2. The young man who thinks he may amuse or employ himself as he sees fit, at the same time throwing the burthen of his support on others, or leading a precarious life, on the verge of debt and bankruptcy, is a dishonor to his species. But I assert that the too common mistake, which makes men look upon the acquisition of a fortune, or the having a fine and fashionable house, as constituting success in life, is extremely pernicious. 3. Success in life consists in the proper and harmonious development of those faculties which God has given us. Now, we have faculties more important to our welfare than that of making money,- faculties more conducive to our happiness, and to our health of body and soul. There are higher and better modes of activity than those which are exhibited in multiplying dollars. 4. Men can leave to their children a better pătrimony than money; they can leave to them the worth of a good example, good habits, a religious faith, a true estimate of the desirable things of this life; resources of mind and heart, which will shed sunshine on adversity, and give a grace to prosperous fortune. - 5. "It is not wealth which is deserving of homage, but the virtues which a man exercises in the slow pursuit of wealth, the abilities so called forth, the self-denials so imposed." I have heard of two brothers, whose father died leaving them five hundred dollars apiece. "I will take this money, and make myself a rich man," said Henry, the younger brother. "I will take this money, and make my self a good man," said George, the elder. 6. Henry, who knew little beyond the multiplicationtable, abandoned all thoughts of going to school, and began by peddling goods, in a small way, over the country. He was shrewd and quick to learn what he gave his attention to; but he gave all his attention to making money. He succeeded. In one year his five hundred dollars had become a thousand. In five years it had grown to be twenty thou sand; and at the age of fifty he was worth" a million. 7. George remembered the words of the wise man : "With all thy gettings get understanding." He spent two thirds of his money in going to school, and acquiring a taste for solid knowledge. He then spent the remainder of his patrimony in purchasing a few acres of land in the neighborhood of a thriving city. He resolved on being a farmer. 8. After a lapse of thirty-five years, the two brothers met. It was at George's house. A bright, vigorous, alert man was George, though upwards of fifty-five years old. Henry, though several years younger, was very infirm. He had kept in his counting-room long after the doctors had warned him to give up business, and now he found himself stricken in health beyond repair. 9. But that was not the worst. He was out of his element when not making money. George took him into the library, and showed him a fine collection of books. Poor Henry had never cultivated a taste for reading. He looked upon the books with no more interest than he would have looked on so many bricks. George took him into his garden, but Henry began to cough, and said he was afraid of the east wind. When George pointed out to him a beautiful elm-tree, he only cried "Pshaw!” 10. George took him into his greenhouse, and talked with enthusiasm of some rare flowers, the beauty of which seemed to give the farmer great pleasure. Henry shrugged" his shoulders and yawned, saying, "Ah! I do not care for these things." George asked him if he was fond of paintings and engravings. "No, no! Don't trouble yourself," said Henry. "I can't tell one daub from another." 11. "Well, you shall hear my daughter Edith play on the piano; she is no ordinary performer, I assure you."— "Now, don't, brother—don't, if you love me!" said Henry, beseechingly: "I never could endure music."-"But what can I do to amuse you? Will you take a ride?”. "I am afraid of a horse. But, if you will drive me carefully down to your village bank, I will stop and have a chat with the president." 12. Poor Henry! Money was the one thing uppermost in his mind. To it he had sacrificed every other good thing. When, a few days afterward, he parted from his farmer brother, he laid his hand on his shoulder, and said: "George, you can just support yourself comfortably on the interest of your money, and I have got enough to buy up the whole of your town, bank and all,—and yet, your life has been a success, and mine a dead failure!" Sad, but true words! Osborne. CXXXIV.- TO THE SETTING SUN. 1. SUN of the firmament! planet of wonderment! Still art thou parting bright, shedding immortal light 2. Slow thou depart'st away, far from the realms of day, Thy last ray is streaming, thy farewell tint gleaming, 3. Thy parting brings sadness; yet nations in gladness 4. Where sleeps the thunder, there dost thou wander; 5. Grandeur and glory, they travel before thee; Darkness it flies from thee, clouds may not rise to thee, 6. All own thy influence; kindly thou dost dispense Blessings o'er nature, where'er its bounds be; Afric's lone desert, it blooms at thy presence; And Lapland is turned into summer by thee! 7. Time cannot conquer thee, age cannot alter thee, 8. Sun of the firmament! planet of wonderment! Still art thou parting bright, shedding immortal light R. GILFILLAN CXXXV. FAITH IN PROVIDENCE. 1. MUNGO PARK, during his travels in the interior of Africa, was stripped and plundered by robbers, on leaving a village called Kooma. When the robbers had left him destitute and almost naked, he sat for some time, he tells us, looking around him with amazement and terror. 2. "Whichever way I turned," he says, "nothing appeared but danger and difficulty. I saw myself in the midst of a vast wilderness, in the depth of the rainy season, naked and alone, surrounded by savage animals, and men still more savage. I was five hundred miles from the nearest European settlement. 3. "All these circumstances crowded, at once, on my recollection; and I confess that my spirits began to fail me. I considered my fate as certain, and that I had no ǎlter'native but to lie down and perish. The influence of religion, however, aided and supported me. 4. "I reflected that no human prudence or foresight could possibly have averted my present sufferings. I was, indeed, a stranger in a strange land; yet, I was still under the protecting eye of that Providence who has condescended to call himself the stranger's friend. 5. "At this moment, painful as my reflections were, the extraordinary beauty of a small moss, in fructification,TM irresistibly caught my eye. I mention this, to show from what trifling circumstances the mind will sometimes derive consolation; for, though the whole plant was not longer than the top of one of my fingers, I could not contemplate the delicate conformation of its roots, leaves and cap'sula, without admiration. ΕΙ 6. "Can that Being, thought I, who planted, watered, and brought to perfection, in this obscure part of the world, a thing which appears of so small importance, look with unconcern upon the situation and sufferings of creatures formed after his own image? Surely not. 7. "Reflections like these would not allow me to despair. I started up, and, disregarding both hunger and fatigue, travelled forward, assured that relief was at hand; and I was not disappointed." CXXXVI. JOHN LEDYARD. 1. JOHN LEDYARD, the celebrated though unfortunate adventurer, was born at Groton, in Connecticut, in 1751. From his early youth he displayed a strong propensity to visit unknown and savage countries; and, to gratify this propensity, he lived for several years among the Indians.12 He afterwards sailed round the world with Captain Cook, in the humble station of a corporal of marines. 2. On his return from this long voyage, with curiosity unsated, he determined to traverse the vast continent of America, from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean; but, being disappointed" in his design," he proceeded to Kamtschatka by land; in which arduous undertaking he encountered dangers and difficulties that would have appalled any other man but himself. |