Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-05-18
NOT EXACTLY NEWS.
A Few General Remarks and Familiar
Reflections.


gone to a man who has done nothing OF
any great value in verse, and stands in
marked contrast with the great poet who
preceded him. But there are good reasons
kin, though he be only fourth-rate e
verse maker. He stands easily at the
very head of English men of letters. Fol
half a century he has been writing out
his burning thoughts in the most vigor-
Gus language, and in the so-called form of
prose, but in form that is more poeti-
cal than much verse. Ruskin has almost
made the art of the present age. If he
has not. written poetry, he has had
much to say about it, and he can very
probably turn as as good verse as many
of his predecessors in this Office. Then
his political opinions are good, as be
stands for ''God and the Queen Ruskin
once called Gladstone an "old bagpipe, v
so that the grand old man shows his for
giving spirit by the appointment. 1t is
now in order for those of us who have not
already done it, to read Modern Paint
er," "The Stones of Venice" or other of
Ruskin's great books.
The man who says "it's wet day." is
having another season of great opportu-
nifty to speak out his fayorite remark.
But it makes little difference whether it
be wet or dry. If it were dry this same
man would tell you about it with the
same air of originality and discovery
with which he now says it is wet. 1t is
astonishing how this man will take you
into his confidence about the weather
If you know him, there is no use of your
going to the trouble of keeping tab on
the weather at all. Just wait until you
see him, and no matter what freak the
weather may be indulging in you will
find that he has infallibly diagnosed the
case, and will, without charge, give you
the result of his observation. He casts a
horoscope every hour or so. He is pub
lie benefactor, for he seems to go to all
this trouble with no idea except that
those whom he meets may be duly in
formed. If you are going along with
your heavy overcoat on and bowling
blizzard is blowing, without consulting
the thermometer he will say "winter,'
or "wintry," or perhaps "cold." If you
are toiling along at noon of broiling
day, gasping almost for breath, he viii
give you the key to the situation by say
ing "hot," or if he is particularly jocular
and facetiOus he will PROFOUND this
question, shot enough for you?" II you
stop and discuss the point with him, you
will find that he knows what he is talk
ing about, and is perfectly willing to give
you the grounds for his assertions. The
only disagreeable thing about him is that
he is usually, despite his apparent levity,
a pessimist, always holding the present
weather to be worse than any before
known.
A good man is one who will do his
duty if it lies in his power, and his duty
will be what his conscience tells him is
right, whether actually and apart from
him it be right or not. But if a given
action seems right to him, though every
other man of the world think it wrong,
he, if he be really good man, must fol
low the light in his own bosom. it is
not often that a man is found sufficiently
resolute to do his duty. But there is a
man in this place who had enough moral
courage to refuse to work on saloon
building. 1t hurt his conscience, and he
chose to do no violence to the voice
of divinity in him. His action was
spoken of by most men with an in
dulgent smile or scornful sneer-sel-
dom with the appreciation it deserved.
We often say of man that he has the
strength of his convictions, and we duly
admire him, because he comes out and
speaks his mind, but we rarely find a
man who has the strength of tender
conscience, nor do we give him proper
credit when we find such man. because
perhaps he makes us ashamed of our
own cowardice.