Life and Literature / Over two thousand extracts from ancient and modern writers, / and classified in alphabetical order

THE BREVITY OF PLEASURES.

—Burns: Tam O'Shanter.

There is a certain dignity to be kept up in pleasures as well as in business.

The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident.

—Charles Lamb.

To make pleasures pleasant, shorten them.

—Buxton.

Pleasures make folks acquainted with each other, but it takes trials and griefs to make them know each other.

A man would have but little pleasure if he did not sometimes flatter himself.

The most delicate, the most sensible of all pleasures, consist in promoting the pleasures of others.

—La Bruyere.

ONE WAY OF AVOIDING PNEUMONIA.

When the fire in your room goes out, drop your pen, or, if reading, your book, and go out too; If you remain, and continue your work, you may regret it. Many a student in the universities, anxious to get on with his studies, has worked in a cold room and paid the penalty with—Pneumonia, ending sometimes in death.

—Observer.

Modern poets mix much water with their ink.

—Goethe.

Avoid all haste; calmness is an essential ingredient of politeness.

—Alphonse Karr.

A BUDDING CHESTERFIELD.

A small boy was at a table where his mother was not near to take care of him, and a lady next to him volunteered her services. "Let me cut your steak for you," she said; "if I can cut it the way you like it," she added, with some degree of doubt. "Thank you," the boy responded, accepting her courtesy; "I shall like it the way you cut it, even if you do not cut it the way I like it."

TRUE POLITENESS.

Politeness is as natural to delicate natures as perfume is to flowers; it smoothes wrinkles.

Ceremonies are different in every country; but true politeness is everywhere the same.

—Goldsmith.

Dr. Johnson:—"Politics are now nothing more than means of rising in the world. With this sole view do men engage in politics, and their whole conduct proceeds upon it."

—Boswell's Johnson.

Few, save the poor, feel for the poor.

Poor folks' wisdom goes for little.

—Dutch.

He that thinks he can afford to be negligent, is not far from being poor.

—Dr. Johnson.

—George W. Hangford.

The poor, the humble, and your dependents, will often be afraid to ask their due from you: be the more mindful of it yourself.

The poor, who envies not the rich, who pities his companions in poverty, and can spare something for him that is still poorer, is, in the realms of humanity, a king of kings.

The man who says, "Let me wait a little, when I have something to spare, I will relieve the poor," will never relieve them.

THE COMPLAINTS OF THE POOR.

The world caresses the rich, though vulgar and ill-bred, and avoids the poor man of merit in the threadbare coat.

ONE "ALWAYS RIGHT;" THE OTHER, "NEVER WRONG."

A worthy old Ayrshire farmer had the portraits of himself and his wife painted. When that of her husband, in an elegant frame, was hung over the fireplace, the gudewife remarked in a sly manner: "I think, gudeman, noo that ye've gotten your picture hung up there, we should just put in below't, for a motto, like, 'Aye richt!'"

"Deed may ye, my woman," replied her husband in an equally pawkie tone; "and when ye get yours hung up over the sofa there, we'll just put up anither motto on't, and say, 'Never wrang.'"

Not every man who has an easy place has a soft pillow.

CONCEALING POVERTY.

If rich, it is easy enough to conceal our wealth; but, if poor, it is not quite so easy to conceal our poverty. We shall find it less difficult to hide a thousand guineas, than one hole in our coat.

Poverty is the only burden which grows heavier when loved ones help to bear it.

Poverty is in want of much, but avarice of everything.

—Publius Syrus.

POVERTY.

A poor man resembles a fiddler, whose music, though liked, is not much praised, because he lives by it; while a gentleman performer, though the most wretched scraper alive, throws the audience into raptures.

The love of power is an instinct of the human heart.

—Tacitus.

Power often goes before talent.

—From the Danish.

—Massinger.

A partnership with men in power is never safe.

—Phaedrus.

And (strange to tell) he practised what he preached.

—Armstrong.

Praise is the best diet for us after all.

—Sydney Smith.

Just praise is only a debt, but flattery is a present.

—Johnson.

—Dr. E. Young.

Most persons are like Themistocles that never found himself so well contented, as when he heard himself praised.

PRAISE.

Self-Praise.—It is a sign that your reputation is small and sinking, if your own tongue must praise you.

The sweetest of all sounds is,—praise!

No man ever praised two persons equally—and pleased them both.

DIRECTED IN A DREAM.

A zealous divine, who had prayed earnestly that God would teach him the perfect way of truth, was directed in a dream to go to a certain place, where he would find an instructor; when he came to the place, he found a man in ordinary attire, to whom he wished a good morning.

"I never had a bad morning," replied the man. "That is very singular; I wish you may always be as fortunate." "I was never unfortunate," said he. "I hope you may always be as happy," said the divine. "I am never unhappy," said the other. "I wish," said the divine, "that you would explain yourself a little."

