The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1860-06-21
aalished Weekly. ut 81 Year. strictly in Advance,
BY w. j. SLATER.
NOTICE no .1D VER7YSERS.
SIIREWDNESS AND WISDOM.

SIIREWDNESS AND WISDOM
Gle is shrewd and deserves credit
is remark made by gentleman o.
Winchester to lis few days since. BY
shrewdness is meant the facility of ta
king advantage, Of cheating ones
friends or business connections accor.
ding to law, or in such q manner as to
escape responsibility to the law. Among
a certain class ofpcople this shrewdness
is mentioned as good business quality
one which is essential to Success
We are all aware of this, and it shows
the complete, Generalization of public
sentiment. The man who can be guil-
ty of such shrewdncss is, in feeling and
principle, thief and q robbcr, the only
difference being that, not having the
courage to DO an overt act, he resorts
to base deception. Mcanness is q thing
which will take the advantage Of an
agreement, verbal or written, Of anv
business transaction, or of ftrustwor.by
position, to CRAFTY selfshncss, inde-
pendent Of the integrity of the under
standing. generally applies to small
Things and small men, or such os oro
known as mean mon, who arc, nowov-
cf' sometimes to be found in positions
to which .y'ncy arc elevated by tho ct-
.oct Of some imposition, or shrewdncSs,
practiccd upon mankind.
a man Of sagacity, or wisdom, is one
who carefully calculates his actions, and
by strictly observing the integrity Of
his contracts or understanding, com
mands the respect Of his fellow citizens.
This requires a certain innate nobility
Of thought and sentiment which sets
upon an open brow with an air of
greatness and dignity easy to be obscr-
we'd. 1t is spell which inspires conf
dence, which lays the foundation of in
dividuaI happiness and public prospcri-
ty. Ia the way of business it accom-
plishes grand undertakings, because it
carries with it u comprehensivencss of
action which stands the test of cxpc-
rience.
Shrewdness grasps at little and pres
cnt advantages. Wisdom looks to the
future with q view only to its due re,
ward. Shrowdness, like, the serpent, is
soon killed for its bad character, Wis
dom stands the test Of slandcr and shaft
of malice, to appear afterwards with
greater dignity and triumph, The one
is for to-day, the ether is for all time,
and upon which humanity leans for
support,
This l0'c quality is apt to be the ac-
compartment Of ignorance, or of that
class ofpeoplc who have neither refine
mcnt Of thought or sentiment, or who
may be wanting in that self-rcspect
which God has implanted in the breast
of the human creature. 1t is to be rec
ognizcd in the sidelong, downcast, or
sinister look and expression of counte-
nance; III uncallcd-for professions of in
timacy, and particularly professions of
honesty anddisintcrestedness. AS the
devil breaches religion, SO shrewdness
breaches honesty and friendship. The
success Of shrewd people carries with it
their great punishment. In their fami-
lies they neglect the finer virtues, and
the consequence is that in this respect
they are most unhappy. Their wives,
their daughters, or their sons, are gull
ty of the most improper and unflial
conduct, such as will place sting of
poison in tire breast OF the parent, and
make them partakc ofbttcrness.
Ifyou wish to succeed in life, to bo
happy-most happy, practice not this
BE careful with whom
you have dealings; be generous and
disint tcrcsted to human extent; bo
strict in your cxaction of what is right,
and let the profits of your business be
derived from the merit of your under
takings, and Aot the misfortune of 9TH
ers. When the Roman. Fabricus was
taken prisoner by the Greeks, he was
asked to betray his country. The tor
chcs ofthe camp were burning on Ia
bic by his side. He barred his right
arm, and, to the amazcment of all, held
it over the bright fire until it was burnt
to a cindcr. He. then replied
4 Roman cannot endure the worst pains
Or mistortunes Of life, then ask him to
betray his country, and not till then"
Fabricus is immortalized among man
kind. His example was a lesson which
has inspired the conduct of heroes You
may not be called upon to betray your
but be careful not to betray
yourself, or. else, like the woman who
has lost her virtue, you will lose the on
Iy gem which can fortiiy you against
or insure you ultimate sue
cess in life.