-
Articles/Ads
Article COLLECTANEA. ← Page 4 of 4
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Collectanea.
passed selves , make accumulation of glory unto their last durations . Others , rather than be lost in tbe uncomfortable night of nothing , were content to recede into the common being , and make one particle of the public souls of all things , which was no more than to return into their unknown and divine original again . Egyptian ingenuity was more unsatisfied , contriving their bodies in sweet consistencies to attend the return of their souls . But all was vanity , feeding the windand folly .
, The Egyptian mummies , which Cambyses or time hath spared , avarice now consumeth . Mummy is "become merchandise . Mizraim cures wounds , and Pharaoh is sold for balsams . There is nothing strictly immortal but immortality . Whatever hath no beginning may he confident of no end which is the peculiar of that necessary essence that cannot destroy itself , and the highest strain of omnipotency to be so powerfully constituted as not to suffer even from the power of itself
, —all others have a dependant being , and within the reach of destruction . But the sufficiency of Christian immortality frustrates all earthly glory , and the quality of either state after death makes a folly of posthumous memory . God , who can only destroy our souls , and hath assured our resurrection , either of our bodies or names hath directly promised no duration . Wherein there is much of chance that the boldest expectants have found unhappy frustration , and to hold long subsistence
seems but a scape in oblivion . But man is a noble animal , splendid in ashes , and pompous in the grave , solemnizing nativities and deaths with ' equal lustre , nor omitting ; ceremonies of bravery in the infamy of his nature . —Sir T . Browne .
FLATTERY SOMETIMES SERVICEABLE . —A bear , who was taking his lesson in dancing , and who believed that he could not fail to be admired , paused for a moment on his hind legs to ask an ape how he liked his dancing . " To say the truth , friend , you dance very badly ; you are too heavy . " "But surely I do not want grace ; and what you call heaviness , may it not be dignity of carriage ? " and Bruin re-commenced his practice with somewhat of an offended air . " Bravo ! " cried an ass
, who now passed by , " such light and graceful dancing I have never seen ; it is perfection . " But this unqualified praise was too much for even the self-love of the bear , and startled by it into modesty , he said within himself , " While the ape only censured , I doubted , but now that the ass praises me , I am sure I must dance horribly . " Friends , suffer a word of advice : when good taste censures , hesitate , doubt ; when folly applauds , be certain you are all in the wrong . —Demme .
A KIND ACT . — How sweet is the remembrance of a kind act ! As we rest on our pillow , or rise in the morning , it gives us delight . We have performed a good deed to a poor man ; we have made the widow ' s heart rejoice ; we have dried the orphan ' s tears . Sweet , oh ! how sweet , the thought ! There is a luxury in remembering the kind act . A storm careers about our heads , all is black as midni ght—but the sunshine is in our own bosom—the warmth is felt there . The kind act
rejoiceth the heart ,, and . giveth delight inexpressible . Who will not be kind ? Who will not be good ? Who will not visit those who are afflicted in body and mind ? To spend an hour among the poor anil depressed—Is worth a thousand passed In pomp and ease ; 'tis present to the last .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Collectanea.
passed selves , make accumulation of glory unto their last durations . Others , rather than be lost in tbe uncomfortable night of nothing , were content to recede into the common being , and make one particle of the public souls of all things , which was no more than to return into their unknown and divine original again . Egyptian ingenuity was more unsatisfied , contriving their bodies in sweet consistencies to attend the return of their souls . But all was vanity , feeding the windand folly .
, The Egyptian mummies , which Cambyses or time hath spared , avarice now consumeth . Mummy is "become merchandise . Mizraim cures wounds , and Pharaoh is sold for balsams . There is nothing strictly immortal but immortality . Whatever hath no beginning may he confident of no end which is the peculiar of that necessary essence that cannot destroy itself , and the highest strain of omnipotency to be so powerfully constituted as not to suffer even from the power of itself
, —all others have a dependant being , and within the reach of destruction . But the sufficiency of Christian immortality frustrates all earthly glory , and the quality of either state after death makes a folly of posthumous memory . God , who can only destroy our souls , and hath assured our resurrection , either of our bodies or names hath directly promised no duration . Wherein there is much of chance that the boldest expectants have found unhappy frustration , and to hold long subsistence
seems but a scape in oblivion . But man is a noble animal , splendid in ashes , and pompous in the grave , solemnizing nativities and deaths with ' equal lustre , nor omitting ; ceremonies of bravery in the infamy of his nature . —Sir T . Browne .
FLATTERY SOMETIMES SERVICEABLE . —A bear , who was taking his lesson in dancing , and who believed that he could not fail to be admired , paused for a moment on his hind legs to ask an ape how he liked his dancing . " To say the truth , friend , you dance very badly ; you are too heavy . " "But surely I do not want grace ; and what you call heaviness , may it not be dignity of carriage ? " and Bruin re-commenced his practice with somewhat of an offended air . " Bravo ! " cried an ass
, who now passed by , " such light and graceful dancing I have never seen ; it is perfection . " But this unqualified praise was too much for even the self-love of the bear , and startled by it into modesty , he said within himself , " While the ape only censured , I doubted , but now that the ass praises me , I am sure I must dance horribly . " Friends , suffer a word of advice : when good taste censures , hesitate , doubt ; when folly applauds , be certain you are all in the wrong . —Demme .
A KIND ACT . — How sweet is the remembrance of a kind act ! As we rest on our pillow , or rise in the morning , it gives us delight . We have performed a good deed to a poor man ; we have made the widow ' s heart rejoice ; we have dried the orphan ' s tears . Sweet , oh ! how sweet , the thought ! There is a luxury in remembering the kind act . A storm careers about our heads , all is black as midni ght—but the sunshine is in our own bosom—the warmth is felt there . The kind act
rejoiceth the heart ,, and . giveth delight inexpressible . Who will not be kind ? Who will not be good ? Who will not visit those who are afflicted in body and mind ? To spend an hour among the poor anil depressed—Is worth a thousand passed In pomp and ease ; 'tis present to the last .