reproach to all who reason as you do. You may rather pity this man, that he is not as well informed as you are in the use of money. Or, he may deserve your compassion for having perverted a rational principle of action, by long continued practice, which has become inveterate habit. But this same person dares to judge of you. He dislikes your manners, your political or religious principles; he holds you in contempt for your ignorance of the value of money. Were you right, and this person also, right, in your respective judgments?—The moral law says that both of you are wrong. It says, that both of you have violated the law of charity. By the same law, perhaps, both of you are wrong, not from intention, but from ignorance. Him of whom you judged may be wrong in his value of money; most unfortunately wrong for himself, and for others; but he knows it not. Neither do you know, how much you err in those things whereof you are judged. What then is your duty? Is it not to be charitable to the faults and failings of others, that others may have charity for you? CHAPTER XXXIII. Same subject continued. GENTLENESS; TRIFLES; PEACE OF MIND; HAPPINESS. 322. Gentleness. This is an element in civility, politeness, and charity, so truly important that it deserves a special notice. It is manifested in numberless modes, when one is active, and when one is passive. It is a most precious quality among those who must pass their time in each other's society. Gentleness is exhibited in moderation of speaking, and in the tones of voice. There is an indescribable charm in a gentle sweet-toned voice, especially in the female sex. So, a loud, boisterous, and rap id tone, always indicates a vulgar mind, and an undisciplined heart. There are persons in society, who have received a good education, who are of good intentions, and who are of unimpeachable morals, who are positively disagreeable, and who do not pass for half their worth, merely from their peculiar tones of voice. This wonderful gift of speech, has some unknown connexion with the intellectual and moral powers. No well disciplined moral being, can have a really disagreeable voice. The cultivation of the mind, and the softening of the heart to human sympathies, must produce a gentleness in the expression of the sentiments which flow from the heart. The connexion between a pleasing voice, and a good heart, is well worth a philosophical inquiry. Young persons can easily institute such inquiry by critical examination of themselves, and their associates. 323. Gentleness is also manifested in personal deportment. There is a collected, calm, respectful demeanor, which is grateful to every member of the human family; and the strict observance of which, in each one, would be an easy and sure mode of promoting every one's welfare. There is hardly any act, however insignificant in daily life, to which gentleness cannot impart its charm. Oue cause of disagreeableness in society, (whether it be known or unknown as the cause) is the disregard of the truly christian virtue of gentleness. This may be verified by looking into family circles. The members of these are dependent for daily comfort on this virtue. Yet it is often seen to be an article, which is to be brought out only for the use of company; or, like a best garment, only to be exhibited abroad. If civility, politeness, and gentleness are good qualities for use, among any persons, they must be especially so with those who must dwell together, and who are bound by ties of nature, and of social law, which cannot be severed. Can any reason be given why persons, so connected, should use harsh expressions, set up contradictory opinions, and in the most insignificant matters? The absence of gentleness among children, and especially members of the same family, is a reproach to the moral education of the country. If any one will take the trouble to consider what this quality is, and then to examine, critically, where and when it appears, he will be surprised to find how rare a virtue it is. Those who are so placed in society as to see a great number of persons, and under various circumstances, often acquire a discriminating tact as to character, from one's personal appearance, manner of deportment, and tones of voice. All persons who are met with, for the first time, are submitted to the scrutiny of the eye, and of the ear, which may be called the organs of the two intellectual senses. Let any one examine into the cause of his being pleased or displeased, at such interview, and he will certainly find that the first impression arose, from the presence, or absence, of gentleness. It may be taken as an unquestionable truth, that a person of sound mind, disciplined heart, and good education, is always unaffectedly gentle; and that whatsoever respect he may think himself entitled to, he never fails to manifest the respect due to all others. 324. Trifles. There are a great many trifles in this life, when considered as a whole. It is a common failing to magnify them into serious matters. It would be perhaps, descending, rather too much, to particularize them. They may relate to dress, food, vis.tings, insignificant purchases, management of children, treatment of, and remarks upon domestics; and a multitude of little matters on which difference of opinion arises. Now, it is not of the least possible consequence, in the long run, whether the matter be disposed of in one way or another, if no moral duty be broken. Tomorrow, or soon, it will be so thought of. Yet a sudden observation, in an ungentle voice, will produce an irritating reply, and this a severe rejoinder, and presently, the affair 'Resembles ocean, into tempest wrought, This ungentleness has a mournful effect on the character of children, when exhibited in parents. It is wholly useless, and worse than useless in asserting authority. It can only be classed among those sad mistakes which tend to make this a miserable world. How can any two rational beings, who must live in familiar intercourse, while they do live, so misapprehend the purposes of life, as habitually to torment each other on insignificant trifles! If any one should be unhappily betrayed into an unbecoming expression, silence best becomes those who hear it. If the case is of importance enough to need authorities, some may easily be found by all who can read.* 325. Peace of mind. Many persons pass much of their time in a state of inquietude, and constant irritation, although they are in health, and have the means of satisfying the common wants of life, and even abundantly. As to the present-they have some unreasonable desire, which cannot be satisfi ed; or which cannot be, without causing a suffering more intolerable than the unsatisfied desire. As to the past-they dwell on the memory of some good which they think might have been obtained; or on some wrong or blunder, by which some good was lost. As to the future-they dread some possible evil, and the more because of the uncertainty of its nature, and of the time and manner of its coming, and which may never come. There are many persons who are habitually discontented. They find every thing goes wrong. The weather is bad; their food is not as they would have it ; no one does any thing in the right time, or right manner; or that is done which should not be, or that is omitted, which should be done. Such persons are always groaning, sighing, or grumbling. They dislike every body, and every body dislikes them; and particularly, their abundant advice is disliked, and their manner of giving it. There are great differences in * Ecclesiastes x, 12, 13. Proverbs iv. 24.-xii. 18.—xiv. 29.-xv. 1.-xvi. 32.-xviii. 19.—xxi. 19, 23. Romans xii. 10, 18, 21.-xvi. 13. -XV. 1. the temperament, and natural dispositions of persons. It is incredible, that the worst tempered persons would not make a better whole of life, by suppressing their natural propensities, and acquiring a control over themselves; and teaching themselves to look out for what may be pleasant and agreeable, (passing by that which seems ill to them,) instead of doing exactly the reverse. 326. There are other persons, who are of unquiet mind for more serious causes. They have recollections which distress or torment them. They are transgressors, perhaps, criminally so. They have been able to conceal this, but they live in the fear of disclosure; at any rate, the fact cannot be hidden from themselves. They forgot, when they sinned, that there is one being in whose society they must ever be, and which will sometimes announce its presence, even when they would hide themselves in sleep. These are frightful instances of the agency of this companion which every man has in his own bosom. There are hours in every one's life, when he must compare the condition in which he is, with that in which he thinks he might have been. To some persons, these are hours of pain and sorrow. It is believed that such cause of suffering is purely of human origin; and that prevention must be found where the error began. It is the law of the Deity, that there shall be such suffering, when the guilty mortal makes it necessary to apply that law. 327. There are cases in life, in which, it is said, there must be anxiety, and inquietude, from the very condition in which men are placed. Persons who sustain public offices; persons who are placed in important trusts; persons whose vocations are perilous; those who are pricked by the thorn of political ambition. It is probable, that such persons do experience many painful and distressing emotions; and that they sometimes pay dearly for their distinction. But it is demonstrable that even such persons, might have tranquillity, if they had a right frame of mind. There are persons who substitute an aching solicitude, for the reasonable discretion |