New-York tribune., 1866-12-28
GIFTS AND CITING.

The advertising columns OF the newspapers just
now afford, from day to day. an excellent remedy Tor
cynicism and misanthropy. This week. our man
mercantile business is the buying and selling oil gifts
our main social employment, their presentation and
reception. The young people who have not yet
learned to phiosophze and the old who have learned
how little philosophy is worth all taking or re-
newng that practical lesson Of the value Of human
affection. which, once fairly learned, is the most nest-
mable of acquisitions. Tho art Of giving wisely, and
skiluy, aud gracefully ia one for which We may be
born with genius or it may be acquired by practice
aud good natured experience. To receive gin which
gives Us also complete aud unmitgated satisfaction,
is TO experience comp!acent consciousness that our
characters have been kindly Observed our tastes
studied, our acquisitions duly estimated, and our
preudces respected if not approved Cviity requires
that the tongue should proclaim Oh official vote OF
thanks, whether gin DO acceptable or otherwisei
but nobody can counterfeit the gratitude which shines
In the eyes, and there is pleasure of manner which
is beyond the smoothest Chesterieldan art. All
through the holidays We refresh our knowledge of
comfy, and burnish our rusty good WILL
Our annual festival-until We reach New. Years Day,
which is of heathon insttuton-is mainly Christian
one and its informing idea is that of Christian good
will. Considering the dire influences of selfshness
and passion, and the inevitable jealouses and ambi-
tons which make social life conflict, il is wonderful
that men have been able to maintain toward each
other such tolerabc friendly relations In spite of
public and private bickerings the traditional gores OF
war; the sQuabbes ofpotcs the selshness OF parental
anxiety the false notion Of success the hardening am
bitions of the enterprsing the gnominy of material
failure the artificial arrangements which give
triumph and defeat the appearance OF mere
good or bad luck il is consolatory fact that we are
not always graspng each others throats that we are
still capable of friendship and Of webred intercourse
and that even these exceptional characters to whom
the mass of mankind is hateful, save a warm corner
in their souls for the individual The world keeps
amiable in spite of itself, and goes on believing in
good faith and the possibility of virtue and selsacr
fee. mauger the demonstrations of Hobbies, the
selfish theories of ROcheoucauld the tragic sneers OF
Swift, and the mournful aud musical walls
of Byron We soon enough find out how true It Is
that this Ia a world Of sorrow and OF wrong
and that he would be more than human who should
always escape disappointment but 1t is equally true
that the majority of mankind finds no lack oil COM
pensations, and by a sure instinct continues to be
gregarous. The solitaries and eremtes are the ex-
ceptions. Cities grow. communities increase, the
socia relations are maintained; we find pleasure in
each others company, and, following the humane
theory of the common law, believe in each others
honesty until obliged by hard evidence TO disbelieVe
The world goes on cheerfully, leaving the cync to
split hairs and to humble bis low theories, as dog
gnaws bone--to find Disqualification in virtue, self
advancement in truth, self.complscency in charity,
and Selfestesm in the warm heart and helping hand.
We wonder If ii would be possible to explain to the
laughing and dancing circle round Christmas tree,
that gratitude Is lively Of benefits to come
whether children could be made to believe that for this
toy or that book they are much obliged because the
present donation is evidence Of another toy or book
ne,t yeari The little creatures in the simplicity OF
their natures would be wiser than the whole Porch,
Academy, and Lyceum, and would scout the notion
as q rank heresy And what is true Of the receivers
is true also of the givers II the pleasure of gVngis
merely an agreeable consciousness of the power Of
giving again, it is certainly harmless and lsudable
form Of self. qualification UnqueStonaby. we are SO
constituted that We do experience satisfaction in
doing good but II this be not of kind totally distinct
from the SATISFACTION Of doing evil, thcn there is
no such thing as good and no such thing as evil
In the worid-then wisdom ia folly. and truth le