The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-08-04
Tpe DopaIdsoqviIIe CPiec'
Two Dollars a Year.
BRIEF EDUCATIONAL ESSAYS.
Moderation in Orr Desires.
EDITOR CHIEF:
Two Dollars a Year.


EDITOR CHIEF:
The active mind of man seldom OF never
rests satisfied with its present condition,
how prosperous soever. Originally formed
for a wider range Of objects, for a higher
sphere of enjoynents, il finds itself, in eV-
cry situation Of fortune, Strengthened and
confined. Sensible Of deficiency, it is ever
sending forth the fond desire, the aspiring
wish after something beyond what is en-
joyed at present. Hence the restlessness
which prevails SO generally among man
kind. Hence that disgust of pleasures tried,
that passion for novelty, that ambition of
rising to some degree of eminence Or felic-
ity eff which only an indistinct idea has
been formed. All which may be considered
as indications Of Il certain native, original
greatness in the human soui, swelling be
yond the limits of its present condition and
pointing ut the higher objects for which it
was made. Happy if these latent remains
of our primitive state served to direct our
wishes toward their proper destination and
to lead us into the paths of true bliss.
But III this dark and bewildered state, the
aspiring tendency of our nature unfortu-
nately takes an opposite direction and feeds
n misplaced ambition. The flattering ap-
pearances which present themselves to
sense, the advantages and pleasures which
we imagine the world to be capable of
bestowing, fill up the ultimate wish of most
men. These are the objects which eGgross
their solitary musings and stimulate their
active iabors; which warm the breast Of the
young, animate the industry of the middle
aged, and often keep alive the passions of
the old until the very close of life. AS
.suredly, there is nothing unlawful i'll our
Wishing to be freed from whatever is dis
agreeable, and to obtain Il fuller enjoyment
of the comforts of life. But when these
wishes are not tempered by reason, they are
in danger of precipitatlng us into much ex-
travagance and folly. Desires and wishes
are the first springs of action. When they
become eXOrbitant, the whole character is
likely to be tainted. If we suffer orr fancy
to create to itself worlds Of ideal happiness:
it we feed our Imagination with plans of
opulence and splendor far beyond our rank:
If we fix our wishes at certain stages of
high advancement or certain degrees of I'M
common reputation Or distinction as the
sole stations of felicity, the assured conse-
Guences will be that we shall become I'M |
happy in our present state, unfit for acting
the part and discharging the duties that
belong to it; we shall discompose the peace
and order Of our minds and folnent many |
hurtful passions. Here, then, let modera- |
ton begin its reign by bringing within rea- |
Ronable bounds the wishes that we form. |
AS soon as they become extravagant let us |
check them by proper reflections on the |
fallacious nature of those objects which the
world hangs oat to allure desire.
You have strayed, my friends, from the
road which conducts to felicity. You have
dishonored the native dignity of your souls
in allowing your wishes to terminate III
nothing higher than worldly ideas of great
ness Or happiness. Your imagination roves
in land Of shadows. Unreal forms de
ceive you. It is no more than a phantom,
an illusion of happiness which attracts your
fond admiration; nay, an illusion of happi-
ness which often conceals much real mis-
cry. Do you imagine that all are happy
who have attained to those SUBMITS of dis
tlnctlon towards which your wishes aspire?
Alas! how frequently has experience showed
that where those roses were supposed to
bloom, nothing but brars and thorns grew?
Reputation, beauty, riches, grandeur, nay.
royalty itself wolld many . time have been
gladly exchanged by the peasessors for that
humble station with which you are row dis
satisfied With all that is splendid and shi-
ming in The world. it is decreed that there
should mix many deep shades of woe. On
the elevated situations of fortune the great
calanlities of life chiefly fall. There the
storm spends its violence and the thunder
breaks, while safe and unl,urt the inhabi-
liant of the vale remains unhurt below.
Retreat then from those vain and per-
nicious excursions of extravagant desire.
Satisfy yourselves with what is rational and
attainable. Train your minds to moderate
your views of human happiness. Remem-
Der and admire the wisdom of Augurs
wish: " Remove far from me vanity and
lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches
Feed me with food convenient for me, lest
be full! and deny Thee and say, Who is the
Lord? or lest be poor and steal. and take
the name Of my God i'll vain'' C.