Smyrna times., 1867-01-02
Gifts and Giving.

The advertising columns of the newspapers
Just now afford, from day to day, an excellent
remedy for cynicism and misanthropy. This
week, our main mercantile business is the buy
ing and selling of gifts-Our main social enjoy
ment, their presentation and reception. The
young people who have not yet learned to phi
losOphize, and the old who have learned how
little philosophy is worth, are all taking or re-
newing that practical lesson of the value of
human affection, which, once fairly learned, is
the most inestimable of acquisitions. The art
of giving wisely, and skilfuy, and gracefully,
is one for which we may be born with genius,
or it may be acquired by practice and good
natured experience. To receive gift which
gives us also a complete and unmitigated salts
faction, is to experience complacent conscious
ness that our characters have been kindly OBJ
served our tastes studied, our acquisitions
duly estimated, and our prejudices respected if
not approved. ClVility requires that the tongue
should proclaim an official vote of thanks,
whether gift be acceptable or otherwise; but
nobody can counterfeit the gratitude which
shines in the eyes, and there is pleasure of
manner which is beyond the smoOthest Ches,
terfeldian art. All through the holidays we
refresh our knowledge of comfy, and burnish
| our rusty good will.
Our annual festival-until we reach New
Year. Day, which is of heather institution-is
mainly Christian one, and its informing idea
is that of Christian good will. Considering the
dire influences Of sel6shness and passion, and
the inevitable jealouses and ambitions which
smake social life conflict, it is wonderful that
men have been able to maintain toward each
other such tolerable friendly relations. In
| spite of public and private chickering's, the ira
ditioHal glories of war, the squabbes of politics,
the selfshness Of parental anxiety, the false
notion of success, the hardening ambitions of
the enterprising, the ignominy of material fail
ure, the artificial arrangements which give tri-
umph and defeat the appearance of mere good
or bad luck, it is a consolatOry fact that we are
not always grasping each others throats, that
we are still capable of friendship and OF we'll
bred intercourse, and that even these excep-
tlOnal 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 self-sac-
rifce, mauger the demonstrations of Hobbies
the selfish theories of ROchefoucauld, the ira
gic sneers of Swift, and the mournful and mu
sical walls of Byron. We soon enough find out
how true it is that this is world of sorrow and
E of wrong, and that he would be more than hui
man who should always escape disappointment
but it is equally true that the majority Of man
kind finds no lack of cOmpensatlOns, and by
sure instinct continues to be gregariOus. Tit
solitaries and eremites are the exceptions
J Cities grow, communities increase, the socia
) relations are maintained we find pleasure il
q each others company, and following the hu
name theory of the common law, believe il
G each others honesty until obliged by hard evi
e dence to disbelieve. The world goes on cheer
e fully, leaving the cynic to split hairs and t.
G humble his low theories, as a dog gnaws
g bone-to find disqualification in virtue, self
2 Advancement in truth, self-complacency in char
v ity and self-esteem in the warm heart an
J, helping hand.
d We are afraid that our readers, and particu
20 larry the younger Ones-we know that thi
< week we have such, at least of the advertise
le ments-will think us little too abstract fo
fe the season; but at such time as this, it is
E. satisfaction to unearth a wicked old error an
to hunt it down. Home, never so bright q
r now, is from year $ end to year end the stanC
le ing and ready refutation of the neatest syllC
b. gisms of the snarlers. Home! lit was tn
al opinion of Q well known song writer thu
st there's no place like it and it is our opil
IL ion, and it is everybody opinion, and it is
N. pecially the opinion of those who, whetht
IL through bachelOrhood or bereavement, hay
p no homes to love. A lonesome man, abol
ne the oath day of December, finds his sense
d. lonesomeness intensfying; and whatever
o. may pretend, we may be sure that he feels
VI. keeniy, as he sees Patertamilias go by with Il
= anniversary bundles under his arm, thinkir
of how the little eyes will open wider and wild,
'm as the strings of the packages are cut, and IL
es- triumphs Of the cOnfect;oner, the book-mane
on and the toyman are revealed. All the discil
er- line of the nursery is broken down. Shou
he are permitted, screams are allowed, romping
in taken out Of the prohibitory code, jumping al
Isl running are consistent now with good manner
10 noise of all kinds, held yesterday to be a NJ
sh- sance, has been transmogrifed into sort
social duty; and the boys and girls, in consid
aid Iation of the undeniable fact that Christm
but comes but once year, may romp and roar