Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-12-16

almost invariably charged with bitterness
a. d sorrow. The most brilliant chapter
in Gibbon is that in which he describes
the magnicence and wealth oi the
Caliphs of Bagd d, and the splendorS Of
the palace of Zebra whose walls were
fietted with gold and pearls, ard whose
apartments were hung in the richest
tapestries embroidered in gold. After
the decease of Aldabrahatn the greatest
and most powerful monarch Of that eastern
land IA memorial was found in his closet
which translated, reads as follows: 81
have now reigned abo e fifty years either
in victory or peace, beloved by my SUBJ
jects, dreaded by my enemies, and fe-
spected by my allies. Riches and honors.
power and pleasures have waited on my
call, nor does any earthly blessing appear
to have ben wanting to my earthly fell
city. In his situation, | have mum bercd
the days Of pure and genuine happiness
which have fallen to my lot-they amount
to fourteen. 0, man place not thy con
fdence in tn S present world"
Trials and sorrows aud perplexities are
the allotted portion of mans existence
We cannot evade them if We would, we
ought not if we could The fortitude
and endurance with which we bear up
against the ills of life, mark the true
strength Of character. and develop most
the good which is born with US. As for
myself, can say that were I at the out
set Of life privileged with choosing life
of ease and comfort in preference to a
lie f anxiety, toll and perplexities, l
would choose the latter. The two causes
may be compared to two streams, one
Of which winds its way sluggishly through
praries and plains, its smooth surface
seldom disturbed by the least ripple or
waYe, and exhibiting in its monotonous
course, 10 feature to charm the eye or
captivate the senses, but" muddy, illseem-
ing, bereft OF beauty" it gHdes to its ap
pointed goal IN. eeded and unknown.
The other leaps muscally from bank to
bank and rock to rock down the hillside
and through the valley, its very obstruc
tions imparting to its power and beauty
aud purity, and presenting at every wind
ing something to attract attention and
add beauty to the scenery that surrounds
it.
The adversties and tr ais and sorrows
that affect life are. essentials to man,
welfare; to them we owe all that is en-
during and beautiful and instructive in
the world Gallieo suffering the tor,
lures of the rack in the Romish inqli-
stion and Columbus begging from coun
try to country offering to Princes the
discovery of world, were strengthened
and made powerful by the very Difficult
tiles that assailed and threatened to crush
them The very temptations aud evil
desires that sYar against morality and
virtue are peculiarities Of the universe
Nature repels vacuum so does she rcpeI
inaction Shakespeare fully comprehend
ing this solemn truth, discourses upon it
in the following beautiful strain
Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet precious jewel in its head,
Thus our life, when free from pub haunt
Finds tongues in trees, books in running
brooks,
Sermons in stones and good in everything
Let US then endeavor to be fully re
conciled to those circumstances in life in
which we find ourselves placed, and with
Socrates of old deem it the highest phil
osophy of life TO he in aoont Of nothina
and also, that the less we are contented
with the nearer we approach to the Di-
vinity.
That man who satiates his desires with
good sense is far richer than he who
gorges himself with the luxures Of life.
A cup of cold water, gives more relief to
the parched tongue, than the richest
crusted oid port. in the London docks. a
poor man satisfied with his own earnings
is far richer in all thai pertains to life,
than, he who CANDLES his thousands on
Change The man Of naturally sound
constitution, who gorges himself with
our rich food, who muddles himself with
strong drink. and who, swabs his mouth
with filthy tobacco. violates the laws OF
his living and 70 8 himself Of his ap-
pointed station and influence in life
NV observations in life. have convinced
me, that in all the strivings Of life, man
is his own greatest enemy-that although
he may traverse oceans, and bring distant
nations into close communion with each
other. that although he may penetrate
mountains and span valleys. in a word,
although the most stupendous difficulties
vanish before his energy and will, yet
when you come down to governing him
self he becomes weak and imtecile and
contemplate
"That man is free, and only be,
Who from his tyrant passion free,
By fortune undismayed,
Hath power upon himself to be
BY himself obeyed."