The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-06-30
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"AS - - Nos AEN&tS WISE k3f- KeuA
PIC 90 Have Their Eyes Open.
The late General Henry X. Oliver used TO
say that, as O school-teacheF, he had found
It useful not to notice too many things that
happened in the school.room 1t is good
rule for the teacher to see all that is going
on, but not to make the scholars constantly
aware of it. A lady who has three servants
to manage in her domestic establishment
applies the same principle. There are some
things that she is careful not to notice,
especially not to notice OF certain times. If
she finds one of her servants out of tune she
Is careful not to strike the discordant string.
Not negligent or unconscious of her rights
IS q housekeeper, she has learned, neverthe.
less, that things move on much better when
she exercises judiciously the art of inatten
ton.
This practical rule is one which may have
a multitude of applications in daily lifo.
There are lynx eyed people who would DO
better of if their keenness of vision were
not made SO persistently offensive to those
around them. A sharp eye and a sharp
tongue often 60 together. We speak not
especially of that unwarranted censorship
which is usurped by the busy body, but SIM
ply to suggest that those who are natural or
legal censors may be little moderate in
exercising their unquestioned privileges.
If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities,n
said the Psalmist, "who shall stand rn
God, he thought, winked at good many
things that he might feel disposed to punish
severely II he judged men harshly rather
than mercifully. There is suggestion in
that text for those who are critically or un-
rnercifully watchful, who are always nagging
their children or their servants, who do not
know when a rule may be broken without
any harm to the principle or need which
suggests it. There are people who can never
divest themselves of their sense of authority,
who are SO porpetually conscious of their
right to control others that they do not learn
to control themselves. They never realize,
alas, the luxury of Withholding authority.
1t may DO useful sometimes to have eyes In
the back of ones head, but not unless there
are lids that can drop over them. II the
slow sighted lose good deal in life by not
observing enough there are those who
achieve good deal of pain from observing
altogether too much. They are made un-
happy by what they see, and they make
others unhappy, also, by their sore-eyed
solicitude.
One important element in the art of living
peacefully together is this broad minded
liberation which is not disturbed by trifes,
which is not constantly pelting offender
with rnttle of small shot discharged by a
hair trigger of conscience microscopically
sighted. There are good many things that
the sharp eyed sportsman might bring down
If he thought the game were worth the pow.
der. Who has not seen the self respecting
magnanimity with which a big Newfound-
land dog will overlook the ear splitting bark
of some little poodle that would like to OBJ
trude its insult upon his attention. But
the largcr dog is not capable of being in.
suited In that way, and he passes by as II
he were deaf to any such annoyance. IL Ia
exceedingly useful sometimes, to have this
logged inattention on two legs. If people
would only refuse to hear many things that
are meant for their ears as well us q still
larger number of things TINT are not meant
for them, thousand useless conflicts would
be avoided. Deafness is an infrmity that
may be judiciously cultivated. None so
deaf as those who won't hear" and none sc
fortunate, we may add, as those who have
acquired the temporary malady.
We commend the art of inattention to all
who need to practice tito teachers with
their scholars; employers with their work.
men; housekeepers with their servants
parents with their children TO policemen
who have good many small boys on their
beat; to horse car conductors and their
passengers; to scolding editors or their too
critical subscribers and to all those who
are tempted to see too much and to hear too
much and to feel too much at times when a
state Of passive insensibility is more blessed
than consciousness. Also for the people
who always sleep with one eye openl-
Christian Register.