Year: 1863

If there be one thing for which man shoulc
be more grateful than another it is the pos
session of good nature / do not consider bin
good tempered who has no temper at all.
man ought TO have spirit, strong, earnest
and capable of great indignation. We like t.
hear a man thunder, once in while, if it il
genuine, and in the right way for a right man
When noble fellow is brought into contact
with mean and little ways, and is tempted by
INSCRIPTIONS natures to do unworthy things
or when a great and generous heart preceives
the wrong done by lordly strength TO shrink
ing, unprotected weakness; or when a man sees
the foul mischief that sometimes rise and coy
er the public weliares like thick cloud of poi
sonous vapors-we like to hear man express
himself with outbursts and glorious anger Il
makes us feel safer to know that there are
such men. We respect human nature all the
more TO know that it is capable of such feel
ings.


But just these men arc best capable of ood
nature. These are the men upon whom a
sweet justice in common things, and for
bearance towards men in all the details of life
and placable, patient and cheerful mind, sit
with peculiar grace.


Some men are helped to- do this by kind
Of bravery born with them. Some men are
good natured because they are benevolent, and
always feel in sunny mood; some, because
they have such vigor and robust health that
care flies off from them, and they really cannot
lcel nettled and worried; some because u sense
Of character keeps them from an overflow oil
what may be called in part animal spiits, and
in part, also, hopeful and cheerful dispositions.
But whatever be the cause or reason, is there
anything else that so much blesses man in
human lie as this voluntary or involuntary
good nature? Is there anything else that con
verts all things so much into engagement to
him? And then what glow and light be
carries with him to others Some men come
upon you like a cloud passing over the sun.
You do not know what ails you, but you feel
cold and chilly while they are about, and need
an extra handful of Goals on the fire whenever
they tarry long.


Others rise upon you like daylight. How
many times does cheerful and hopeful phys
ician cure his patient by what he has in his
medica! case! How often does the coming
ef a happy hearted friend lift you out Of a
deep despondeney, and before you are aware,
inspire you with hope and cheer. What q
gift it is to make all men better and happier
without knowing it, We don't suppose that
flowers know how sweet they are. We have
watched them. But as far as we can 6E6 out
their thoughts, flowers are Just as modest as
they are beautiful.


These roses before me. salfotare, lamarque'
and saffaron, with their geranium leaves, (rose
aud carnations and abutilOn, have made me
happy for day. Yet they stand huddled to-
gether in my picture without seeming to know
my thoughts of them, or the gracious work
which they are doing And how much more
is it 10 have a disposition that carries with it.
involuntarily, sweetness, calmenss, courage,
hope and happiness, to all who are such p
Yet this is the portion of good nature in real
large-minded, strong-natured man When it
has made him happy it has scarcely begun its
office


In this world there is so much real sorrow.
and so much unnecessary grief of fret and wor-
ry; where burdens are so heavy, and the way
so loug; where men stumble in rough paths,
and so many push them down rather than help
them up; where tears are as common as smiles
and the hearts ache so easily, but are poorly
fed on higher joys, how grateful ought we to
be that God sends along here aud there, nat
ural hcart-stringer-a man whose nature is
large and luminous, and who, by his very car
riage and spontaneous action, calms, cheers
and helps his fellows. God helps the good ma
tured, for they bless everybody else