Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-02-09
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COMM ENT
Good Nature and Its Eff cts.


Sir Arthur Helps remarks that there
are two great classes of promoters of
social appiness-cheerful people and
people who have some reticence." Those
referred to as the reticent are of the
equable temperament which avoids
hasty judgments, prevents misunder-
standings and does not provoke strife.
The cheerful people are those who look
on the bright side of life. are not
searching for evil, constantly see the
best and seem to be following naturally
the injunction which the great English
judge, Sir Matthew Hale, included in
his directions which he bequeathed rs
legacy to his children for the right Or
dering of their lives:
Speak we'll of the absent whenever
you have an opportunity. Never speak
i'll of them or OF anybody unless yon
are sure they deserve it, and unless It
is necessary for their amendment or for
the safety and benefit of others"
The basis of cheerfulness is good ma
ture, which surpasses nearly all quail
ties in conciliating others and in max
ing our own progress through life, even
when we are beset with difficulties ana
sorrows. easy and smooth. Many able
writer's on the conduct OF life have OBJ
served how some men with the most
splendid intellectual gifts with iron
will, with wit honesty, courage and ali
the qualities and characteristics that
, deserve success. have failed lamentably
because they have lacked the good ma
ture which secures the attachment of
others; while men of much inferior
/ ability seize success almost without eff
+ fort.
The man of good nature is well dis
posed toward the world and is willing
to make some sacrifices of his own com :
fort for the sake of practicing his good
nature. Sometimes, on account of i'll
health, sorrow, troubles, bad fortune,
it requires a great effort for the man
of sound, good, or what may be called
the thoroughly social nature to be good
natured in the ordinary sense. a man
who makes his effort and succeeds, in
spite of infirmitieS and all obstacles, in
showing a placid, CHEEKY and smiling
face to the world, achieves a great tri-
umph. He is one of the indubita BILE
blessings Of the earth. You recognize
his family because they reflect in their
faces and in their characters his own
self. Darkening shadows depart when
he appears, misgivings and doubts dis
appear in his presence, his neighbors
and his friends are the better for his
influence, and when he departs from
the world his going is as much ca
lamity as the removal of a physician
from beleaguered city in the time OF
pestilenoe.
| The constant exhibition of good ma
ture depends measurably upon health
and circumstances, but it depends alst
upon our own efforts. Marcus Aurelius
said: Such as are thy thoughts, suci
also will be the character Of thy mind
for the soul is dyed by the thoughts
; The good-natured attitude is largely
due to our self-control, and to the CON
slant and determined effort which il
the end becomes habit. And one of thu
most frequent obstacles to the forma.
ton of good temper is the failure t,
make due allowance for the failings G.
others. No one has spoken more WISE,
and justly on this subject than Tnoma.
a kempis, who said:
"EndeavCr to be patient in bearing
with the infirmities and defects OF
others, of what sort soever they may
be: for that thou myself has also man,
failinSs which must be borne with BY
! others. If thou canst not make thysel
such a one as thou wouldst, how cal
thou expect to have another in all re-
spects to thy liking? We would vii
lingly have others perfect, and yet W.
amend not our own faults. "-Philadel
phia Ledger