The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-11
THE FITNESS OF rHINGs-ADAP-
TATIONS.

TATIONS.
IF music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
Twelfth Night.
whip me, we devils,
Blow me about in winds! Roast me in
sulphur!
Wash me in steep down. gulf Of liquid
TIRE"
-Othello.
Our hearts and minds are reached
through our senses. AS face answers
face in the water, so the heart of MAJ
to man. And like causes produce like
elects on us all. We are more or less
made glad Ny agreeable and pleasant
things, or sad and sorrowful by what IS
painful and distressing. The natural ef-
feet of the sight and sound of young
people, gay and bright and happy, is to
quicken and brighten our own hearts and
Till them with delight. The sight and
sound of suffering fill us with gloom and
sadness SO all our emotions are awak-
ened and moved and Subdued by causes
that we recognize and become familiar
with. TO know the cause of things is
useful knowledge. And the possession,
more or less, Of this useful knowledge
makes the difference between intelligent
and ignorant, well-bred and ill-bred peo-
pie Man is spoken of as a harp of 4
thousand strings. As he is servie to
skyey Influences, so he is responsive to a
thousand other influences that make his
Utmost chords to murnur within his bos-
ON, or give out their tones.
Ihere are times and places for all
things: times and places in which to be
gay, and times and places in which to be
sad: times and places in which to weep
and times and places in which to laugh.
All things by season and fitness sea-
soned, are to their best use and true
perfection and best service. Songs to a
glad heart are delightful; to heavy
heart they are untimely and miserable.
1t is a terrible sight: Moody madness
laughing wild amid severest woe.
Our instincts and cravings determine
the fitness of things and incline us to
make or choose our surroundings. In
sorrow We crave retired and solemn
places, and sad and mournful surround
ings, just as In joy We desire the very
opposite.
Outward things have a language that
appeals to our hearts: that arouses, ex-
ats or subdues. quiets and solemnizes them
And they help US as they seem to eX-
press our feelings, and sympathize with
US: to harmonic with the music or color
of our souls. Out of keeping with our
hearts and minds, places and circum-
stances are as vinegar to the teeth or
smoke to the eyes or as the cracking of
a dry wheel on an axle-tree. They make
us miserable.
It is very idle thing for man to
boast or think that he can be superior
to or independent of his surroundings or
his wrappings 1.-The apparel oft be
speaks the man. says our great author
1ry. And IAN unbuttoned vest bespeaks
an unbuttoned mind says another. The
same man is one thing. unkelnpt, unwash-
ed and ragged: and quite another when
washed and clean and well-dressed So
also he is one thing in an ugly. uncom-
Portable barn, and quite another in
genteel and pleasant room. AS rule, we
are going to be lin harmony with our
surroundings
Things outward
DO draw the inward quality after them
To suffer all alike
The Great Creator has fitted the abode
or man. the earthly nursery of the Inn
mortal. on these principles. and after
4 fashion suited to Ills greatness. The
giories OF the earth and heavens be-
speak The tender ioving- blindness and
sympathetic and assiduous watchfulness
and care OF the Father.
When man makes and provides his own
clothing. and builds and furnishes his
own house. he unfolds and expresses. and
mantrests hamself-displays his heart and
mind.
we Judge OF man and family by his
drers, his house, and .ts furnishings, Just
az Ne DO BY their manners and bearings.
and conversation and expression OF coun-
tenance. Good taste. or bad taste. or am
Ss,@fto ,f~o vlS., ~