The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-01

Music is another powerful element of
sympathy. We feel the power, we are
softened by the influence, we are sub
dued and refined by the pathos, and yet
the harmony comes into our soul like a
delicious dream, not through the work
ings of the reasoning faculties, but
through the mellowing influence of ra-
dent sympathy.
Human reason has often less to do
with events than prevailing sympathetic
and initiative movements, which, be-
coming general, like the atmosphere
around us, exert an unconscious but in
ovitable pressure upon us. Even educa-
ton and culture cannot at all times resist
its influence. And it is principle tbs
asserts itself in all grades and condition,
of life. The paragon sets the fashions
the pupil unconsciously initiates the
teacher the child catches the information
of the mother, the inferior learns by i'm
gloomy spirit imparts its leaden hue to
all within its blighting shadow. On the
other hand the hopeful and cheerful and
strong infuse their hope and cheerfulness
and strength into others. And so of
kindness, forbearance, gentleness and
love; they everywhere send their genial
and benignant influence into the daily
life. We cannot say too much of the
wonderful potency of kind words. But
words both kill and cure. The poet
Keats, it is said, was killed by an article
in the Edinburgh ReUieU, and the news
papers say that sensitive young lady
died the other day from having received
an insulting valentine. If people were
always very kind to each other there
would be less sickness. The pure atmos-
phere of love and charity is to the mind
what the invigorating mountain air
is to the body. The age of peace
and justice and good will. when it
arrives, will be one of health. Envy,
hatred, covetousness, disappointed love,
scolding wives, debt and hard times are
all unwholesome things. Hope and joy
and mirth and music are often more po-
tent remedies than "drowsy sirups'' and
blister plasters. And how benevolence
and good will conduce to health! Let
nothing else enter the sick chamber but
kind, hopeful, assuring words. Es-
pecially should the physician be a man
of courage and hope and sympathy. A
long and solemn face, sad looks and
sadder words are enough to make well
man sick. Normal, healthy, enlight--
ened sympathy is one of the most charm
ing elements of human character 1t is
broad, unselfish loving, liberal and kind.
1t links us in all the finer elements of hui
man character to the universal brother
hood of hirAS 70
gether the metals, and in weeping with
those who weep, and rejoicing with
those who rejoice, it becomes one of the
most charming of the Christian graces.
Morbid sympathy, in its superstitious,
impulsive and contagious character is a
destructive and dangerous element OF
the human mind.
In the operation of the human mind
we should distrust all purely emotional
conclusions. They may chance to be
right-they may, indeed, add glow and
warmth and activity to sluggish intel
lect-but they are unsafe guides. There
is, after ALL no safety but in human rea-
son, human reason softened, refined and
guided by enlightened conscience. This
is the rock to which we must anchor if
we would not be drifted off into the UNI.
certain seas of fanaticism, speculation,
idealism, insanity.
have nothing to say against the sky
and earth, and wooded mountain slopes,
and green meadows, and still waters,
but they are devoid of sense and aztec
ton and sympathy. The brave old oak
is but giant idiot. Could the dumb,
irrational universe sympathize with us.
how it would rise in our estimation!
Suppose that the brook hummed its lul-
laby just to please us. Suppose that the
planets knew our names, and smiled on
us with affection, as the poets feign the
moon smiled on Endymion at Caria, and
for his sake caused her chariot wheels to
be stayed at Latmos, Suppose that the
rose looked pretty, and blushed to in
spire us with delight, and not merely
because it could not help itself. Sup
pose the birds warbled as much for our
sake as their own (by the by, maybe
they do Suppose all this and more,
and yet the intellectual and moral world
of human thought and affection and
sympathy would still be foremost in sub
Unity and beauty.