The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1876-01-05
CoMMox-PLAcE LIFE.

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There 10 very prevalent disposition among
superficial people to despise whatever is or
binary or commonplace. Nothing excites
their admiration OF their interest but what is
rare and exceptional; Every day affairs
every day pleasures every day peopis hsvs iiU
charm for them, no power 70 rouse their at
tention Or to touch their sympathies. Nature
Il nothing to them; save III her extremes.
They can admire the lofty snountains, the
angry surf, or the far reaching prospect, but
for the peaceful valley, the tiny Book tIiSdui6t
and familiar scenes of rural life, they have no
/ Appreciation 30 ia art They delight In the
statue or the painting that presents an ideall
Of something never actually realized, but that
which, represents toitiifon-plac scenes and
people, howevef truthfu1ly; touches no re-
sponsive chord within them. In the same way
the feadihg that they prefer deals in extremes.
| Ifit be history, 1t takes Sides, presenting one
party as wholly in the right, and the other as
entirely in the wrong. If it be fiction, it's
heroes or heroines will be without flaw or
blemish, and its Williams will have no redeem
ing point Characters drawn faithfully from
actual life, with both virtues and feelings,
seem to them tame and inspid, and they have
no patience to trace the gradual development
of qualities from natural and adequate sources.
Above all, such persons depise commonplace
life. Their craving for what is unnatural. ex-
aggerated and exciting, finds but little salts
faction in their daily routine, whatever it may
be, and they become weary and Disguised
with life which seems to them meagre, fiat
and empty. They look with envious eye up
Oh the few who are distinguished by marked
abilities, or who enjoy peculiar advantages.
and they fondly imagine that If they had been
endowed with genius or wealth or power
they would have lived earnestly and well,
while now, with their commonplace talents
and circumstances, life seems hardly worth
striving for.
We can hardly overcstimate the INJURY
which such a spirit enaenders, or the degree
to which it eats away the welfare and happi-
ness of mankind. 1t is a secret but a real an
tagonst of truth. For truth dwells not in
extremes but In averages. To have correct
idea Of anything we must not be content with
viewing its edges or extreme points, we must
examine it carefully all over and thus form an
opinion. He would form totally erroneous
idea Of the earth's surface who confined his
attention to Its lofty peaks and deep volcanoes,
to the region of the poles or that Of the equa-
tor So human life or character can never be
truly estimated by dwelling on its exceptions
They may indeed attract Us By their promin-
ence, but we must always bear IN mind the
small proportion which pear TO the wnolo'
i Commonplace events eno people anu duties
occupy the bulk Of All our lvesz-tley have,
therefore, just cia'ui 70 elie 'areor pafsel our
tnoeghts energies ana iapofs' "hcn WEI
all our iove ana feverenee 70 nsroes VINO 10
not need u when we sign ai'er 'ne imposs'-
oie' ana s'rise ior 'i"' ~n'o., VIC -" never
grasp wien we oeso'e ourselves 70 rar'''es'
ana nave ho.hihg 'ea' ior our 0"a'".o'' every
day me- OF ior .hose aiou"u uS' WIN "no'"
we are IN 'ain'''Ar ','.eioou'so' We W s.os'
inJustlce 70 ''c WORM anu " o"''o'ses -
wen 70 honof noo'e men anu "onen' 70 ap-
prec'a'e greatness, " nas0 'o''y a'''s '',u .'s"
IDEAS pu' We oannos '1u'! w my =. sD.s0
tnines "h''c We "es'e'' '''o o"''es 'na' i'o
nearest 10 us unoefva''c our ir'enos uesp'sc
our MONIES OF on. ous'hess,ane Turn coiu anu
nnsympa'neuc s'ano0 On 'noSe wno'' nave
the power 70 eheer anu o'ess' h'ie Is = series
OF steps, and, II we fefuse 10 TAKE them one ny
one, we can never ascend never even under
statid or appreciate tie heights above.
Besides this, such a course actually shuts
out from those who practice it richness and
beauty of life Of which they never dream.
Only those who earnestly pursue an appointed
calling ever find its deep meanings and value.
Only those who let fibres of sympathy entwine
them W it'll the men and women close abound
them can discover the pathos and sublimity
that wells in human nature. How much Of
integri ty, Of earnest purpose, of kindness and
delicate feeling Ii yes and bears rich harvest
among those whom we, in our ignorance, call
common place, or perchance yulgar We do
not discover it, beca use we pass by IN scorn
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