Life and Literature Part 57

GRAt.i.tUDE.

Nought so becomes a man as grat.i.tude For good received; n.o.ble deeds are still The offspring of benevolence, whilst he With whom remembrance dies of blessings past Is vile and worthless.

--_Sophocles, born 496, B. C._

795

It is much better to make presents in articles than in money, because grat.i.tude for the latter is spent as soon as that is.

--_Jean Paul Richter._

796

Grat.i.tude, we find in the dictionary, but not often in the heart of man.

797

When the tree is felled, its shadows disappear.

(Desertion of the great by their parasites.)

--_Chinese._

798

AGAINST EXCESSIVE GRIEF.

(From a letter addressed to the Countess of Ess.e.x on the loss of her only daughter.)

"I know no duty in religion more generally agreed on, nor more justly required by G.o.d Almighty, than a perfect submission to His will in all things; nor do I think any disposition of mind can either please Him more, or become us better, than that of being satisfied with all He gives, and contented with all He takes away. None, I am sure, can be of more honor to G.o.d, nor of more ease to ourselves. For, if we consider Him as our Maker, we cannot contend with Him; if as our Father, we ought not to distrust Him: so that we may be confident whatever He does is intended for good; and whatever happens that we interpret otherwise, yet we can get nothing by repining, nor save anything by resisting.

Submission is the only way of reasoning between a creature and its Maker; and contentment in His will is the greatest duty we can pretend to, and the best remedy we can apply to all our misfortunes."

799

G.o.d'S SURE HELP IN SORROW.

Leave all to G.o.d, Forsaken one, and stay thy tears; For the Highest knows thy pain, Sees thy sufferings and thy fears; Thou shalt not wait His help in vain; Leave all to G.o.d!

Be still and trust!

For His strokes are strokes of love, Thou must for thy profit bear; He thy filial fear would move, Trust thy Father's loving care, Be still and trust!

Know G.o.d is near!

Though thou think Him far away, Though His mercy long have slept, He will come and not delay, When His child enough hath wept, For G.o.d is near!

Oh, teach Him not When and how to hear thy prayers; Never doth our G.o.d forget; He the cross who longest bears Finds his sorrows' bounds are set; Then teach Him not!

If thou love Him, Walking truly in His ways, Then no trouble, cross or death E'er shall silence faith and praise; All things serve thee here beneath, If thou love G.o.d.

_From the German of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick, 1667. Translation of Catherine Winkworth, 1855._

800

He grieves more than is necessary who grieves before it is necessary.

--_Seneca._

801

"A great Latin poet said nearly two thousand years ago:

'If you would draw tears from the eyes of others, Yourself the sign of grief must show.'"

--_From W. J. Bryan's speech in j.a.pan._

802

They truly mourn that mourn without a witness.

--_R. Baron._

803

There is no grief that time will not soften.

--_Cicero._

804

He mourns indeed who mourns when he's alone.

805

"Maybe the remark of a child I once overheard helped me to learn to complain and grumble as little as possible," said Dr. Burt. "While I was studying at Wilbraham Academy I spent a few days with this child's father, a good man but a chronic growler. We were all sitting in the parlor one night, when the question of food arose. The child, a little girl, told cleverly what each member of the household liked best.

Finally it came to the father's turn to be described as to his favorite dish.

'And what do I like, Lucy, my pet?' he said, laughingly.