The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-13
Is 1t wicked to Laugh !
BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.

Is It wicked to laugh in meeting? Then
why does Providence permit honest and
well meaning souls to he tempted beyond
what they are able to bear? There is some
thing intensely provoking to laughter in the
fact that it is Inappropriate 1t is just that
which sets it off. One sees something
which is of itself comical. But with prop
or self control he restraints the impulse of
the laughter, and is nearly well again, when
the thought Shoots across his mlnd. 'Nhu
If should laugh out loud-hOw DeaSG-A--'
pleton would look, and how absurd and in
congruous merriment would be just now
or that very incOngruity sets off the imp
like faculty of mirth with n new rush-t
glows, it giggles, it gushes out in suppress
ed laughter coming through the nosc-split
up--shattered, and finally plunged into II
handkerchief
1t is not a rational process. 1t is nm at
tack as much rs paralysis or Chills and
fever, or any form OF commissions. Some
are peculiarly liable to these attacks; some
seem utterly insensitive both to the effect
and the cause. We have seen people col
lapse in the presence of some ludiCrous
event, without power of speaking or Of
controlling their limbs, and even unable to
laugh in any normal way, but quivcr and
shake like a pyramid of jelly, until the
violence of the attack passed over, and then
utterly Dissolve in laughter.
We once stood by the side of IN open
grave around which mourncrs were assem-
bling. The circumstances were very sud.
and the grief was like midnight. As the
company came near. one of those pert
little dogs, whose eye WAS full Of inc!l.-
gence, made his way suddenly To the heap
of earth on one side of the crave and looked
down into the opening with look full of
radiant curiosity, and thea he looked up
and cast n knowing rloncr around line ms
semblv. AS much as to say. .\Vcll. really.
should like To know what all of this
means"
Now. one could withstand this hut
when one of The workmeu drove at h,n.
and the dor lic,tan 10 scrabble on tbp
crumblinr. prccintious earth. and finally
made a itlmp. and landed in the crave. and
the man rot down after him and russell
ensued. how could blame some very we'll
| behaved bows for laurhinc ont ;.|oul g.
| though they themselves were very mitch
ashamed OF il and rot behind the old folks
| and looked off into the distance Is if thpy
were survcvinr the hills and Loriznni
We knew a clergyman who. willie Living.
in the west. edited horticultural mao
| azine. II fell TO his LOT TO enter mon n
| sharp controversy with Mr. fIoycy of Bos.
| ton. on the strawberry question. i'm which
he gained the applause OF certain gardeners
and cultivators. The said CLERGYMAN.
visiting Boston. dined with that eminent
horticnlturist, Marshall p Wilder. Mt his
place in Dorchester. and was by him intro
tuced to his head gardener as the editor of
the Farm and Gardener He. not
dreaming thai the editor was clergy
man too, began at once to enter into
the strawberry question. with large use
of those adiectives and interiections which
are regarded as proflne He ran ON with
| his statements, wound them up with vol
| ley of words not found in the Liturgy, and,
p0king the clerical editor familiarly in the
ribs, would say, "NOw, don't that express
your mind ?"
The proper thing, doubtless for the cel-
gyman, was to have disclosed his vocation
and administered timely rebule hut hu-
man nature was too strong. and he told me
that he sunk into his chair with immodcr-
ate nil III, at the idea of mans bringing
oaths to such a market in such innocent
unconsciousness
What shall be done with stories that arc
excessively eomical. and that fly in and out
of the memory with the untimed familari.
ty of summer flies ? Some men are like