The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-06-13
Scraps and Quibbies--By An Amateur
Philosopher.

xQ1oSOpAeI'
The idle musings OF an amateur
philosopher may not be worth much,
but that depends upon great many
adventurous circumstances. We do
not all think alike. II we did, life
would lack that variety which has
been said to be its spice. We are all
prone to think that our way is the
best way, and some Of US are like the
old man who, in acknowledging the
truth Of the adage quoted above, was
sure that were it otherwise everybo,
dy would have wanted his homely
old Betsey.
LIFE has many queer features
anyway, If one will stop long enough
to think about it. We are not con-
suited as to either our advent or de.
parture. If we had been many of US
would not have chosen to come, and
it is certain that none of would elect
to go. Finding ourselves here with.
out any voli.ion of our Own, we may
or may not, as our own peculiar fan
cy dictates, determine that we are
free agents or argue that we are vic.
tins of a remerseless destiny, and
the result is the 8 me in either case.
We follow, day BY day, the treadmill
round Of our daily existence, and,
happy or unhappy, prosperous or
perplexed, each nightfsll finds US
nearer the end we dread, and every
morning requires US to take up the
task where We left it of the night
before.
--WHAT, then, shall philosophy
say Of life2 Ii we are. to regard it as
burden that we may neither lay
down nor shake of If we are to wear
it as did Nemesis bis shirt or bear it
as did the told man of the sea" his
load, then prudence says and philos.
ophy endorses the wisdom Of the say:
ing, that We must be patient above
all else-cbeerful If we can, light.
hearted and gay If We can forget
bnt always patient. Patience on q
monument smiling at grief is les.
son OF life taught by the poet of no
meaner significance than the "Know
''iThyself" Of the Delphie Oracle.
Bur, says human nature, how am
l 10 be patient when l have been i'm.
patient so long that it has grown to
be second nature and when 90
many things happen everyday to
worry and bother the life out of me?
The amateur philosopher replies that
the sum and substance Of the whole
matter is compromised in one little
word Of three syllables-tr.y. You
can't do it without trying. You may
accomplish the task by trying. But
again says b. n, Suppose l try and
fail7" Then says the a. p. Try again.
"And then ii l again faiI3'' Try once
more. "Oh, pshaw!'' says human
nature, "there is too much trying
and goes on in the same old way
fretting and fuming at trouble and
grumbIing at care. II one tries and
succeeds aud thousand try and foil,
it does not prove that philosophy is
wrong, but it does show that human
nature is weak, which nobody de.
MES and it is not required to prove.
III the only fault We had to find
with poor, frail human nature, was
its weakness, we might overlook that
one foibie aud fiatter ourselves upon
our similitude to the angels. But,
unfortunately, there are numerous
other shortcomings, 90 account of
which we have to quarrel with it,
II the eloquent Apostle puts charity
meaning thereby sympathetic
thought and lenient judgment of the
imperfections of others, more than
the mere giving of aims to the needy
at the head OF all the virtues in
the category, the converse of the
proposition ought also to be trne and
the want Of it, should be the highest
moral of crimes. And yet how un.
charitable we are! How many of Us
love to pick our neighbor literally to
pieces that we may fatten our hate
upon the slaughtered remains! How
apt we are to give full credence and
ready belief to the tale of evil and
how chary we are of our faith in the
good and pure! ITO the pure mind.
ed all things are pure" and the fault
is very often with our own want OF it.
we are also much given to sci
ashness, which is fairly entitled to
rank next in the list of moral i'm per.
fections and selfisbness stands spon,
scr for many other sins. !. II We
thought less of ourselves and more
Of others many Of our troubles would
disappear as if by magic. Philoso-
ply says that true wisdom consists
in making life cheerful aud bright
in looking always upon the bright
side. Of things and in the effort to |
make others happy. We thus secure
Dur own happiness. |
WAR then says human nature
20 philosophy: can I altogether |
vile? Is there no good ia me?" By
10 means so, is the reply. There is
'oms good, but i. is so mixed With
Evil that the good ,is not always
known. Moreover, Erue worth is al.
ways modest and does not parade it.
'e'f Tor inspection. 1t il to be found
n the quiet walks and corners and
u oas.of-the.way places where you
Tould least expect to find it. 1t is
philosophical to hunt for it, praise
e when fnnnt1 and fro - :.:. >.