-
Articles/Ads
Article ANECDOTE OF SHENSTONE. ← Page 2 of 2 Article ESSAY ON FRIENDSHIP. Page 1 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Anecdote Of Shenstone.
to his house , where the man kneeled down at his feet , and implored mercy . Shenstone carried him home , to assist at the buildings and other improvements which made himself so poor ; and , I am told , when Shenstone diedj that this labourer wet his grave with the true tears of gratitude . ¦ See by this , how easily an evil action may come from a good princip le , lam persuaded there are many honest men who suffer death
without deserving it ; and so , probably , would this man too , had he robbed any other than the benevolent Shenstone . —Immortal benevolence 1 the richest gem that adorns the human soul ! Without thee , kings are poor ; and , in thy possession , the beggar is immensely rich 1 In vain we crown the conqueror with laurels , and the slayer of thousands with immortality . The real hero is seldom found . in the field ; he lives peaceful and retired , in the calm walks of private life . J . S .
Essay On Friendship.
ESSAY ON FRIENDSHIP .
WRITTEN BY THE LATE DOCTOR GOLDSMITH . [ NEVEH PUBLISHED IN HIS WORKS . ]
TFIERE are few subjects which have been more written upon , and less understood , than that of Friendship ; to follow the dictates of some , this virtue , instead of being the assuager of pain , becomes the source of every inconvenience . Such speculatists , by expecting too much from Friendship , dissolve the connection , and by drawing the bands too closely , at length break them . Almost all our romance and novel writers are of this kind ; they persuade us to
Friendship , which we find impossible to sustain to the last ; so that this sweetener of life under proper regulations , is by their means . rendered inaccessible or uneasy . It is certain , the best method to cultivate this virtue is by letting it , in some measure , make itself ; a similitude of minds , or studies , and even sometimes a diversity of pursuits , will produce ail the pleasures that arise from it . The
current of tenderness widens as it proceeds ; and two men imperceptibly find their hearts warm with good nature for each other , when they were at first only in pursuit of mirth or relaxation . Friendship is like a debt of honour ; the moment it is talked of , it loses its real name , and assumes the more ungrateful form of obligation . From hence we find , that , those who regularly undertake to
cultivate Friendship find ingratitiule generally repays their endeavours . That circle of beings which dependance gathers round us is almost ever unfriendly ; they secretly wish the term of their connections more nearl y equal ; and , where they even have the most virtue , are prepared to reserve ail their affections for their patron , only in the hour of his decline . Increasing the obligations which are laid upon such minds only increases their burthen ; they feel them-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Anecdote Of Shenstone.
to his house , where the man kneeled down at his feet , and implored mercy . Shenstone carried him home , to assist at the buildings and other improvements which made himself so poor ; and , I am told , when Shenstone diedj that this labourer wet his grave with the true tears of gratitude . ¦ See by this , how easily an evil action may come from a good princip le , lam persuaded there are many honest men who suffer death
without deserving it ; and so , probably , would this man too , had he robbed any other than the benevolent Shenstone . —Immortal benevolence 1 the richest gem that adorns the human soul ! Without thee , kings are poor ; and , in thy possession , the beggar is immensely rich 1 In vain we crown the conqueror with laurels , and the slayer of thousands with immortality . The real hero is seldom found . in the field ; he lives peaceful and retired , in the calm walks of private life . J . S .
Essay On Friendship.
ESSAY ON FRIENDSHIP .
WRITTEN BY THE LATE DOCTOR GOLDSMITH . [ NEVEH PUBLISHED IN HIS WORKS . ]
TFIERE are few subjects which have been more written upon , and less understood , than that of Friendship ; to follow the dictates of some , this virtue , instead of being the assuager of pain , becomes the source of every inconvenience . Such speculatists , by expecting too much from Friendship , dissolve the connection , and by drawing the bands too closely , at length break them . Almost all our romance and novel writers are of this kind ; they persuade us to
Friendship , which we find impossible to sustain to the last ; so that this sweetener of life under proper regulations , is by their means . rendered inaccessible or uneasy . It is certain , the best method to cultivate this virtue is by letting it , in some measure , make itself ; a similitude of minds , or studies , and even sometimes a diversity of pursuits , will produce ail the pleasures that arise from it . The
current of tenderness widens as it proceeds ; and two men imperceptibly find their hearts warm with good nature for each other , when they were at first only in pursuit of mirth or relaxation . Friendship is like a debt of honour ; the moment it is talked of , it loses its real name , and assumes the more ungrateful form of obligation . From hence we find , that , those who regularly undertake to
cultivate Friendship find ingratitiule generally repays their endeavours . That circle of beings which dependance gathers round us is almost ever unfriendly ; they secretly wish the term of their connections more nearl y equal ; and , where they even have the most virtue , are prepared to reserve ail their affections for their patron , only in the hour of his decline . Increasing the obligations which are laid upon such minds only increases their burthen ; they feel them-