The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-06-11

ANA mne--n Tranquil JOY shall rest.
Shall we be friends together
While life last,
Soon its tempestuous weather,
If friends are bur near me,
With kind words to cheer me,
From death and the grave,
For He viii go with me,
Who lis able to save.
Posthumous Sketches of Philosophy.
BY Sydney Smith.
THE FORCE OF HABIT-HoBBKs AND HIS PIPE.
He smoked; how did this begin, Itmight have
begun any how. He was staying, perhaps, at some
house where smoking was in fashion, and began to
smoke out of compliance with the humof of other
persons At first, he thought il unpleasant and as
all the expiratlons and inspirations were new and
difficult it required considerable attention; and at
the close of the evening he could have distinctly
recolleced, if be had tried to do so, that his mind
had been employed in thinking how he was to man
age and manGuvre the pipe. The practice goes
on the disgust vanlshes; much less attention is
necessary to smoke well; in few DAYS the associ-
alton is formed; the moment the cloth ia taken away
after supper, the idea ofsmokDg occurs; if any
cident happen to prevent it, slight pain is felt in
consequence it seems if things did not go on in
their regular track, and some confusion had crept
into the arrangements Of the evening. As the as
soclaiion goes on, 1t gathers strength from the mirh
and conversation with which it is joined at last,
after a lapse of years, we see the philosopher Of
Malmesbury advanced from one TO one dozen of
pipes; SO perfect in all the tactics Of smoker, so
dextefous in all the manual Of his dirtv recreation
that lie would fill, light, and smoke out his pipe,
without the slightest remembrance of what he had
been doing, or the most minute interruption to any
immoral, irrelgiOus, or unmathematcal track of
thought, in which he happened to be engaged but
we must not forget, that though his amuse ment
cuped him so little, and was passed over with such
small share of his attention, The acdRt of il would
have occupied him SO much, that he could have
done nothing without it; all his speculations would
49, L. 4 u
pipes he might have been friend 10 devotion, to
freedom, any thing else which, in the customary
tenor of his thoughts, he certainly was not.
BOOKS AND CONVERSATION.
A book has eyes, and ears, and feelings; the
best are apt every now and then to become little
langnid whereas a living book walks about, and
varies his conversation and manner, and prevents
you, from going TO sleep. There is certainly
great evil in this well good for the interest
between man and his living folio becomes some
times little too keen, and in the competition for
victory they become little TOO animated towards,
and sometimes exasperated against, each other
whereas a man and his book generally Keep the
peace with toerable success; and if they disagree
the man shuts his book, and tosses it into corner
of the room which it might not be quite safe or
easy to do with living folio 1t is an inconve:
nience in book, that you cannot ask questions
there is no explanation; and man is less guarded
in conversation than in q book, and tells you with
more honesty the little nceties and exceptions of
are canvassed where they cannotbe explained and
defended, he often overstates point for fear of be-
ing misunderstood; but then, on the contrary, al
most every man talks great deal better in his
books, with more sense, more Information, and
reflection, than he can possibly do in his con-
versaton, bacanse he has more time.
ADVICE TO YOUTHFUL POETS.
There is one circumstance l would preach up,
morning, noon and night, to young persons for the
management of their understanding. Whatever
own line of talent If Providence only intended
yOutO write pOsies for rings or notices for twelfth
cakes, keep to posies and notices; good motto for
twelfth. cake is more respectable than villainous
epic poem in twelve books. Be what nature in
tended you for, and you will succeed; be any thing
else and you will be ten thousand times worse than
nothing.
MATHEMATICS OF BEES.
The warmest admirers OF honey, and the great
est friends to bees, will never, | presume contend
that the young swarm, who begin making honey
three or four months after they are born, and i'm
mediately construct these mathematical cells, should
have gained their mathematical knowledge as we
gain ours, and in three months time outstrip Mr..
Macaurin in mathematics much as they did in
making honey. 1t would take senior wrangler
at Cambridge ten hours a day, for three years to-
gether to know enough mathematics for the caicu-
laton Of these problems with which not only every
queen bee, but every undergraduate grub, is ac-
quainted the moment it is born.
THE DUKE OF BEDFoRps PIGS.
Go to the Duke of Bedford's piggery at Woburn.
and you will see breed of pigs with legs so short,
that their stomachs trail upon the ground; breed
of animals entombed in their own fat overwhelmed
| with prosperity success and farlna. No animal
could possibly be disgusting if it were not use
| full but breeder, who has accurately attended to
the small quantity of food it requires to swell this
pig out to such extraordinary dimensions-the
astonishing genius it displays for obesity-and the
I a L 1 Al. L.
regions OF the body, and to agglomerate on those
parts which are worth ninepence pound-such an
observer of its utility does not scruple tocal these
otherwise hideOus quadrupeds, beautiful race of
pigs p
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BEAUTIFUL.
What are half the crimes in the world commit
ted for What brings into action the best virtues
The desire of possessing. OF possessing what
Not mere money but every species Of the beautiful
which money can purchase. A man lies hid in a
little, dirty, smoky room for twenty years Of his
life, and sums up as many columns OF figures as
would reach round half the earth, if they were laid
at length he gets rich what does he do with his
riches? He buys large, wel-proportioned house
in the arrangement Of his furniture he gratifes
himself with all the beauty which splendid colors
regular figures, and smooth surfaces can convey
he has the beauties OF variety and association in
his grounds the cup out Of which he drinks his
tea is adorned with beautiful figures the chair in
which he sits is covered with smooth shining
leather; his table cloth is Of the most beautifu
damask; mirrors reflect the lights from every
quarter Of the room: pictures Of the best masters
feed his eye with all the beauties of imitation.
million Of human creatures are employed in th
country in ministering this feeling Of the beauti
| full. Itis only barbarons, ignorant people tha
ever be occupied by the necessaries Of life dLoR.
If to eat, and to drink, and to be warm, were tn
only passions Of our minds, we should all be wha
the lowest Of us all are at this day, The love ,
it is, that painters initiate, and poets sing, an
statuares carve and architects up the gorgeos
trophies Of their skill, every thing become
beautiful, and orderly, and magui6cent-the az
tivity Of the mind rises to still greater, and to be
ter objects. The principles OF justice are sougl
out the powers Of the ruler and the rights Of th
subject are fixed man advances to the snjoymsr