WORDS OF WISDOM.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 10, 10 September 1874, Page 3

WORDS OF WISDOM.

Freedom is quite impossible when the youth of a country are devoid of reverence and modesty; ; ; ; , . , The desire of power to excess caused angels to fall ; the desire for knowledge to excess caused man to fall ; but in charity or love there is no excess, neither can man nor angels come inter danger by it. . Independence is a mere word, an abstract term, and, as regards mankind, it is without any- meaning, a' mere sound or ghost; there is no such thing as independence. We are all dependent, on one another, on the labor of man, on the principles and laws of nature, the 'soil the climate, the Weather, on our health and strength, and innumerable other circumstances. The most independent, or the nearest approaching to what is considered independence, is he who supports' himself by his own labour; and the most dependent is he who is supported by the labour of others.

The true reason why the societies of men are so full of tumult and disorder, so troublesome and tempestuous, is because there is so little of true religion among men ; so that, were it not for some small remainder of piety and virtue, which is yet left scattered among mankind, human society would in a short space disband and run into confusion; the earth would grow, wild, and ! become a great forest, and mankind wonld j become beasts of prey one towards another. I Belief in omens, which may be described as the offspring of superstition and ignorance, has more or less prevailed in all ages and in all parts of the World. ;; It has been a prolific source ot misery, to our species, Though as the light of religion and philosophy advances, it gradually declines, it is as yet far from being extinct. It seemt to , be perpetuated principally by what is said and done in the nursery. This suggests the importance that parents should . carefully see that those to whom they intrust the training of their children should be so enlightened as to be free from all superstitious fancies, for early impressions are often deep and lasting. • < ' I have heard many women complaining of their husband's neglect of home. A spoonful of honey will, keep more, bees in the hive than will ten of vinegar. • How frequently do we hear parents say, "My children are so. very unruly." I believe young minds are something like young trees; much depends upon training. Many women, and men also, complain of having too much work. If they attended to their, own business only, they would do much to , ease themselves. lam acquainted with an old bachelor who loves. to be teUing the miseries of married men. My slight, knowledge of physiognomy teaches me that he ia not the happiest man alive. Crates, the philosopher, used to stand ia the highest places of the city and cry out to the inhabitants, *• Why do you toil to get estates for your, children, when you take no care of their, education?" This is, aa Diogenes said, to take care of the shoe, but none of the foot that is to wear it— to take great pains for an estate for your children, but ncne at all to teach them how to use it — that is, to take great care to undo them,' but none to make them happy. The.principles of religion andyirtue must be instilled and dropped into them by such degree^ and in such a measure," bb 1 they are capable of receiving them; for children are narrowmouthed vessels; and a great deal cannot be poured into them at once. ■ -yf. Young people should' acquire the habit of correct speaking and writing,, and abandon as early as possible any use of, slang, words or phrases. The longer you put this off the more difficult the acquirement of, correct language will be; and if the golden age of joufh, the proper season for the acquisition * of language, he passed in its abuser the unfortunate victim will; moat probably, fee doomed to talk slang for life,; ,-..>, ; j An old farmer once said —"When I die, I am going to leave behind me, ai a herij tage for my children, the home where they I were born, made aa beautiful as my means aud uneducatedtaste would allow; pleasant j memories of the ' hpiae fireside and of the sunny summer days, -and a true regard for the dignity and worthiness of the calling which their father followed." (It is a capital legacy .~Ep.) ( " ? ' ''•[":'■ The highest tyjjle of matrimony Is the ideal. In that state the h mbahd and wife are absorbed; into each other by any means. The£ remain totally z separate individuals, with their own aims, desire?^ and love&j but blending as it were into one whenever union is necessary. The , wife in : thiSj marriage is no slave or ;jtby of her husband, but his equal, companion, friend, and adviser, in- 1 spirer, stimulator, and even agitator:' Him she meets with open, frank eyes, not in the barbarous \ fashiop ;©fr; Western AjEjarope, abashed and sumissiye; and hi^ on to ahigher and ; nobler life,j not adminis^ tiering f to' ■ hislbase; material comforts" and eas£ butuir^ng Wm'evw ward. The ideal husband^ fcribwing her to be his equal in "every > respect, mental and moral, naturally ,*; ! ker^iwitli^the "'-■■ deeper veneration that she is physically his /inferior: -,J ? . ' ty ;* :ir ft' ,' „ v A^Par^iiUjj^lw^^ ! |^,:leluraimg^noh^;^ was-ihosnj^^ complimented him :^4ffitt^t^-^s%^ll^^^ tion>fie-<hao* I 4thus^olfe oiny W^^§^^^^ol^^^zy ;yourseJE%.frae|^ J pnncipe*ls^^^^^ ¥wo^id^;*^l^^i|^!ii^^^^^^^||