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THE WORLD'S LACONICS.

A.

BSENCE. Absence lessens small passions, and increases great ones; as the wind extinguishes the taper, and kindles the burning dwelling.

ABSURDITIES.-There is nothing so ridiculous that has not at some time been said by some philosopher. The writers of books in Europe seem to themselves authorized to say what they please; and an ingenious philosopher among them, (Fontenelle) has openly asserted, that he would undertake to persuade the whole republic of readers to believe, that the sun was neither the cause of light nor heat, if he could only get six philosophers on his side.-Goldsmith.

ABSURDITIES, IN OURSELVES.- -To pardon those absurdities in ourselves which we cannot suffer in others, is neither bet-ter nor worse than to be more willing to be fools ourselves than to have others so.-Pope.

ABUSE-Cato, being scurrilously treated by a low and vicious fellow, quietly said to him, "A contest between us is very unequal, for thou canst bear ill language with ease, and return it with pleasure; and to me it is unusual to hear, and disagreeable to speak it."

ACCOUNTANT, THE BEST.-He is the best accountant, who can cast up correctly the sum of his own errors.-- Nevins.

ACQUAINTANCE.--If a man does not make new acquaintance as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone.-A man should keep his friendship in constant repair.-Dr. Johnson.

ACQUISITION.--An unjust acquisition is like a barbed arrow, which must be drawn backward with horrible anguish, or else will be your destruction.-Taylor.

ACTING A PART.-It is hard to personate and act a part long; for where truth is not at the bottom, nature will always be endeavoring to return, and will peep out and betray herself one time or other.--Tillotson.

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ACTIONS. The actions of men are like the index of a book; they point out what is most remarkable in them.

ACTIONS, GOOD.-Any one may do a casual act of good nature, but a continuation of them shows it is a part of the temperament.--Sterne.

ACTIVE LIFE.-No man should be so much taken up in the search of truth, as thereby to neglect the more necessary duties of active life; for after all is done, it is action only that gives a true value and commendation to virtue.— Cicero

ADVERSARIES, THEIR GOOD DEEDS.-A generous, a brave, a noble deed, performed by an adversary, commands our approbation; while in its consequences it may be acknowledged prejudicial to our particular interest.-Hume.

ADVERSITY.-The most affluent may be stript of all, and find his worldly comforts, like so many withered leaves, trop ping from him.—Sterne.

ADVERSITY, HOW TO CONDUCT -In a troubled state,

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we must do as in foul weather upon the Thames, not think to cut directly through, so that the boat may be quickly full of water, but rise and fall, as the waves do, and give as much as we conveniently can.--Selden.

ADVERSITY, ITS BENEFITS.-A smooth sea never made a skilful mariner, neither do uninterrupted prosperity and success qualify for usefulness and happiness. The storms of adversity, like those of the ocean, rouse the faculties, and excite the invention, prudence, skill and fortitude of the voyager. The martyrs of ancient times, in bracing their minds to outward calamities, acquired a loftiness of purpose and a moral heroism worth a lifetime of softness and security.

ADVERSITY, ITS EFFECTS.-Adversity exasperates fools, dejects cowards, draws out the faculties of the wise and industrious, puts the modest to the necessity of trying their skill, awes the opulent, and makes the idle industrious.

ADVERSITY, ITS SUFFERING.—Ovid finely compares a man of broken fortune to a falling column; the lower it sinks, the greater weight it is obliged to sustain. Thus, when a man has no occasion to borrow, he finds numbers willing to lend him. Should he ask his friend to lend him a hundred pounds, it is possible, from the largeness of his demand, he may find credit for twenty; and should he humbly only suc for a trifle, it is two to one whether he might be trusted for two-pence.-Goldsmith.

ADVERSITY, ITS TEACHINGS.-Difficulty is a severe instructor, set over us by the supreme ordinance of a parental guardian and legislator, who knows us better than we know our selves, as he loves us better too. He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skill. Our antago nist is our helper. This amicable conflict with difficulty obliges us to an intimate acquaintance with our object, and

compels us to consider it in all its relations. It will not suffer us to be superficial.--Burke.

ADVERSITY TRIES US.-Adversity is the trial of principle. Without it a man hardly knows whether he is honest or not. -Fielding.

ADVERSITY, WHAT IT TEACHES.—He that has never known adversity, is but half acquainted with others, or with himself. Constant success shows us but one side of the world; for as it surrounds us with friends, who will tell us only our merits, so it silences those enemies from whom only we can learn our defects.-Colton.

ADVICE AND EXAMPLE.—He that gives good advice, builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both; but he that gives good admonition and bad example, builds with one hand and pulls down with the other.-Bacon.

ADVICE, EASILY OFFERED.-There is nothing of which men are more liberal than their good advice, be their stock of it ever so small; because it seems to carry in it an intimation of their own influence, importance, or worth.-Young.

ADVICE, HOW TO BE GIVEN.—Advice and reprehension require the utmost delicacy; and painful truths should be delivered in the softest terms, and expressed no farther than is necessary to produce their due effect. A courteous man will mix what is conciliating with what is offensive; praise with censure; deference and respect, with the authority of admonition, so far as can be done in consistence with probity and honor. For the mind revolts against all censorian power, which displays pride or pleasure in finding fault; and is wounded by the bare suspicion of such disgraceful tyranny. But advice, divested of the harshness, and yet retaining the honest warmth of truth, "is like honey put round the brim

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ADVICE, HOW WE ASK IT.-We ask advice, but we mean approbation. Colton.

ADVICE OF FRIENDS.-The advice of our friends must be attended to with a judicious reserve; we must not give ourselves up to it, and blindly follow their determination, right or wrong.-Charron.

AFFECTATION.-Affectation in any part of our carriage, is lighting up a candle to our defects, and never fails to make us taken notice of, either as wanting sense, or sincerity.— Locke.

AFFECTATION, ITS FOLLY.-Men are never so ridiculous for the qualities they have, as for those they affect to have.

-Charron.

AFFECTATION, ITS NATURE AND TENDENCY.-Affectation is certain deformity; by forming themselves on fantastic models, the young begin with being ridiculous, and often end in being vicious. Blair.

AFFECTATION OF KNOWLEDGE-All false practices and affectations of knowledge are more odious to God, and deserve to be so to men, than any want or defect of knowledge can be.-Sprat.

AFFECTIONS. The affections, like the conscience, are rather to be led than driven; and it is to be feared that they who marry where they do not love, will love where they do not marry.-Fuller.

AFFLICTION.—Affliction is a school of virtue: it corrects levity, and interrupts the confidence of sinning.—Atterbury.

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