Year: 1865

UosSip ls the taik OF people who have
more grasp of ear than brain. 1t is COLI
versntlon, not produced but merely repro
duced ideas taken in, and given out un-
changed, save in their direction. some-
what as the water out at ''the Works."
comes in at one gate and goes out another


Some folks there are who talk as if
their soul was sort of patent machine
situated somewhere between the organ of
hearings and the apparatus of speech, and
by some wonderful contrivance such as
Barnum never found, it was always kept
in running order, hurrying in at the hop
per and out at the spout, like the water
over a milldam.


Gossip is the fartherest remove from
legitimate intellectual process. There is
no more thought in it than there is in
blowing a er-horn, it eats away the
time, and the soul too--without thinking


1t involves no studious fixing of the at.
tention, no vigorous exercise Of the reason
no sitting, and determining by means of
the judgment Who ever gossips that
has an active, living earnest soul ! Who
ever gossips that is capable of holding a
thought any better than he can hold a
flea +! Gossiping needs mind enough not
to grasp an idea, turn it over and look
at it from every possible point; but sim
ply TO give it new direction, taking
pains Of course that it shall accumulate
as it goes on.


Just imagination enough TO complete
scene when IN nkling of it is heard, or to
make out notorious affair of some COM
mon-place remark, or tritlng incident.


Just enough memory to keep the latest
street news fresh for fluent Jabbling
when the first good occasion presents it,
self; Just enough conscience to allow per-
sons TO do unto others AS they would not
at all have others do by them.


Such is gossip; and need we say that
an individual with healthy mental or
moral constitution never INDUCES in this
kind OF automatic conversation.


1t l. said Of Button, that during the
time OF his morning toilet he used to lis
ten 10 the village gossip as rchcarsc by
his barber; but it will not he tor NOM
eni supposed that he troubled himself to
answer in these auroral chit chats.


1t was with him, probably, rs with
Christopher North, IA way TO become
acquainted with human nature. noting
the signs Of the times idly wasted reports,
and the senseless babble of newsmongcr>." !"
His own words Of instruction and clo-
quencc, fresh as they always were from
the skillful alcmbic of soul that was a
soul, were evidence enough how ho must
have used the knowledge lie gained in
this way.


And yet shallow and wicked az gossip
| is, is it not to be feared that many in
dulge in it thoughtlessly, from mere hab-
it, without thinking of the degrading
thing it really ls, or the terrible evil to
which it, leads Above all, II lady
should not gosoip-nay more, u h,{g can
not gossip. a pure, good, sweel-lippcd
woman can no more indulge in this kind
! of entertainment than rose could take
in exchange for its own the nature of a
thistle. a loving, sweet-iaccd woman,
the representative, the symbol of the
beautiful in human thought, the spiritual
in human wisdom, the perfect in human
virtue, the gentle in human love, the
charmer, the consoler. the comforter, the
improver of man, elevating Ills tastes,
smoothing his manners, ennobling, making
better-not as butterfly, in costly dress
and exquisite lace-but by her thousand
nameess graces; by her acts of gentle
ness and sincere devotion; her soothing,
touching, winning, eloquent words.


1t is of no consequence what her for
tune or sphere in society may be, wheth-
er she be married or single, player on
the piano or at the wash-tub--whateve
or wherever she is, this sceptre is hers if
she wills TO hold it--a sceptre more pow
erfal than ever CTsar or Napoleon had
the audadity to claim or WELD.