Essays Written in the Intervals of BusinessW. Pickering, 1841 - 128 pages |
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action advice agents aids to contentment answer arguments avoid Bacon bear better body bring character and conduct charity CHISWICK choice circumstances conceal consider consult Council course danger deal decision depend domestic rule duties endeavour Epicurean evil EXERCISE OF BENEVOLENCE expect express falsehood fancy fear feelings folly give hard matter hear heart imagination inclined Indolent insects instance interest interview Jews judging judgment kind labour lence less look love of truth man's mand matter means men's character ments method mind moral motives nature ness never number of persons object observed occasion opinion party party-spirit perceive perhaps political practical wisdom prejudices present principles purpose quire reason requires satis secrecy secret seldom self-discipline selfish sometimes sort sure sympathy tain thing tion TREATMENT OF SUITORS trifling uncharitable understand views wish words worldly writing wrong
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Page 5 - But this is that which will indeed dignify and exalt knowledge, if contemplation and action may be more nearly and straitly conjoined and united together than they have been; a conjunction like unto that of the two highest planets, Saturn the planet of rest and contemplation, and Jupiter the planet of civil society and action.
Page 126 - that there is a great deal to be said on both " sides of the question," — phrases which may belong to indolence as well as to charity and candour.
Page 20 - Infinite toil would not enable you to sweep away a mist ; but, by ascending a little, you may often look over it altogether. So it is with our moral improvement: we wrestle fiercely with a vicious habit, which would have no hold upon us if we ascended into a higher moral atmosphere.
Page 15 - ... to be done in a matter, the time for grieving about it has not come. But when the subject for grief is fixed and inevitable, sorrow is to be borne like pain. It is only a paroxysm of either that can justify us in neglecting the duties which no bereavement can lessen, and which no sorrow can leave us without. And we may remember that sorrow is at once, the lot, the trial, and the privilege, of man.
Page 13 - You cannot hope for anything like contentment so long as you continue to attach that ridiculous degree of importance to the events of this life which so many people are inclined to do. Observe the effect which it has upon them : they are most uncomfortable if their little projects do not turn out according to their...
Page 8 - We are oftentimes in suspense betwixt the choice of different pursuits : we choose one, at last, doubtingly, and with an unconquered hankering after the other. We find the scheme which we have chosen answer our expectations but indifferently ; most worldly projects will : we, therefore, repent of our choice, and immediately fancy happiness in the paths which we decline, and this heightens our uneasiness : we might, at least, escape the aggravation of it. It is not improbable, we had been more unhappy,...
Page 84 - ... characters of those about him. He is likely to want tact. He will be unprepared for the extent of versatility and vacillation in other men. But these defects and oversights might be remedied by consulting with persons whom he knows to be possessed of the qualities supplementary to his own. Men of much depth of mind can bear a great deal of counsel ; for it does not easily deface their own character, nor render their purposes indistinct.
Page 82 - In your converse with the world avoid anything like a juggling dexterity. The proper use of dexterity is to prevent your being circumvented by the cunning of others. It should not be aggressive.
Page 124 - Remember too, that it requires but a slight bias to send a man into a party ; for let him agree with it only in a few points, and he will be set down as belonging to it. Then, perhaps, he is called upon to act in some way or other politically, and a very little determines a man whose thoughts upon the subject altogether have been few and vague. Thus a political character is impressed upon him without his having had much to do in the matter; but, afterwards, many things will probably occur to deepen...
Page 37 - By employing himself upon any one of the above subjects, a man is likely to do some good. If he only ascertains what has been done, and what is doing, in any of these matters, he may be of great service. A man of real information becomes a centre of opinion, and therefore of action. Many a man will say:—" This is all very " true: there certainly is a great deal of " good to be done. Indeed, one is perplexed " what to choose as one's point of action; " and still more how to begin upon it.