Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-06-29

est and abOrl0uS effort, to OBTAIN ulslhclion Ill I'LL
crature, craftsmanship, eoquence, science or art.
It is related of the great sculptor, Michael Angelo,
that on certain occasion friend called on him
when he was finishing statue Some time after
wards he called again; the sculptor was still at his
work. His friend, looking at the figure, exclaimed,
shave you been idle since you last? "By
no MEANS, replied the sculptor, 81 have retouched
this part and polished that-softened this feature
and brought out this muscle-given more express
sion to this lip and more energy to this limb
"Well, we'll" said his friend "all these are trihes"
at may be SOL replied Angelo" but recollect that
trifes make perfection, and perfection is no trfe"
But after ALL thereisno quality Of the mindso much
to be desired, or useful, as common sense; and
can see no reason why woman should not covet this
quality as much as man.
"Let sense be ever in yOur view,
Nothing is beautiful that is not true; .
The true alone is lovely"
Common sense is not carried away by passion like
the town clerk of Ephesus, it is careful to lido
nothing rashly" 1t is not prone to accept error,
however attractive instead of truth, but celebrates
and decides for itself 1t is not always quick to de-
eide vet having decided it acts directly and finally
1t is not apt to be unjust in its judgments for it ac-
cords to others what it claims for its possessor-
charity 1t is not ready to despond because msfor-
tune comes, or because friends fall off, or because
the warm aspirations of the heart disappointed.
It takes the world as it finds it. and judges of things
as they are. 1t INDUCES no unavailing regrets. 1t
never rants cants, or puts on appearances tor ef-
feet or to misead or deceive. It is not afraid OF
labor, but seeks it as "a chief blessing; it neither
courts very carefully avoids trials and difficult
ties, but expecting them, it meets them firmly and
overcomes them without vanity or boasting. 1t
looks for pure truth and finding what it can of it,
it is patient being sure that that mine is inexhausti
ble 1t is not variable, But steady, philosophical,
serene, dignied for understanding is its crown
and Judgment its throne 1t does not reject poetry,
for it knows that the temple of thought would be
harsh and repulsivc without the garnture of roses
and evergreens with which the MUSES. have decked
it. 1t is as much the patron of the fine arts as ge-
MUS for its hand furnishes the materials for music,
the pencil and the chSel, and it directs the press
that throws forth the verses of the bard and the
words of the orator. 1t applies the knowledge oh
tanned by the sciences of geology, chemistry, and
astronomy to its own uses; and with a calm eve
surveys this globe and looks out upon the unim-
aginabe spendors of the starry world, determining
as by intuition that there is God, who is great
and as perfectly present in blade of grass in the
rushing spheres. Next to Christianity, common
sense is the highest style of man." 1t is knowl
edge, founded upon, and IN accordance with, the
nature of things. 1t does not, as nothing can,
persede faith; but reasoning within ITSELF it con-
cudes that if the Gospel be fable its precepts
so pure, and so adapted to the wants of man, he
can lose nothing in this life by observing Them but
may gain every thing hereafter whereas, if true, if
really of God and he rejects them, his loss will be
eternal.
Common sense teaches us that reading study,
and mental labor are in vain, unless they be
ncstly engaged in and properly directed. 1t was
said of Byron that instead of reading he soon
sumed" book but there has been but one Byron
"a little learning is dangerous thing not in it.
self surely, for all learning is valuabe but it is
dangerous when its possessor concludes that he or
she knows as much as other people, or knows
enough. We all remember the simplicity and hui
mility with which the great Newton was accustomed
to speak of his vast discoveries; and we all know
that Baron Won Humboldt, who was the wisest man
of the generation just passing away, was likewise
one of the most modest men in Europe. The deeds,
the works, the written and spoken words of the
wise and great, and not their boasts, tell who and
what they are. Modesty is the best evidence of
merit in both sexes, in whatever walk of life. HUI
mty is virtue which was specially commended
in the Sermon on the Mount. He who was before
never rebuked the poor-did you ever think of
that ?-never chided the meek, never boosted of his
power or his knowledge.
desultory, purposeless habit of reading cannot
be too carefully avoided We should read to reflect
to digest to agree disagree with the author, and
to form deliberate judgment.of our own Humili-
ty, modesty and teachableness learners as schol
ars do not require that other people should think
for us. On the contrary, let us preserve our own
individuality and independence as fully mentally as
bodily. To read without attention and reflection,
and to accept true every statement and every the
DRY that present themselves is to make ourselves
the sport of every wind of opinion and doctrine
He or she who reads every thing without attention
and reflection, will find their friends, and, after
awhile, themselves wondering how they can have
read so much and learned so little. One good book
attentvey read and carefully reflected on is worth
whole library rapidly and carelessly perused.
The object of all reading is the improvement o
the mind and the manners, and the acquisition o
truth. Mr.. Wesley said, "When was young
was sure of every thing. In few years, having
been mistaken a thousand times, was not half St
sure of most things as was before. At present
am hardly sure of any thing but what God has re
vealed to man."
The soursAof all TRUTH and the best of all books
: is the Bible. Commencing with the creation of tn
world it furnishes the most accurate history Of tn
Church Of God and of mankind and affords tn
clearest insight into human nature, of any book