Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1865-02-03
miscellaneous Beading.
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Plain, solid, practical, well bala need
characters, especially if they are in the
enjoyment of tolerably sonnd health, are
not apt to be keenly susceptible to sur
rounding influences, not likely to reflect in
their states of mind the face of the day,
whether it come joyful with sunshine, or
mantled with thick clouds--not apt, either,
to take their tone from a thousand little
circumstances, either pleasant or unkindly,
which brighten or darken more or less the
experience of everyday life, and, as a nat
ural consequence, these people have very
little understanding of and sympathy with
the variable moods of natures differing
from their own in fervency and impressi-
bility.
There is no doubt that these natures
which have the widest compass Of feeling,
emotion, enjoyment, have to pay the tribute
exacted by all this in q keener susceptibil-
ity and sensitiveness TO unpleasant sur
roundings; to unkindly social and moral
atmospheres to all the trials, and crosses,
and disappointments that crowd onr lives.
And the pressure on every side is hard
to bear, and the cares and the humiliations
sting, and the disappointments grieve, and
the defects depress, and ones spirit sinks
sinks down into the darkness, where the
light cannot follow, and the mists lie cold,
and the sceptres of our cares rise up in the
chilly lowland, and wander to and fro, and
the light of the sun is hidden, and the feet
groupe through thick darnessk.
/ have no doubt that there are many
among my readers who will bear witness
out of their own experience that my pic
ture is not an exaggerated one; and |
know, too, that in many cases there is much
to be said in defence of these moods, which
color the days. and make, in large sense
their happiness or misery.
These states of mind are often the result
of causes, to a great degree, beyond ones
control--causes which lie far back in child
hood, in early discipline and development; ;
or these moods " may be the result OF
physical weakness and nervous derange-
ment-,-or any of those thousand infrmities
TO which human flesh, pre-eminently that
of this nineteenth century, is liable.
We are all of US bad enough, / suppose !;
but there is no wisdom in taking on our
selves blame for evils which lie outside of
our reach, and there are many natures who
cannot be held entirely responsible for
their exaltations and depressions of feel
ing,
But to concede this is not to yield all /;
and in almost any case, dear reader, great
deal lies in your own heart and help, and
within the power of your own will.
For by just SO much as you are moody,
variable, uncertain person, by so much is
your own influence and services weakened
! your own peace and comfort lost. For
when these moods of irritation and depres-
sion become habit, as is their tendency,
how miserable they are-what victim
they make of one-how they cloud and
chill the atmosphere, and sadden the hap
piness of those around you
In larger degree, then, we are apt to
believe these moods of ours are within the
reach of our own volition.
They must be struggled with pertna-
ciously, like every other eril, and there is
no mischief so fatal as to yield to them
weakly, saying, out of your owuemoral
These states of mind are neither of my
own making nor choosing; they must
come and 90 of their own will" No such
thing, in all probability. When the pres
sure comes, and the darkness gathers, and
one by one the lights seem to go out in
your soul, like lamps blown out in winds
. and all the trials of your past, and all the
bewilderments of your present, rise up like
armed men, grid up your shrinking soul
and 90 cut and meet them; put them tc
utter rout, if you can. After all, there is
good sense in looking our troubles cour-
: ageously, squarely in the face; and if We
do not, they will get the reins, and be the
terrors and tyrants of our lives. Ther
there is general unhappy, sour, chilly
sullen mood in which many people indulge
d which, think, is worse than any other
! and which makes of that dearest and sweet
est spot ON earth-of our homes, place o
wretchedness and misery:
Get rid of such habits, oh, my reader
get rid of them, or die. Yon will be offer
4. ing your life, if it cost you that, in goo'
It cause; and if you live, you will darker
y and torment, and poison those who ar
brought within the sphere of your infu
: ence.
Try 10 cultivate calmness, courage, Sc
renity, among the perplexities of your life
have no doubt but these are very har
to bear, sometimes; that they seem great
I'd er than your strength; still. if they ar
$, only of this world, they have but liul
OF while to last, and they are not worthy {
% overcoming" you.