Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-02-16
THE PRISM OF THOUGHT.


CalabreHa. in the London papers, and
have pleasure in transcrIbng the follow
ing deserved compliment paid to it by the
Post:
{" We lately hal the pleasure OF re-
conmendlng a very clever novel 'rem the
pen Of the Baroness de t<alabreila. entltt-
ed. The Telnpter and the tempted
The favorable opinion which we then ex-
pressed may now be extended to very
elegant and sor2eously iIlaminted little
work, Just published by Loneman and
I Co. and to which we are happy in seeing
again prefxed the name Of the Baroness.
The Prism Of Thought is series OF APP
ophthegms and maxims sat random
strung surrounded by heantlln frame
work of brilliant colors, in the style of
j the Illuminated nissais of the oldan time:
like the broken fragments of stained
glass in the kaleidoscope, which fall iato
such a plrasing variety of shapes as the
phiinsophic toy is turned in the chid's
hand, 50. in each succeeding page we lind
set of maxins which dazzle by their
I briIlancy. or command conviction and
| attention from the se!G.evi.lence Of the
( truths which they inculcatc. Talleyrand
would have found no target in these pages
at which he could aim the shaft Of his
malicious smots'-whilst they contain
much that is new the new is all good.
and if the good be not all new, 1t is les
TONED into such elegant language, and
is SO happily expressed, as to cheat US IN
to the belief of its originality and it
popc's definition be correct. that 1t
is what bas been often thought before,
but never so well expressed the Baron
ne de Calabrela may claim additional
merit for having clothed some trite trusms
in 50 pleasing garb as to render them
scarcely recognizable. The grave and
the gay, the worldly and even the wise,
the vain and the frivolous, will do wellto
lay to their hearts some Of! the valuable
maxims contained in this beautiful httle
work, which they will find, upon clos"
examination, to come home to their own
I business and bDsoms. We have cuIled a
few flowers from this pretty little par
terre,' and now strew them before our
readers, in order that they may bear as
out in the very favorable opinion which
we have expressed.
Credulify and Faitt-Credu'ity is a
fault originating in weakness whereas
faith is virtue founded on strength.
.fddrcss Pleasing manners are to
good feelings what poetry is to ideas
both adorn and give charm to what
they express.
HSdd8n Vrtue.-None are all evil. In
every heart there may lie hid some latent
spark of good, wanting but kindly hand
to fan it into life.
Waste Of tine. Many spend more
time and exert more ingenuity to conceal
their ignorance, than would be sufficient
to enable them to acquire knowledge.
| Home.-keep vnur store of smiles and
your Kindest feelings for home give to
the world only those which are to spare.
Iaste--A superficial observer may de-
| tect fault; but it requires the eye OF
connoisseur to be conscious Of a beauty.
J Merit, Envy and detraction often
bring to light merit, which otherwise
might have remained in the shade.
Gratitude. -Gratitude is a feeling IN
which we may freely indulge without a.
ny fear of its excess.
! Ernggera5ion While we look at the
good fortunes of others through the medi-
um of a magnifying power we view onI
own misfortunes throug h a still stronger
focus.
Good Nature. With the possession Of
every good quality, an excess Of good ma
ture. while it may appear the most est
mable of all, will often render the whole
nugatory.
.Despair. Despair is the shronl o.
hone. When hope dies, all is desolatior
the mind is sepulchre, the heart IL
bankrupt. the world desert waste
t Social Offences. -lhere are two often
ces against society-the one. to have lit
/, tIe wealth, and the other, to have mucl
+ fame.
sympatiy.-lt is only from those VIII
Y have themselves suffered that we may ex
Fl meet sympathy or consolation in our dis
!. tress. A heat that has bed for its ow'
r can seldom be hardened to another's woe
n Delay.-He who ,lefers congratulatiol
s Or coincidence is in danger of mispiacin:
: them.
= Refrospection.--When the veil Of deaf
t has been drawn between US and the on
a iects of our regard. how qulcksishted d
j we become to their merits. and how BIZ
L terly do we then remember words Q
u looks of Kindness which may have escaF
e ed Us in our intercourse with them! Hoy
II careful should such thoughts render II
Al in the fuIlilment Of those offices of aHet
P ton which it may yet be IN our power
x perform! for who can tell how soon tn
re moment may arrive when repentance CAT
nat he .fr!! l2,1fJl JbSssiaan sEexs ~, US
It bat extend will do the decent thins
lwatm hearted fact is. we want money
fious German, 1t, or do-.juplter ona
this glorious Echo answers, " n
distant Sglbss