Year: 1869

I NiAh li'NNibos w ANhNl Jul oNiNNs
in frock and trowsers, Just commenc.
ing our walk on the journey of life
There is q nurse or mentor on either
side of us well loaded with proverbs
TO discharge upon us at every corner
we turn Here aud there amongst
those fired is a golden word which
never fails, but generally il is met by
some delusive counterpart calculated
to undermine it. "Train up Il child
in the way he should 20" says some
one; "YGu cannot make a silk purse
Of a sow's ear" answers the other.
And then we journey on again until
we come into some Juvenile dilemma
from which wo know not how TO ex-
tricate ourselves, or whether it would
be best to remain as we are. In one
ear there is a whisper "Anything for
changer and our other auricular
catches the words, "Never jump out
of the frying pan into the fire" After
while we fall aweary, aud are in.
clined to rest, but are dissuaded from
so doing by the sage information that
"a rolling stone gathers no moss. "
From this we suppose that the moss
alluded 70 is something which we
must at al hazards avoid coming into
contact with, and, therefore, we in
wardly resolve TO keep continually on
the move But, alas no sooner is the
resolution made than we are astOund-
ed by hearing the very same words
used as an inducement TO quietness,
as If this moss were something where
with to line our Dest-something with
out which we must not expect 10 get
comfortably through the world
Therefore we are at last left in ignor-
ance how the words really ought TO
be understood. We advance a little
and then we fall in love, and there is
quite a war of proverbs on the subject


"Strike while the irons hot" says
Dexter. "Marry in haste and repent
at leisure" makes answer Sinister.
"Happy is the wooing that isn't long
in doing" is the ready reply. And
equally ready comes the words, "Hot-
test love is soonest cold" Aud then
the Spectator is opened, and the au-
thority of Addison brought forward
to tell us that "Those marriages gen
orally abound most in love aud con-
stanOy that are preceded by long
courtship. The passion should strike
root, and gather strength before mar
riage be grated on it. a long course
OF hopes and expectations fixes the
idea in our minds, and habituates us
to a fondness Of the persons beloved. "
And how long Addison would 90 on
we know not, for we cannot bear TO
listen 70 him on This sHbieSt, kn9wing
own marriage precepts when he mar
ried the old countess for her title. As
may be supposed, we are on the whole
very little enlightened Oh the question
by the several remarks We consider
TO marry, or not to marry, as the case
may be. We are parted from our be.
loved. Again proverbs come 10 both
er us. Hope whispers us, absence
makes the heart grow fondor." But
fear makes answer, "Out Of sight, out
OF mind" We arc, therefore, just as
much in the dark as ever, and, for
light, must bide our time. Suppose,
however that we have not married
then we are anxious to be doing some
thing. to be stirring ourselves, and
making our way in the world We
are not content with tying ourselves
down TO one hum-drum occupation,
we would be many things at once
we would be different men in one, so
we give a ready ear TO the advice,
"Keep two strings to your bowj ! but
then there is counter croak, "Be.
tween two stools you come to the
ground" We weigh the matter for n
while, and are unsettled till again VIC
hear, "Kill two birds with one stone !"
and even this fails to establish us for
a long time, for our equilibrium is
again disturbed by the words, If you
have too many irons in the fire, some
of them will burn" and we are at
last in desperation, and in firm resolve
to have our own way, are obliged to
resort to DIR. Clarke, and energetioal-
ly read, "Tbe old adage of Too many
irons in the fire is a great mistake.
You cannot have too many poker,
tongs and all--keep them all going"


On the othe hand, we will suppose
that we have married. Then, per-
chance, there comes the care of a
family. We are anxious TO know


what to do with our boys We hold
a discussion with our other self Per
haps we become rather heated in that
discussion, and she must needs say,
"Think twice before you speak once !"
quite forgetting. dear soul, that though
such words sound well as n maxim,
still, if they were acted upon, there
would be very little talking in the
world Perhaps we are wishiul TO
lead our child in some unircquented
path, where he will have elbow room,
where he can make himself seen and
known, and not be lost in the vast
crowd Of similarity. We represent
how worn out are all the ordinary oc-
cupations Of lie, how il is almost i'm.
possible in any OF them above medioc-
iity. She is anxious TO agree with


us, and says, ayes, Everything is the
worse for wearing "No, no"
we answer, "not eUerWhiRg We
don't want so mach concession MS that.
Surely virtue, goodness, kindness, and
love, are not the worse for wearing


Why, then, say eUeryfhiHg p She sees
that she Is equally wrong, both when
she agrees with, and when she differs
from us so. probably, she concludes
to leave the matter entirely IN our
own hands. Not so is it, however,
with the Mentors at our elbows They
will not let MS make our children any
thing out Of the common way. They


UH keep whispering, "Nevor wade in
unknown waters !" and vainly do We
urge that il has only been by wading
in unknown waters that all great dis
coverics have been made, and all great
deeds achieved, since the worldhogan.