, 1881-08-28

FAST.
TIE I,tttrfur.
Horace. in his sllrcwd analysis Of tile I'LL
man heart. firmly :unl consistently entorccs
upon the attention of his friends their need
nf becoming feeuncilesl with their lot. lie
constantly recurs 10 this. theme. 1t is the
keynote Of an extended system OF morals
which elevated him to Il rank but few de-
grees removed from that of Il Christian
philosopher. We forgive the faults and pity
the spiritual blight Of poet whose heart
and temper shed 4 mellow and sympathetic
glow upnu tile minds Of his contemporaries,
Us we judge him by the standards Of The age.
Ii he could have lived later and come under
the influence of St. Paul, his life might have
been very useful. III all that pertains to Il
Christian S usefulness.
But pagan is not wholly without useful
hess. The doctrine of cOntentntut, as
taught by Horace, should not be desDised
because lie did not preach from Il pulpit, anlt
was without the light Of a Gospel. which in
deed had not been written. \ wise
lrecept, though it loscs something of
its force. loses nothing of its virtue auu
value when conceived by the mind Of
:: pagan philosopher. Were Contucius,
l'iate, and Marcus AureIius alive. would We
liot love to sit at their feet and listen to their
1n:Nims? Their sayings would not carry to
Christian hearts the conviction Of pulpit Ut
terances. but they would !e listened to with
breathess Interest. so Horace may become
II safe a1Ad useful guide tn i disciplined mind
in certain critical stages of fitt. For !,
malcnntent. with a manifest desire fur some
wtln'.sa'e nle1ltal stinlnlant, | should un-
l"sltatinsly prescribe Horace and prescribe
.luvenal. Nt cannot appreciaiiyely re:ti
the Sweet-te1nDered Hcnusian without en-
largiRg our mental conceptions and finding 4
Eey iisit will somehow tit the i'rohici of
life. lie related himself closely with the
heart uf nature anu studied tile heart of man.
lie lDycd the sunshine, he loved his friends;
tie Wis fond ut liustc anu books; liz knew
where the brightest lowers grew, he lid not
dlsdaln 1riilcss he had a hook FOR every
for every lnlulor; he was more concerned
rs 10 tie state Of. his mind than rs to tie
state Of his fortune. One is reminded. in his
charming letters to MNcc.las. That the secret
nf our desires. and see whether they arise
from want- Or from caprice and flMnlor. Here
Is the philosophers stone; LET him dispute it
who dare! Horace on his Sabine farm, din
friends, Is happier than Augustus OH his
throne surrounded by parasites ami cuurt-
iers. 20 rus he cNc1ain.s i'll ono ut his sat
Tres Of his ';;ie Sal'inc rst.e "4u4n.o go
at his n.adrst banquets! lie distostrses with
his friends an tli. nature OF tile sovereign
nt,nI and Of the folly Af riches. They dis
t.,,ss friendship and the pleasures ri r,tr:,t
life. they feel no anxiety from ambition: they
arc Indifferent u the capriccs uf fortune.
Their tastes are simple: their desires Il, not
exceed tie limits ri their purse: Il spiritual
disciulirc-a spiritual awakening from tho
superstition aud itlulatry Of tue lgc-wouli
have made them.s sup:.lnely happy.
Wheu tiisco1,tcn1ct we arc Inclined to un-
dt,ryu]i,u the affections Of the heart. "Prop-
Dcrty.'' snys a late writer. "doe5 mt consist
merely of marks and palaces br.,ad acres,
funds in nluny forms, services af plate and
COLLECTIONS oi pictures The affections Of the
heart are property and the sympathy Of the
Happiness cannos be t',ught with gold; con-
v.! % = .uie r,o ~ f ,,t,,,''t
;s hnr,, ~ ~ i ~ .,,,r. ~, ~ ::t,,rn.s
ftni. ~ . 1>aI;nF In H.. ,nn,.,I ,Jir,itv nf ina
mind and the affections Of the Heart: of an
cytllne,s Of temper: of an aUl,cgltion Of self;
nf Seli:nl1Stcry Wien men l,1:nsle ulssatis- !
tfG WY .,l ''t .f & uo no ,;t nv" ~ lt t e t
sirrs ol the heart 3; Nas ;l,cr.. ever a llannv |
King or Emperor There eau be no iappi- |
1l:ss "nsre t There Is no caplr,!y Tor ilappl- !
i.,t ,,..r',,, ~, NIX ,,. ,eu .,.,,+, 'i VII l
hus trausforlnc,l men into :.ai1ey-sl,yes: |
~.