The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-06-16
WHOLE NUMBER ll6.

states came up which it seemed to him,
that he had but to lift his hand and
gather in wealth to any extent. lhen
he was eloquent on principles of archl-
tectural taste, and could descant wisely
upon rural beauties enhanced by liberal
art. Nowhere could he find mansion,
either in the city or country, that fully
came up to his ideas of what rich mans
dwelling should be But spirit far
more subdued had now come over hun.
He could 60 up into higher regions Of
his mind, and see in existence there,
principles whose pure delights flowed not
from mere qualification of the senses and
for the pampering of selhshness and
pride, he could not be happy that hap
piness must flow from an internal state,
and not from any combination of extcr-
nal circumstances. About this time
the oldest son of his employer arrived ut
his thirtieth year. Up to this period he
had, since the attainment of his majority,
held an interest in his fathers business,
which regularly yielded him about two
thousand dollars per annum. A propo-
sition to enter into business with his son,
on cash basis of twenty thousand
dollars, and credit it to any consldera-
BILE extent, was at once accepted by
Grant.
Ten years from that day he was
sober-minded merchant, steadily and
wisely pursuing his business, and worth
every cent of fifty thousand dollars.
The fates have at last grown pro-
pitious," remarked old Mr.. Linton to
him one day with look and tone that
was understood.
81 have only become a wiser man, |
presume, and therefore better able TO
bear an improved condition." was the
reply of Mr. Grant,
"Then do you not now regret your
early disappointmcnts 7"
ooh, no ! | am truly thankful that
| was not suffered to acquire wealth
while under the influence of my vain,
weak, and foolish ideas. My reverses
were blessings in disguise; they were
sent as correctors Of evil" "
"That you can now see clearly
"Oh, yes. Had l been allowed to
60 on successfully, treasuring up wealth,
| should have been made miserable.
My weak desires would have been ever
in advance of my abilities. l should
have enved those who were able to
make a more imposing appearance than
myself, and despised all who were be-
low me; and sure, in this life, can
imagine no state so truly unhappy as
that"
" He is the wise man." returned Mr.
Linton, "who thus, from seeming evil,
still educes good. The longer we live,
and the more of the ups and downs of
life we see, the stronger becomes our
that there is One above US
who rules events for our good. Between
the ages of twenty-one and thirty are
usually crowded more disappointments
and discouraging circumstances more
trials and pains--than in all a mans
after life. Will any one who has passed
forty tell you in his sober reflective
that be cannot look back and
see that these have all worked together
for his goodi l think not. And this
will be the case, as we'll with him who
still tolls early and late for his daily
bread"
"There is then, you believe, an over
ruling Providence, that has some refer
,nce to mans external condition in the
yorld-permitting one to grow rich and
ieeping another poor :"
81 do. But all this regards his
ternal, and not his mere temporal con-
lition. Our mistake lies estimating the
lealings Of Providence as referring par
icularly to our externll condition. This
8 not the case. We are regarded with
love that looks to our higher and bet
er interests-to our special aud eternal
ood. Eternal things, because it is BY
hese that we are most affected, are 30
overned as to lead us to think of in
erior things that appertain to the life
Iithin-to that life which we are to live
Ihen separated from the body II