the ruin of lis coun
try preserving his integrity. Thi:
thought will appear yet more reason
able, if we consider human life as
state of probation and adversely as
apost Of honor in it, assigned often te
the bestand most select spirits. Bu>
what would chiefly insist on here is
that we are not at present in a proper
situation to judge of the councils by
which Providence acts, since but lit
tie arrives at our knowledge, and ever
that little we discern impertectly; OIL
according to the elegant figure in
holy writ, "we see but in part and a:
IN glass darkly." 1t is to be con
sidered that Providence in its econo
my regards the whole system of time
and things together, SO that we can
not discover the beautiful connection
between incidents which lie widely
separate in time, and by losing Sc
many links of the chain our reason
ings become broken and imperfect
Thus those parts of the moral world
which have not an absolute, may We
have relative beauty, in respect o
some other other parts concealed from
us, but open to His eye before whom
past, present and to come are set to
gether in one point ofview: and those
events, the permission Of which seem
now to accuse. his goodness, may ii
the conformation Of things both mag
nifty his goodness and exalt his wis
dom. And this is enough to checl
our presumption, since It is vain t,
apply our measure of regularity t,
matters of which we know neithe
the antecedents nor the consequen
ces. the beginning nor the end.''
TRIALS.-FRoM THE SAME.
"When our Savior crossed the Sc
OF Galilee in a ship great tempes
arose while he was asleep. His di.
ciples awoke him saying Lord say
us, we PERISH sand he saith unit
them why are We fearful, Oh We
little faith?' Then he arose and +,
s,buked the wind and the sea and Their