Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-04-23
UNCONSCIOUS

UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE.
Two kinds of influence are exerted
by man. That which is active and vol
untary, by which he endeayors to sway
others BY argument or persuasion, and
that which is unconsciously flowing out
from him. The Importance Of the
former ia everywhere acknowledged,
but the latter is seldom appreciated. It
falls on the world unobserved. His
tory is silent on its effects; public laws
make no account of its mischiefs or
benefits /; the discipline of families,
societies or schools passes it BY unno.
ticed, and no human power can trace 1t
With sufficient accuracy to make its
authors responsible. Because it is thus
overlooked, it is not therefore insigui6-
cant. Nothing is moro silent than the
soft and genial light flowing sponta-
ously in all directions, and filling the
world uuconsciously withits beams. It
would scarcely wake nm infant, yet is
perpetually %recreatiug the world, and
rescuing it from darkness. Its absence
would destroy life, and render the globe
itself a dreary, useless ball. Is light
then q tame and feeble instrument, be-
cause so noiseless and so gentle, and
are the angry earthquake and the noisy
thunder superior forces in the natural
world? The greatest powers are those
| which lie behind the connections OF
nature, and the outward efforts that we
make to sway others secure bat a frac-
ton of the good or evil that is done in
the world.
Words we may control at will, but
looks, tone, motion, and conduct, all Of
which spring from the internal charac-
ter, compose a great reservoir Of infu-
snce, which is ever affecting mankind.
The child begins his life experience by
simple imitation. He LOOKS and listens,
aud soon reproduce, the petulance or
the gentlcness, the passion or the tran
quillity, that he witnesses in those
around him. He delights to copy all
that be sees and hears, and is every
moment receiving impressions which
through life cannot be removed. AS ho
grows older, the desire for appreciation
and respect for others takes the place of
imitation. Fashion, so powerful as Of
ten to become u tyrant, owes all her
strength to this unconscious influence.
Enthusiasm Of any kind kiudles aud
catches from one to another, till some
times the whole nation blazes in its
heat. Fear and superstition, party spirit
and speculation will often spread
through II circle or o community by the
magnetism Of unconscious influence,
| without any direct effort to produce
them. The Same is true of all the &C.
tive feelings and impulses Of mankind.
Even where the direct influence Of man
seems to be greatest, it is due in II large
degree to the insensible influence which
accompanies it. The heart, filed with
its subject, gives expression to the fea.
lures, tone to the voice and light TO the
eyc-all ~involuntarily, but powerfully,
aiding the language aud direct efforts.
1, is thus that hypocrisy so often fails to
produce the effect that might be ex-
peeted. Words may be used where the
heart is absent, but the effect OF earnest.
ness is hard to counterfeit.
Every one, however humble, is thus
daily and hourly altering and moulding
the character of all with WHOM he min
giles, exerting a power that will repro.
duce itself through countless genera
tions. Tho truest method Of doing
good is thus first Of all to be good then
the character will necessarily commu-
nicate good to others. An influence
will always accompany true and right
principles, while no effor, without them
can bs successful. The sun could mover
make our planets shine, were it not
itself luminous. A full surrender Ct
the heart 10 duty and TO God will make
US partakers Of His nature, aud we
shall as naturally communicate good to
Others as we receive it from Him.