Year: 1859

AAO IA u AUt AALGA lMAs


The art of not hearing should be
taught IN every well-regulaled family. 1t
IS full as important to domestic happiness
as a cultivated ear, for which so much
money and time are expended. There
are so many things which It IS painful 10
hear--many which we ought not to hear
very many which, if heard, will disturb
the temper, corrupt simplicity and modes
ty, detract from contentment and happi-
ness, that every one should be educated to
take IN or shut out sounds, according to
their pleasure.


If man falls into a violent passion,
and calls me all manner of names, the
first word shuts my ears, and / hear no
more. If, in my quiet voyage of life, /
find myself caught in one of those dOmes-
tic whirlwinds of scolding, shut my ears,
as sailor would furl his sails, and, max
ing all tight, scud before the gale. If
hot and restless man begins to inhame
my feelings, l consider what mischief
these fiery sparks may do in the maga
zines below where my temper is kept,
ana instantly close the door.


Does gadding, misunderstanding fell
low begin to inform me what people are
saying about me, down drops the porteul-
lis of the ear, and he cannot get IN any
further. Does the collector of a neigh
borhood's scandal ask my ear as ware
house, it instinctvely shuts up. Some
people seem anxious to hear everything
that will vex and annoy them. If it is
limited that any one has spoken evil Of
them, they set about searching the matter
and finding out. If all the petty things
said of one by needless and ill-natured
idlers were to be brought home to him, he
would become a mere walking pincushion
stuck full Of sharp remarks. should as
soon thank man for emptying upon my
bed bushel of nettles, or setting loose
a swarm of ants in my chamber, or rais-
ing pungent dust in my house generally,
as to bring upon me all tattle of careless
or spiteful people. If you would be hap
py, when among good men, open your
ears; when among bad, shut them. And
as the throat has a muscular arrangement
by which it takes care Of the air passages
of its own accord, so the ears should be
trained to an automatic dullness Of hear
ing 1t is not worth while to hear what
your servants say when they are angry;
what your children say after they have
slammed the door; what you neighbors
say about your children; what your rivals
say about your business, your dress or
your affairs.


This art Of not hearing, though un-
taught in the schools, is by no means un-
known or unpracticed in society. have
noticed that weII-bred woman never
hears an imperinent or vulgar remark.
A kind of discreet deafness saves one
from many insults, from much blame,
from not little apparent connivance in
dishOnorable conversation.


There are two doors inside my ears
right-hand door leading to the heart,
and left-hand door with a broad and
steep passage out in the open air. This
last door receives all ugliness, profanity,
vulgarity, mischief making, which sud-
denly find themselves outside Of me. Ju-
diCious teachers and indulgent parents
save young urchins a world of trouble by
a convenient deafness. Bankers and mo
ney lenders are often extremely hard of
hearing when unsafe borrowers are un-
Fortunate. / never hear a man who runs
after me when in the street, bawling my
name atthe top Of his voice; nor persons
who talk evil of those who are absent; nor
those who give me unasked advice about
ny own affairs; nor those who talk largely
about things Of which they know nothing.


If there are sounds of kindness, Of
mirth, of love, open fly my ears. But
temper, or harshness, or hatred, or vulgar
ity, shut them. If you keep your garden
gate shut, your flowers and fruit will be
safe. If you keep your door closed, no
thief will run off with your silver; and if
you keep your ears shut, your heart Will
lose neither its flowers nor its treasures.
Reynolds Miscellany.