The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-07-22
A HEART In LITTLE THINGS.
BY HENRY WARD BREOHRR.


The strong are to bear with the weak
But it is not probable that we can bear witt
another, unless there is some degree O
sympathy; ifnot common feeling, at leas
common understanding. 1t is lack o
this insight and feeling of another's condi
ton and necessities that makes men in Wig
orous health impatient of the ways of in
Valids. Robust natures are likely to b,
unkind to feeble ones, either by neglectinf
them, or by severely blaming them, or by
exposing their peculiaritiss to ridicule. II
nothing il this more apparent than in the
contempt expressed by men of health anG
occupation, at the enjoyment of little things
by those who have no great things to enjoy
1t is all very we'll for those who have ex
citement more than they want, and in al
varieties, who move from place to place
see new faces, breathe new air, meet end.
less novelties of life among men, to exhori
others to employ their time in something
worthy of themselvesl
But perhaps half of mankind must ex-
tract their amusement from little things, il
they obtain amusement at ALL
How many are anchored by poverty to
one place, made to go round and round
every day over barren ground of duty
without excitement or pleasurei How many
are confined for months to single room,
and even to the bed, without health OF
strength to relieve themselves by occupa-
ton! How many are unable to read, from
defect of vision, or from want of booksl-
How many are living dd interim, as it were,
waiting for some outlet, and waiting for
weeks and monthsl How many children
there are and how many old people from
whose hands have fallen the business of
life, and who have that greatest of af1ic-
tions, nothing to dol But, even in the lie
of busy people, how many vacant hours
there are In Summer, in vacations, or dur
ing interruptions of painful waitingl
1t is to all such matter of supreme i'm
portance that they should be able to make
much of little things, and it is peculiar
misfortune to be either so unimpTessible,
or SO stupidity grand, that nothing can
amuse, unless it has some proper tone of
dignity, or some quality of usefulness.
For man III vigorous pursuit of bust
ness to drop his affairs that he may watch
fly or observe the motions of q worm, or
count the cracks in ceiling, or weave fam
ciful figures from the lines of wall paper,
or paint pictures on the Goals, or in the
ashes, may be foolish enough; but for the
same man to do it in hours of feebleness,
or when interrupted in business, is anoth-
er thing. Anything is wise and useful that
shall keep our thoughts quietly busy out
wardly. Thoughts that strike in are full of
mischief. They gnaw at our heart. They
breed sorrow and sickness. Man is the
highest study of man, doubtless, but each
one had better study some other man.
In the art of elegant leisure, and in the
art of wise trihing, our people are sadly de-
fcient. We are bred to business. We are
tempered to high excitements. We hardly
know what to do with tranquility. We be-
gin to contrive how to make it exciting.
We long to make silence talk. We stir up
quietness till we get glow upon it. We
are forever "getting up" something for va
cation amusements. 1t is riding, or row.
ing, or picknicking, or some excursion,
with its fringe and frill of excitement. We
have rest in whirl, and tranquility in a
buzz We want a friend or two in our soli-
tude to take off its solitariness.
There is such thing as exquisite enjoy
ment in simple consciousness of existence.
But few have either the perfect health or
the sweetness of soul which this demands.
But if that much-neglected and much
abused faculty of imagination were trained
from youth to clothe common life with
how few would be without amuse-
ment, even in the most Strengthened cir
Nature is full of light, and
motion, and sounds, and colors-but men
do not enjoy these things. Nature is full
of mimic life, and its life is full of strites,
pursuits, battles. peace, amity, and affec-
ton; but then men do not care for insect
life. Nature is fuA of grace and charming
variety, of hue and shape, of contrast and
analogy in her mineral garden; but then
men do not care for botany.
So then the great theatre is open, its
scenes are shifted every hour, its actors |
are innumerable and inimitable, its orches- |
ira full and tuneful, but men "having eyes |
see not, and ears hear not" They yawn |
md stretch, and wish they had something !
10 do.
To make much of little, to find reasons |
IF interest in common things, to develop a |
to mild enjoyments, to inspire |
he imagination, to throw a charm upon |
lomely and familiar things, will constitute |
/ man master of his own happiness. How
triaes may become, one may
zee by reading Cowper's letters, which for
'imple beauty have never been surpassed |
n English epistolary literature. How
nature profoundly religious may yet be FL |
ed with satisfaction in minute duties and
lomely experiences, one may read in the
etters and journeyings of Eugene de Cue
in. Christian Union.