Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-03-25

petite upon every character, however
fair. Words not only express the inle-
rior thoughts OF the mind but they also
serve 10 fix either good or bad primer.
pies upon the interiors Of the mind and
help stamp their impress upon the inner
life. The thought unuitered, though an
evil one, may be chased away by turning
to that which 10 truthful and loving, and
thus never come to shape itself IN the
mind nor be Incorporated into the life
Such a thought is merely the seed OF e.
vii, but by giving ulterance to II, IN
words, advance it one step IN its pro-
gress, and the seed has germlnaied; and
without the most vigorous efforts, its
fruit will be seen in the conduct. The
unresirained indulgence Of evil thoughts
and the fee utteraDce Of them cannot
but serve 10 darken the understanding
and to warp the Notwithstanding one
INTO error and sinking the love Of the
highest for the love Of the lowest.
With these preliminaries l return TO
the question, can the rev'ler be OF any
use ! think he can and will give
you a few OF my reasons for this opinion.
Every person has his laul,s-some OF
these may be glaring and well known,
and cause active efforts for their cor
reciion others may be deceptive and
are family, II at all realized, for by con-
slant association with his faults, man he
comes almost unconscious oil their ex'
istance. Such is the charmed light
which friendship throws around its hal
lowed circle, that many faults of those
within its line cease to appear as dcform-
tiles, or become so soltened down as 10
seem too triflIng to be made subject OF
suggestion much less Of reproof. But
the revler with his indignant sharp eyes
takes an entirely opposite view of a
man . whole character and conduct from
that Of friendship. With him every
virtue is but half what 1t seems, while
every foiblc looms up into sore fault,
ana every fault Of mole-hil size is mag
nlfed into mountain dimensions. He is
out.spoken and wide spreading in his
proclamations, and at length in their en-
larging circle, reach the ear of him at
whom the envenoned shafts are aimed.
lie now sees himself in a new Light
lie may fail at first, to recognize the
monster shapes and absurd caricatures
OF himself But by thorough sell exami-
nation, and close comparison Of his in
ner life with the new features presented
to him, he may, perchance, discover the
existence Of evils and faults OF which he
was before quite unconscious and il
he be a true man, he will turn all this
account in his own amendment. tie
will in this way be able more readily to
notice the first appearance Of any ex-
crescences, which, if allowed 10 grow un'
disturbed might seriously mar the symme.
try and excellence Of his character, and
impair the order Of his life. These he
will early remove, and in the effort to
shun the evil and correct the faults OF his
life, he will acquire strength, not only
to overcome them, but also to acquire
virtuous principles and favorable traits
Of character and thus be enabled to
make valuable acquisitions
But Charles how is it possible for one TO
ieel like looking in this calm manner up
on the great wrong Of an habitual de-
iamer ?
1T is only required TO esteem it all as
inverted, when everything to
a person so situated, appears in unnatural
shapes. We may there quietly appro-
pirate all which is suggestive, however
bitter, to our improvement and use.'
And If the reviler calls one fool
what advantage can be extracted from
that y
why my dear Mary, you can hardly
fail to perceive, that It teaches the whole
some lesson Of avoiding in ourselves
what appears 50 meany in another
Aud then too, we are reminded by II
hat intellectual wealth may be accom-
panied by moral poverty and you well
know that il is onl y our mora gains, where
our knowledge has been devoted TO pur-
poses Of goodness and virtue that are
worthy to be reckoned of course then
we should avail ourselves Of every warn
Ing to avoid evils, as well as seek for
examples TO the practice Of virtue
: Charles, | give you credit for making
out better case than | supposed you
would but still feel like retaliatiug
Tor personal injury
My dear. you do yourself wrong,
for every injury which we attempt to in
fict upon another is real injury which
we perpetrate upon our own spiritual ma
Iure-our inner life How then can we
seriously entertain wish like that you
have expressed =
is it not natural feeling, Charles ?
1T is, l fear, a too common telling
the sugg es,ion Of evils within us, but il
Is not a ch, 's,ian nor pure feeling, nor