Year: 1870

I
men, too-are ruined for time and
eternity, by the fear Of ridicule, than
by mate depravity The fear of ridi-
cule appears to be more powerful than
words of commentator. On this
subject, the Public Ledger makes the
following commonts:-


$50 far as ridioule touches only
what is unseemly, extravagant or IN
furious, we may rightly allow our ma
tural dread Of it to influence or con-
duct But unfortunately, it is not
only upon such things that its power
is welded Too oftons 1t becomes, in
the hands of the unprincipled, a
weapon Of the most potent evil and
in proportion TO the keenness of its
shafts, is the amount Of poison il con-
veys into the hearts aud morals Of q
community.


ESPECIALLY to the young, who are
the most sensitively alive TO its infu-
ence, is its power often too fatal
Feeling their weakness, and natural
" reaching after aid and craving SYM
pathy, they are apt to lean 50 heavily
upon the pillar of human opinion that
they forfeit their own uprightness of
soul. The companions whom they in
their experience choose, or who
though circumstances cross their path,
are often such as reverse the true
scale of excellence, placing the body
above the mind, and the mind above
the heart. Strength, and activity,
wit and geniality are admired and es-
teomed far above strict integrity and
high moral principle. How many a
youth, open to good influence, has
been sunk TO the level OF the worth
less and vicious, simply by tae dread
of their sneer and fear of their con-
tempt How many young men, inno-
cent in knowledge, but weak in priu-
ciple, has been urged on little By little
to sacrifice his integrity, TO sully his
purity, and 20 steep his whole nature
IN tue depths ol sln, Simply because
he could not brave the laugh of de-
rision that would have greeted his
firm adherence to right. Many and
bitter are the struggles to forget
parents loving counsels, to overcome
vrtuOus affections, TO harden consci-
ence, that spring from this fearof ridi-
cule. Yet those who exert this power.
fal and baneful influence are the last
to whom any would go for comfort in
distress, for help IN sickness, or for
sympathy in affection. They are in
reality the selfish, the mean. the un-
feeling, who, having accomplished the
moral ruin of fellow creature, will,
when calamity overtakes him, leave
him unaided to struggle or TO sink.


"Though the dread of rdicule does
not always lead 10 such fearful lengths,
yet few, il any, are wholly free from
some Of its evil influences Itafiords
SO natural, easy, aud insidious an ex.
cuse for dereliciions in duty, that We
use ii often unconsciously TO ourselves.
Much Of the exaggeration and equivo-
cation that lead by insensible degrees
to direct falsehood; much of the ex-
travagance that threatens dishonor;
much Of the failure to reprove boldly
where duty demands il; much of the
hypocrisy that degrades mankind,
owe their origin to this debasing fear.
II is not 10 Do overcome. however. by
mere appreciation Of its evils. No
single effort of the will can free us
from its influence. Every evil Is best
vanquished oherising its contrasting
virtue SO II we would oifectually
free ourselves from the chains which
the dread Of ridicule has thrown
around us, we must erect higher
standard Of excellence than more hu-
man opinion; we must cultivate frm-
ness, stability and courage; we must
become worthy Of our own selfre-
spcct we must learn to stand alone
in conscious integrity; and when our
hearts crave. ms they will, human sup
port and sympathy, we must lean only
upon those, who, themselves climbing
the rugged paths Of virtue and self
denial, arc ever ready TO extend n
helping hand TO others'-Pub. Ledger.