Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-10-30
TME rAMlLY ClRCLln.
HELP YOURSELF.

HELP YOURSELF.
TIE ancients had saying, importing
that"the gods bel p those who help them.
selves" We modefns, little Too ready
to praise our muliiform charities, would
lose nothing by adopting its sentiments.
A rich man dies, and generously be.
quea.hs superauous thousands to o
public charity, school, q library, or
college P,o(essorship, thus erecting to
himself monument more lasting than
marble; and straishtway we drown the
sobs Of the mourncrs with general cry
Of admiration, in which we glorify the
wisdom Of our hero as even more wonder.
ful than his brilliant generosity. t-
His wisdom, as compared with those
who leave a fortune TO pile marble
monstrosi,ies Of monumental folly over
their bones. is decidedly praiseworthy (;
bYhi il stands open to criticism, il we try
ii by any higher test. That much good
is accomplished by such an appropra.
ton, is not to be doubted but that much
harm grows out Of it, and far less bene.
fit than is commonly fsncied, cannot
well be denied. Charity scholars have
rarely been an ornament to their pro.
fesson. What has cost nothing is so
apt TO be valued at the same, that in
this matter it has generally come to be
worth just what il cost. Give 10 a
poor, abIe.bodied shirk soup and po,a.
toes enough, and you have removed the
last whip with which kind nature would
have driven him to usefulness.
| Benefcent Hunger is the good angel
Of many soul wasting in laziness, who
has been reused 10 worthy action by its
keen spur. Let us bo careful that we
put not TOO many shields between the
stern discipline Of nee cessity and its fos.
ter child, man. We find no healthy
man, with two. hands, and the compile.
ment Of legs, VINO can need our aid TO
the amount Of two meals Of wholesome
food. IL he is hungry he needs one to
begin with, and chance to earn the
next. Wind him up, oil machinery, and
set him to work, That is true charity
towards any one able to work,
| Institutions, like men, should be made
self.supporting. They become vital then,
and with some fair prospect Of long
life Of usefulness. Bolstered up by per,
pelual charities, shod with dead mems
shoes, they grow poweress to stand or
90, and at last die Of consumption, be.
cause some rich legator did not die for
their benefit.
He who sweats for his bread has a
fine relish for il when he gets it; if he
gets less. he makes more OF it by bet
ter appetite. After all, mans power
Of enjoying physical benefits is very
limited. He can taste only so much
food as can touch his palate; and su.
perauous examining blunts the enjoy
+ ment Of iha, little. The man who builds
his own house, tills his own land, and
makes his own fortune, can get things
to fit him, to touch his wants, and so
!, find in his little larger taste Of enjoy
ment than the rich heir, the idle liver by
his wits, who eats to suffocalion wha,
some hungry fellow were himself out to
: procure.
II Paupers in broadcloth, are all the
. more voracious than their ragged brcth'
/ rem, as they arcmore insolent. A clear
shirt on their backs, by the grace OF q
I dead uncle, or incon siderate father, ha.
3 an effect no less mighty, if not quite sc
s tragic, as that which the Centaur Nessu'
bequealhed TO Hercules. Tha. old eel
/. es,ial Tom Hyef knocked down the Cen
!, taur and stole his Shirt, and coming e
. put it on, for change, the posionet
i Thing burnt his hide off. Our lazy do
!, nothings, revelling on the wealth Of thei
Q dead relations, suffer not such outwarl
g aaying, indeed, but the inner man i
J. smolhered TO death by the weight Of to-
e much charity.
IS "Help YOURSELF is the iron rule. no
!, less needful than the golden rule of"hel
i, one another" only SO far as to set hir
le on his legs to help himself, If cur kind
q ness is a wise one.
.. Little by little the father and mothe
n relax their arms from the helpless chile
70 and use him 10 self.reliance. and eve
D, Aat.er him with the fancy that his it'll
le tasks are help to them, thus unteact
hi ing that dependence which is necesaril
or his first feeling. So mute Nature teachs
y, man and because she is naute,' OF he
ii slow to catch her slightest. suggestion
Of she cuffs him rudsly with the whip /,
il many wants, that s,ings worse than ar
~ "cat," whose "nine lives" are ia i
81 "ninei tails" II be takes not quick hee
,u and digs for his life. Out Of our ncce
Ia sitiss she makes us great, only giving Il
III means Of self help. and leaving the fe
le Ito, our own endaavofs. There are {
/. great men where bread grows on Il
trees, and tho nuts Of the woods be
as fmilk--Nsp York OTSsn.
d. II 10 little trouble to tell . liz, but
aili great deal Of trouble "a, conceal d
in fact that you have told one,