The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-02-27
As We see Things.

There have been philosophers who de-
clNrcd that the earth on which we stand
and the stars on which we gaze have no
real existence, but are merely the out
comes of cur inner selves Perhaps the
best answer to this is that the mind it.
self, at least that of most people, refuses
to receive the idea. The difference be-
tween the me and the not me is too
sharply defined in the inner conscious
ness to permit Bishop Berkeley's notion
from taking root within us.
Yet we cannot afford to overlook the
germ of truth which this idea contains
Though not literally the creation Of our
thought, the outer world is to each one
of US largely that which we make it,
Nature herself, in all her varied scenes,
whatever she may be in reality, shows
herself to us in the light which we
throw upon her. One man looks at
landscape and sees land and water, grass
and trees hills and plains, and nothing
more. Another, farmer, sees the grow
ing crops, the fallow land, the noxious
weeds, the prospect for future tillage
and the obstacles to be overcome. An
other, with painters eye, sees every
variety of form and color, proportion and
perspective, harmony and contrast,
beauty and sublimity To the melan-
choly man all is tinctured with gloom
"a leaden pail covers even the gayest
'scenes-while to the joyous everything
seems bright and glad, and even the
dreariest of November days only sug-
gests the radiant sunlight that is sure
later on to struggle through the clouds.
So with the sights of city. For each
of US as they take on the aspect of our
own mental condition. How differently
they impress the citizen who has spent
his life among them from the foreigner
who views them for the first timel What
q different message the stately and mag
nificent buildings bear to the absorbed
man Of business and to the architect
who appreciates every detail of their
construction
If there is so wide divergence in the
aspect which inanimate things have for
us, the difference is still greater in the
way we regard the men and women by
whom we are surrounded Character is
a complex thing, difficult to detect, i'm
possible to fathom, yet we presumptu-
ously venture to gauge and pronounce
upon 1t with the smallest modicum of
knowledge. 1t 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 no
virtue One will put faith in him; an
other will suspect his every action. One
l., &@l,
will think him affectionate and kind.
1t must be that their own personalities
are reflected in him, and that to GER
tain extent he does thus become for
time, while under their influence, what
they suppose him to be always 1t is
certainly true that the good and gentle
find far more goodness and gentleness
In the world than those who are def
cient in such qualities. 1t Is the selfish
man who is the keenest to detect selfish
ness in others it is the overbearing who
complain most Of the 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 we meet By subtle
magnetism we draw like to like and
evolve out of other personalities the
characteristics of our own
Even the outward circumstances of
life are largely what we ourselves make
| tbnx, 10 4
prosperity blessing and adversely a
cnrse, but quite frequently they change
places 1t is the spirit in which they are
received that determines their result.
The rich and self indulgent man, sur
rounded by luxury and opportunity, may
be far less happy than his poorer neigh
Dor who brings industry, fidelity and
generosity into constant exercise The
same privileges that raise one young
man to honor and usefulness are snare
and temptation to another The same
recreation that invigorates one enfeebles
another The same sorrow that softens
one and leads him out of self to works
Of kindness and helpfulness prostrates
another and renders him valueless 1t
is that which is within a man that sc
acts upon the externals of life as to de-
eide their results to him, and through
him to others
If this be So then happiness or wretch
edness is largely in our power and
most of our complaints only bear wit
ness to our own remissness We may
rightly recognize the futility of strug'
Cling against outward events which we
| h,,t al h,.i, ~
to bear upon them such g spirit and in
lHnanca Chull f,-T. axyil nj onO1 ND