Pearls.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 135, 9 February 1877, Page 7

Pearls.

Time i-*» gold,; throw not one minute away, hut place eac i one to account.

The path of duty is somewhat thorny j yet many a thorn do we escape by walking in it. *■ ' ' »

Superficial knowledge is like oil upon the water — it shines deceitfully, but can be easily skimmed .off.

It is a "great misfortune not to have mind, enough to speak well, nor judgment enough to b s eul — hence the origin of every impertinence.

There is a pleasure in contemplating good j there is a greater pleasure in receiving good ; but the greatest pleasure of all is in doing good, which comprehends the rest.

There is probably nothing that so obstinately stands in the way of all sorts of progress as pride of opinion, while there is nothing so foolish and so baseless as that same pride.

No man can be the friend of another unless he loves that other better than himself; and to be able to love another better than yourself is so to empty yourself of selfishness that you become better toward all the world and in all other relationships.

A man of virtue is an honour to his country, a glory to humanity, a satisfaction to himself., and a benefactor to the whole world ; he is rich without oppression or dishonesty, charitable without ostentation, courteous without deceit, and brave without vice.

When we have practised good actions a while they become easy, and when they are easy we begin to take pleasure in them, and when they please us we do them frequently ; and by frequency of acts they grow into a habit, and habit is power, and will impress itself upon all within its reach.

He who loveth his wife like himself, and honoureth her. even more than himself, • who leadeth his sons and his daughters in the path of integrity, and provides for their settlement in early life, to him may be applied the Scriptural passage, "Thou shalt know that peace shall adorn thy tent." — Talmud.

The occasions in life when we are called on to make substantial sacrifices for others, and to perform acts of heroic kindness, are rare ; but the occasions when we can show little attentions and do small human charities occur every day in the week, and almost every hour in the diy.

A man may bo as amiable and as sweet in his household as you please, and yet he may be a traitor to his country. All his personal excellencies aud virtues do not touch the question of his want of loyalty. When he defies the constitu'ion, tlie laws, and the magistracy, and spurns allegiance to them, he sets himself against the land, although in his personal disposition he may be a most excellent man.

George Elliot says : " In the old days there were angels who came an i took men by the hand aud led them by the hand from the city of destruction. We see no white- winged angels now; but yet men are led away from threatening destruction. A hand is put into into theirs which leads them forth to>wards a calm and bright land, so that they look no more backward; and the hand may he a little child's."

Luck and Labour. — It is not luck but labour that makes men. " Luck," says an able writer, "is ever waiting for something to turn up ; labour, with keen eye and strong will, always turns up something. Luck lies in bed and wishes the postman would bring him news of a legacy ; labour turns out at six, and with busy pen or ringing hammer lays tbe foundation of a competence. Luck whines ; labour whistles. Luck relies on chance ; labour on character. Luck slips downward toself-indulgence; labour strikes boldly upward, and aspires to independence."

Courtesies. — Somebody has called courtesies the small change of life. Be that as it may, we all get into a habit of expecting them, and when we do an obliging thing we hold out our hand for our " change." Most, of us keep account-books, into which we should not like to have others 100k — kept all

the same, though written only upon the pages of an uncommonly sharp memory. What we prettily call love is too often only a loan — not indeed to be paid in kind, but in degree, with handsome interest. We are affectionate and obliging and friendly, we help somebody in a moment of dire emergency, and then we hold out our hand for our " change." We are a little uneasy lest it should not be generally known how good we have been, and. lest it should be hidden under a bushel, we take all the bystanders info our confidence.

Mothers. — It cannot he denied that mothers have many cares The feeblenpss of the infant, unable to tell its wants, and be«ef by dangers to its frail life from the very beginning, makes a constant appeal to the mother when her strength is but slowly returning. What restless nights there are! ll ow many spells of sickness, witb the anxious waiting ! And, when the baby can tell its feelings and its wants, how much waywardness is to be corrected, how many ill tendencies are to be checked. 1 . Nor is it one that, is to be guarded — there is a group, a little community, a kingdom over which she is to rule, keeping,. if possible, each in a place, and giving to each its rights. The Variety of temperament is great and must be allowed for, so as to guide and restrain without repressing, and so as to be queen without being a despot.