Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-07-21
Vermont Daily Transcript.
is GOOd rs ~ Feast.
ST. ALBANS, VT:
TUESDAY, july 81, 1863


Charles Lamb Included in the list of
popular fallacics the assertion that
"enough Is as good as a feast" 1t is not
necessary that his reasons for consider
ing the assertion fallacious should he
given, as most people arrive mt tie
same conclusion, for themselves, with
or without process of reasoning. 1t
would be curious to see-what we never
shall-the effect which the universal
acknowledgment of the truth of the
above disputed saying would produce in
the world. There would be Il complete
transformation in society, in many re-
spects, and one may easily imagine that
it would not be for the worst. If, for
instance, men in business of various
kinds should conclude, after achieving
competence, that "cnough is rs good
as FEAST and should resolve, as a
young man in New York recently did,
to step aside, build and adorn moderate
ly house, and spend the remaining
years of his life in self cultivation, men-
tai, moral, social and physical, the ben
eticial effect upon the world cannot be
computed, nor can he effect upon the
individuals who should carry out such
resolves. \ large class of active men
would thus secure time to deVclopc all
the best sides of their natures, would
have opportunities of aiding by thought,
word, and deed, their fellow men, and
there would, we think, be found a large
class devoted to doing good systematic
ally where now the number is so few.
Let it be remembered that the confer
ring of money is not, except III cases Of
immediate and pressing necessity, so
much benefit as the act of aiding 9TH
ers to secure for themselves relief from
want, and finally competence, and it
will be seen that men can more truly do
good aside from the use ofabsolutc riches
than with them. And the room that
would be given to others, needing room
at home, and bound to home by all the
affections which hold the more fortunate
would be better boon than transmitted
or bestowed riches. There would be a
fair chance for each to SOW and reap in
turn, and gatherin a harvest. Weknow
that thisargument is not based on W
thing real in existence, and that It's hold
on truth, if hold it has, is through the
imagination. We would not recon-
mend that it be adopted for the recon-
mend would be put aside with a patron
Using or an incredulous smile, and would
be useless. The command that chris
tians especially should be temperate in
oil things" even though wealth be one;
and that they should recognize the eX-
istence of their ncighbor every MANI
by something beyond the usual chris
tan nod each is interpreted hastily to
meet the fancicd interests of the inter
pretor, and such will continue to be the
practice so long as human nature re-
solves to retain at all hazards the max
iums of worldly wisdom But in the
mean time we shall continue to see poor
houses where there should be homes,
and the annual hegira of young men
who pull their hearts up by the roots
anu tTaHSlIldHl tucIn III iclilolc Sun, thut
they may escape the overshadowing of
established wealth and exclusive occu-
patton, and may secure to themselves
some needed share of the dew and sun
shine which a bOuntiful heaven sends
down not for one but for all. And we
shall also see men bending all the ener-
gies that heaven gave them to the sell
fish accumulation of more and more of
that which can only benefit them to
limited extent here, and not at all in
the unknown hereafter, where the
wealth of the soul and not the dollars of
mammon are rung and tested on the
counter behind which stands truer
judge than man.