Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-03-26
AS WE SEE THINGS.
INFLUENCE or THE INNER uFE ON
THE EXTERNAL WORLD.

THE EXTERNAL WORLD.
Nov an Individual or q Scene May Have
IN Entirely Different Appearances 10 Two
Psrsons-Happinsss snd sorrcw made ~
Ourselves.
There have been philosophers who do
olared that the Garth ON which we stand
and the stars ON which we gaze have no
real existence. bus are merely tho out
comes Of our inrEr selves. Perhaps the
best answer to this is that tho mind it.
self, at least that Of most people, refuses
TO rooeivo tho idea The difference be-
tween tho me and the not me Is too
sharply defined I'm the inner conscious
ness to permit Bishop Berkeley's notion
from taking root within rs.
Yet we cannot afford to overlook the
germ Of truth which this idea contains
Though not literally tho creation II our
thought the outor world Is TO each ono
Of us largely that which we mako It.
Nature herself, in oil her varied scenes,
whatever sho may be In reality, shows
herself to us In tho light which wo
throw upon her. One man looks at q
landscape and sees land and water, grass
and trees, hills and plains, and nothing
mora Another, a farmer, sees the grow
ing crops, the fallow land, the n~oxious
weeds, the prospect for future tillage
and the obstacles TO be overcome. An
other, with a painters eye, secs every
variety Of formand color, proportion and
perspective, harmony and contrast,
beauty and sublimity. To tho molnn-
choly man all is tinctured with gloom
"a leaden pail oover rel tho gayest
scenes-while to tho joyous everything
seems bright and glad, and even tho
droariest Of November days only sug-
costs the radiant sunlight that is sure
later ON to struggle through the clouds.
So with the sights of a city. For each
Of Us as they take on the aspect of our
W mental condition. How differently
they impress the citizen who has spent
his life among them from the foreigner
who views them for tho first timel What
. different message the stately and mag
nihcent buildings bear to tho absorbed
man of business and to the architect
who appreciates every detail Of their
construction
II there is 81 wide a divergence in the
aspect which inanimate things have for
us. the difference is still creator in the
way VIC regard the mon and women by
whom we are surrounded. Character is
q complex thing, difficult to detect, i'm
possible to fathom, yet we %presumptu-
ously venture to gauge and pronounce
upon it with the smallest mOdicum Of
knowledge. Il is curious to notice how
differently the same person will impress
various individuals. His friend will per-
haps see no fault in him, his enemy 70
virtue One will put faith in him; an
other will suspect his every action. On
will deem him cold hearted; another
will think him affectionate and kind.
lt must be that their own personalities
are reflected in him, and that to a Ger
tain extent he does thus become for q
time, while under their influence. what
they suppose him to DO always. It is
certainly true that tho good and gontle
find far more goodness and gentieness
in the world than those who arc def
cient in such qualities. It is the selfish
man who is tho keenost to detect selfish
ness in others; tits the overbearing who
complain most Of tho arrogance and
pride with which they are met, and the
unjust who murmur at the injustice
they receive. On the other hand, the
loving and sympathetic discover love
and sympathy everywhere; the noble
and true bring to light nobility and
truth which might otherwise be hidden.
Thus to q large extent we develop the
character of those VIC meet By n subtle
magnetism we draw like to like and
evolve cut Of other personalities the
characteristics Of our own.
Even the outward circumstances Of
life are largely what we ourselves make
them. We are accustomed to consider
prosperity a blessing and adversely q
curse, but quite frequently they change
places. Il is the spirit in which they arc
received that determines their result
The rich and self indulgent man. sur
rounded by luxury aud opportunity, may
DO far less happy than his poorer noigh-
Dor who brings industry, fidelity and
generosity into constant exercise. The
same privileges that raise one young
man to honor and usefulness are a snare
and temptation to another. The same
recreation that i~nvigorates one enfeebles
another. The same sorrow that softens
n and leads him out Of self to works
Of kindness and ~helpfulness prostrates
another and renders him valueless. It
Is that which is within a man that 30
acts upon the externals Of life as TO do
eide their results to him, and through
him to others.
II this be so, then happiness or wretch
edness is largely In our power, and
most Of our complaints only bear wit
ness to our remissnesR We may
rightly recognize the futility Of strug-
Cling against outward events which we
oanno control, but We can always bring
to bear upon them such a spirit and in
luence as shall turn evil into good and
bitter into sweet philadelphia Ledger
-- -
A Startling announcement.
An English liternrv man who was ~,