Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-02-19
Hope

FOR the HERALD.
Hope, or anticipation, is a natural
faculty of the mind, through which
we contemplate the future with
bright expectations OF happiness and
success. 1t is de handspring TO &C
ton. With what pleasure docs youth
look forward to manhood? When
manhood arrives what energy is put
forth to accomplish our desires, in
expectation of enjoying the fruits of
our laborsl Hope is the great in
centive to human effort. This facul-
ty expects to obtain and enjoy what
the other faculties desire. "Man is
related to the past by memory, to
the present by experience, and to the
future by anticipation" He is also
adapted to the future as well as the
present; because what he does at
one time affects him always after
ward
We can appoint future times and
seasons for doing particular things,
and by law of our being we are
compelled to wait for the future in
order to enjoy the full fruition of our
labors. Nature spreads futurity be.
fore us, and bids US SOW that we may
reap. And the more abundantly we
provide for our prospective happiness
the more we may reasonably expect
to enjoy.
This faculty spurs us on to effort.
and this contributes to success. If
we are sanguine in our anticipa-
tons, it enlarges all our plans, and
redoubles all our exertions. But for
hope the heart would break, and the
hands hang down. Without it, the
the intense yearnings of our nature
would only torment us with ardent
desires which we could never expect
to see realized, and should therefore
fail to attempt.
Hope promises US an increase OF
present enjoyment, by diminishing
the quantity and the bitterness Of
present suffering, and by predicting
that the burden will be lightened, or
that sorrows will be turned into joys;
it adds greatly to the sweetness and
the fullness of the cup of human hap.
piness, and contributes greatly to en-.
terprise and effort. How many things
do the fair promises of hope induce
us to undertake and carry through,
when without hope, the undertaking
would be secuted and abandoned.
What vivid and intense glow of de-
light is there in the mere antlcipa-
ton of future happiness and success i
With large hope we can leap the
dark chasm of death, and revel in
the prospect of bliss beyond the
shores OF time. We should"hope on,
hope ever" If we fail we should
bestir ourselves and search out some
other "peg to hang our hopes upon"
"Never give up the ship" If it
storms to day. to- morrow is the more
likely to be fair. When troubles
lower and difficulties thicken, it en-
ables us to outride the storm, by re.
membering that "the darkest hour is
just before day." and that our lot
compared with that of many others, is
quite comfortable. Difficulties throne
life's entire pathway, the very sur.
mounting of which is pleasure to
him who is resolute. Expectation
promotes every function of body and
mind. 1t redoubles all our pleasures
by enabling US to enjoy them twice
lin anticipation as well as fruition
and often confers more pleasure ir
anticipation than in enjoyment Of
them. With what pleasure do We
contemplate the future with high ex
pectations Of happiness, and dwell
upon projects and prospects witt
sanguine anticipations of success
How We feast upon the promises
of hope, and indulge in the brigh
-: - -r ~ r.-.--- Al Dr.
says,
Slope springs eternal in the human breast,
Man neveris, but always to be best"
j. A. Curtis.
Patch Grove, Wis.