THINGS AND THOUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 86

THINGS AND THOUGHTS.

Bt John Christib.

— Vulgarity. — Everything that is unnecessary 'is vulgar. Satisfy yourself by observation and reflection that this ie so, and then apply the test to art in all its forms, and to conduct and life. Do -this, and it will " be strange if you do not learn a memorable lesson. You may even come to see that you yourself are of the type >f the Goths, who iv contradistinction to persons of the Greek type of mind, are essentially vulgar, because, in most things, they run into excess. But, apart from this, apoly the test, without to everything that lies fairly within the scope of your intelligence, and see how crude, rude, abounding in vulgarity and lacking .in urbanity^ fineness, and beauty are the productions, the things, the life, and the people that come undei your observation. This is because everything that is unnecessary is vulgar, and because the unnecessary dominates the productions and the people of the world. But this is so obvious that it is unnecessary to point it out ; wherefore, to point it out is to be guilty of vulgarity. So it is ; And I, too, talk, and lose the touch I talk of. Surely, after all, The noblest answer. unto sueh — that is, to all the noisy and impertinences of the universe — Ia perfect stillness when they brawL In fact, to take exception in anger to such things is to .emulate their vulgarity. — -.Ethical Magic. — When a man discovers and .is intellectually convinced that he is not so perfect as he thought he was, he is more perfect than he thought he was ; for his conviction is a proof that a far-off touch of humility has come to qualify the conceit which has been one of the misfeaturee of his mind. i —The Best Bred Thing in the World.— Without true charity there can be no true courtesy. Wherefore, charity is the civilest and best-bred thing in the world ; wherefore, also, the perfect gentleman is ever in spirit a true Christian, and the true Christian ever a perfect gentleman in fact and practice. — Genesis of Dissatisfaction. — Almost all the dissatisfaction in the world arises from the aversion of fools to Ihe advice given by wise men, or to the ideals set up by them. Were there no wise counsel and no ideals in the worW man would go his way and be happy — after the manner -of ah ape or a hog that is able to go its own way without reflection and without interruption. ,, — -Unmanliness and 'Manliness. — It is easy to give m, and therefore un manly to give in ; but as it is difnculi -to endure, it is therefore manly to endure ; wherefore -endure -and conquer ; "but ever -should you not conquer, still endure, an< be a man. To be weak is miserable, Doing or suffering. ~~

I —Effective Satire.— ] Effective satire presupposes a broad basis of fact for the. things satirised ; and in the satirist an undying hatred of j wrong and an equally deathless love of righteousness. Nowhere are these conditions so fully or so nobly fulfilled as they are in the -writings of Ezekiel and Juvenal, and hence these writings are the greatest and most satisfying satires in literature — that is, as satires of certain societies of men ; but on the higher plane of the challenge and arraignment of the ultimate and the universal in Nature, the corresponding positions are held by the Book of Job and the Prometheus of Eechylus. — Reason to be Ashamed. — The man who is ashamed to shed tears when Nature calls for them has reason to be ashamed of himself. PAST AND PHESENT. "When I was young I looked across the world, And burned -with indignation at the things That made a hell of what had else been h«aven ; And many a long, long day, and longer night, My spirit laboured with desire and' love To put an end to all the woes of men, "Who still, as ever, went their wonted ways. Now, which was foolishesfc — tb© men or I? Or were we both, in our respective sorts, As wise as God could make us for the time? How answer you the question, pensive friend? Or you, my philosophic college colt, Omniscient curly-pate of twenty-three? , "While you are knocking at your wisdom's door I may, in private, gossip with .myself ; Say that I worry .little; nowadays About the kinks in God Almighty's plans; But find a lot of goodliness in things, And men not half bad fellows, after all. They might b© better ; but I iave no wish To cram perfection down their narrow throats, Oi force ithen in a twinkling into right, As wrong and right are understood by me; Why, tb.at might be to leave the after times, And even the providence of God itself, With naught to do in bettering the world! I struck my blow, and neither fell nor fled; And now I think the world is fairly fair. Nay, with a little exercise of faith I feel that in the mighty by-and-bye It will be fairer than my fondest dreams, When, in " the morn and liquid dew of youth," I dreamt of making it a paradise. What says your worship's wisdom? Well, good day. While you are hatching out your answer I Will seek a sunny corner with my. book — Our Shakespeare's "Tempest," — which I read and read And ponder on, until it seems all one With Christ's immortal -Sermon on the Mount, Bound with my copy, both in fair large type; And with then spirit in my heart, my heart Grows big with .hope for all the race of -men, And knows the blessedness of faith in God. Your answer? Still a-thinking? Good! Good-bye. How sweet to part in -friendship with a friend And live at honest peace with all the world.