The daily gazette., 1875-11-12
SeIf-Forgeifulness.

Most of us who find ourselves in The
habit of complaining of this world as
a dreary abode, a dark pilgrimage,
sad place of graves, would find il n
very different thing if for any portion
of the time while we are in 1t we could
but forget ourselves.
Forget ourselves? That is, to re-
member other people till their trials,
if they do not crowd out our personal
trials, occupy equal place with them,
till their identity looms up and cor
responds with our own; or simply,
and In better words, to love our neigh
bors as ourselves.
1t is not to be supposed that in a
phase of existence where good is still
TO be wrought out of evil on its up
ward way, and where so many various
elements are still clashing, that any
individual condition can be perfect
and permanently happy.
1t being conceded, then, that every
lot in life has its bittcrneas, while
laughter shall be mingled with sor-
row, and morning take hold of the end
of Joy" that corroding cares shall
beset the possession of our best earth
lv treasures, it becomes n self evident
truth that the chief relief from that
lot is to cease to consider it. AS a
moth doeth by a garment, and a worm
by the wood, so the sadness of man
consumeth the heart says the old
Latin Nulgate; and we can forget our
own sadness best by grieving over tho
sadness of another; by rejoicing over
another's Joy. In the one case we
shall find that ours is not an isolated
instance, but that each soul bends
beneath the weight of its own especial
cross, seems to be in comparison with
our own, yet if we took the temper.
ment and situation of its bearer with
it, we should find it just as grievous.
This-the knowledge of all this-is
grief Yet, nevertheless, it hinders
one from supposing any particular
malevolence on the part of the powers
of the universe directed at ones self,
and affords one, as we have said, the
opportunity-in bringing amusement
to those others, relief, oblivion for
the moment-of forgetting ones self
and ones own burden.
And in the other case-that of re-
joicing in the joy Of the fortunate
possessor of that blessing-the very
exertion of casting aside envy, of refu-
sing TO listen to the evil suggestion
concerning injustice, brings back a
shadow of that Joy on us; ray of
happy satisfaction, it may be also, and
gives us certainly pleasant and heart.
warming sensations that we should
not otherwise have known. Whether
we ale glad on our own account or on
another's gladncss is gladDess, and it
raises the barometer of the soul to the
mark of fair weather there; while Sc
long as we have felt that throb of
sympathy, have identified ourselves
with that other joyous soul, so long, at
any rate, we have known self.forget-
fulness and have mastered happiness,
There is one light of the stars and
another of the moon, but ali of it is
light, whether it be directly or reflect
cd.
And even if we desire the boon of
self-forgetfulness for no special grief
or outrage, for no worse trouble than
a well grown disgust of ourselves, in
sense of fatigue with our own person
ality, there is no other way to get il
| than to 90 into the personality OF 9TH
ers. The anchorite has practiced this
truth in desert caves, ceasing the re-
membrance Of his unworthiness in the
contemplation of beings and states be-
yond this mortal sphere; the dweller in
cities seeks the crowd to lose himself
there. That is very vani and shallow
nature which is so satisfied with itself
as to need no change of view, for SO
imperfect are we that the only perma.
nent happiness to be acquired, the
only tranquility of soul, must come
through this thorny path of self.forgct.
fulness. .-Harper'S Bazaar.
81 l.,