Life and Literature Part 110

1519

The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident.

--_Charles Lamb._

1520

To make pleasures pleasant, shorten them.

--_Buxton._

1521

Pleasures make folks acquainted with each other, but it takes trials and griefs to make them know each other.

1522

Our sweetest pleasures--oft Are in our memories.

1523

A man would have but little pleasure if he did not sometimes flatter himself.

1524

The most delicate, the most sensible of all pleasures, consist in promoting the pleasures of others.

--_La Bruyere._

1525

ONE WAY OF AVOIDING PNEUMONIA.

When the fire in your room goes out, drop your pen, or, if reading, your book, and go out too; If you remain, and continue your work, you may regret it. Many a student in the universities, anxious to get on with his studies, has worked in a cold room and paid the penalty with--Pneumonia, ending sometimes in death.

--_Observer._

1526

Modern poets mix much water with their ink.

--_Goethe._

1527

Avoid all haste; calmness is an essential ingredient of politeness.

--_Alphonse Karr._

1528

A BUDDING CHESTERFIELD.

A small boy was at a table where his mother was not near to take care of him, and a lady next to him volunteered her services. "Let me cut your steak for you," she said; "if I can cut it the way you like it," she added, with some degree of doubt. "Thank you," the boy responded, accepting her courtesy; "I shall like it the way you cut it, even if you do not cut it the way I like it."

1529

TRUE POLITENESS.

The following beautiful incident is related of the late Prince consort.

On one occasion a humble but very worthy man who had befriended the Prince in early life called to see him, and was invited to come to the family table. He began to eat with his knife, as he had always been accustomed to do, and this excited a little quiet merriment among the young people. Prince Albert looked round upon them, as if to say, "Stop that!" and at once began himself to eat with his knife, and continued to do so to the end of the meal. After dinner, one of the children asked him why he did so. The Prince replied: "It is well enough for us to observe the etiquette of the day; but it is far more important to avoid insulting people. I wanted my old friend to enjoy his dinner, which he could not have done had he seen you laughing at him. He is accustomed to use his knife, and it would doubtless be quite difficult for him to use the fork instead."--This was genuine politeness, and the world would be happier if the same feeling were always shown.

1530

Politeness is as natural to delicate natures as perfume is to flowers; it smoothes wrinkles.

1531

Ceremonies are different in every country; but true politeness is everywhere the same.

--_Goldsmith._

1532

_Dr. Johnson_:--"Politics are now nothing more than means of rising in the world. With this sole view do men engage in politics, and their whole conduct proceeds upon it."

--_Boswell's Johnson._

1533

Few, save the poor, feel for the poor.

1534