Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1859-11-17
The Art of Nos- neaiins'

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The following from "Reynold sMs eassos''
lany;" is admirable; .'Apples of gold piot7
urss Of silver" Read and acted on, how
much trouble it would save rankind. p,,.::
The art of not hearing should be taught
in every well regulated 'fsrily. 1t is full
as important TO domestic happiness as culr
tivaled ear, for which so much monsy and
time is expended. There are SO many lhihsa
which 1t is painful to hsar-many which we
ought not to hear-very many which, if
heard, will disturb the temper, corrupt sim
plicily and modesty, dstract from content-
msnt and happiness, that every one should
be educated 10 take in our shut ou! sounds
according 10 their pleasure. ]
fa man falls in violent passion, and
calls me all manner Of names; the FIRST word
shuts nay ears, and hear no more. If, in
my quiet voyage of life find myself caught
in one of those domestic whirlwind, of
scolding, / shut my years, as sailor would
lurl his sails, and; making all tight, scud
before the gale. If hot restless man be-
gins to inAame my feelings, consider wha.
mischief these fry SPARKS may do in ths
magazine below, where my temper is kept,
and instantly close the door. p -. - -.
Does gedding, mischief sf-rnaking fellow
begin 10 inform ne what people are saying
about Ine, down drops the portcullis of my
ear, and he cannot get in any further. Does
the collector Of neighborhoods scandal
ask my ear as a warehouse, it instIc,iyely
shuts up. Some people seem anxous TO hear
everything that will vex and annoy them.
If it is limited that any cne has spoken evil
Of them, they set about searching the mai
ter, and finding it out. 1! all the petty thinss
said OF one by needless or ill-ratured idlers
were 10 be brough, hcme to him, he would
became mere walking pin-cushon, stuck
full Of sharp remarks. l should as suhn
thank man for emPtying upon my bed a
bushel oi nettles, or turning loose swarm.
of ants in my chamber, of raising punsent
dust in my house generally, q; 10 bring
in upon me all the ta,tie CT careless o. spite
ful people. If you would ce happy, when,
among good men, open Jour ears; when sz
m7ng bad, shut them. And as tbs throat.
has a muscular arrangement by which 1t
takes care of the air passages 81 its own se-
cord, SIS the ears should be trained to an ar..
tomato dullness Of hearing! II is not worth
while 10 hear what your servants say when
they are angry; what your children say
when after they have slammed the door;.
what your neIslbors suy abot,t Jour chill.
drsn; what your rivals say abou, your busi-
ness; your address, or your affairs.
This,art CT not hearing, though untaught
in The schools. is by no means unknownor
unpracliced in society. ] have noticed that
weil-bred women never hears an imperti-
neiit OF Igar remark. A kind Of dis
Greet deafness save one from many insults.
from much blame, from not o little sppar-.
ent connivance in dishonorable conversation.
There are two doors inside OF my ears
"a right hand door, leading 10 ny hearth
and left-hand door, with broad and steep
passage out into the open air.. The last
door receives all the ugliness, profanity,
vulsarity, misunderstanding, which suddenly
find themselves outside oi me. Jndicious
teachers and indulgeDt parents save their
urchins world Of trouble by convenient
deafness. Bankers and money-lenders Of
ten are extremely hard Of hearing when un-
sale borrowers are imPortune. i never
hear man who run after me IN the street
bawling my name at the tOpof his voice;
nor persons who talk evil Of those who are
absent; nor those who give me uuasked ad-
vice abnu, my own affairs; nor those who
talk largely abou. things of which they ars
ignorant.
II there are sounds Of kindness, of mirth,
open fly my ears! But temper, or harsh
ness, or haired. or vulgarily, or hattery,
shut them. II you keep your. garden gate.
shut, your flowers and fruit will be safe.
If you keep your doors closed, no thief will,
run of with your silver; and If you keep
your ears shut your heart will loss neither
its flowers nor its treasure.