"That I will cheerfully do," said the other; "I said that I never had a bad morning, for every morning, even if I am pinched with hunger, I praise God. If it rains, or snows, or hails, whether the day is serene or tempestuous, I am still thankful to God, and therefore I never had a joyless morning. If I am miserable in outward circumstances, and despised, I still praise God; you wished that I might always be fortunate, but I cannot be unfortunate, because nothing befalls me but according to the will of God, and I believe that His will is always good, in whatever He does or permits to be done. You wished me always happy, but I cannot be unhappy, because my will is always resigned to the will of God."

The divine, astonished at the man's answers, asked him whence he came.

A PRAYER "FOR ABSENT RELATIVES AND FRIENDS."

NO ROOF ON THE HOUSE.

A laborer went to work for a wealthy farmer. It was regarded as something of a favor to be employed by him, as he was a prompt and liberal paymaster, and was look'd upon by his neighbors as a very superior farmer. The man remained with him only a few days.

"I'm told you've left farmer P," said a neighbor.

"Yes, I have," was the reply.

"Was the work too hard for you?"

"There was nothing to complain of on that score."

"What then? Were the wages too low?"

"No."

"Why did you leave?"

Prayer in the morning is the key that opens to us the treasures of God's mercies and blessings; in the evening it is the key that shuts us up under his protection and safeguard.

When thou prayest, rather let thy heart be without words, than thy words without heart.

—Bunyan.

A QUAINT OLD PRAYER.

—Unknown.

Rev. Thomas Guthrie:—"As an ambassador for Christ, I regard a preacher of the Gospel as filling the most responsible office any mortal can occupy. His pulpit is, in my eyes, loftier than a throne; and of all professions, learned or unlearned, his, though usually in point of wealth the poorest, I esteem the most honorable. That office is one angels themselves might covet."

—From Memoir of Dr. Guthrie.

When the preacher seeks fame he is sure to find folly.

Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest violence.

He who never leaves his country is apt to be full of prejudices.

—Goldoni.

YESTERDAY, TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW.

Many delight more in giving of presents than in paying their debts.

—Sir Philip Sidney.

People who strive to appear to be what they are not, only succeed in being nothing.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Thou art proud; believest thou thyself to be one of the more exalted beings?

Proud people seldom have friends. In prosperity they know nobody; in adversity nobody knows them.

Never be too much elated.

—From the Latin.

How little do they know of human nature, who imagine, that pride is likely to be subdued by adversity.

—Sir Arthur Helps.

Be unable at all times to forsake your principles.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PRINCIPLES.

What may be dune at ony time, will be dune at nae time.

—Scotch.

Professing, without practising, will never do us any good.

Honor and profit do not always lie in the same sack.

—George Herbert.

Lord Chatham: "I would have inscribed on the curtains of your bed, and the walls of your chamber, this:—If you do not rise early, you can make progress in nothing."

—Shakespeare.

There is no piety in keeping an unjust promise.

—From the French.

When you have promised to do any good office, the right of the thing promised, hath passed over from you to another; consequently, you will esteem yourself obliged to stand to the performance of your word, though it may be to your own prejudice.

A man who means to keep his promises can't afford to make many.

—Rousseau.

He that gives away his property before death must prepare to suffer.

FULFILMENT OF A PROPHESY.

Let those who propose, be willing to perform.

—Sir Sam'l Garth.

Now that I have a sheep and a cow, everybody bids me good morrow.

Prosperity often creates selfishness.

—Thos. D. Brown.

Hard work is still, and always will be, the only road to prosperity.

If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's stone.

In ascending the hill of prosperity, may we never meet a friend.

—Publius Syrus.

Prosperity makes some friends, and what is too true, many enemies.

Prosperity in business is not always a sign or proof of the rectitude of one's principles.

It shows a weak mind not to bear prosperity as well as adversity, with moderation.

We are pleased with one who instantly assents to our opinions; but we love a proselyte.

—Sir. A. Helps.

JAPANESE PROVERBS.

He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is humble. Teach him.

He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep. Wake him.

He who knows, and knows that he knows, is a wise man. Follow him.

Punctuality is one of the characteristics of politeness. He who does not keep his appointments promptly, is hardly fit for the society of gentlemen.

—From the German.

PUNCTUALITY AS A VIRTUE.

It is neither polite nor honest to be behind hand when one can just as easily be on time. An artist solicited and obtained permission to paint a portrait of Queen Victoria. The hour and place for the important undertaking were named. Promptly the queen was present; but the artist was not when the hour came. He arrived at length, but too late, for her majesty had departed, leaving a message that she would not return. The queen had kept her promise, but the artist had failed to keep his, and thus lost the rare chance to win both fame and fortune.

—T. J. MacMurray.

Lord Nelson used to say: "I have always been a quarter of an hour before my time, and it has made a man of me."

Horace Mann said:—Unfaithfulness in the keeping of an appointment is an act of dishonesty. You may as well borrow a person's money as his time.

To be unpunctual is sometimes considered a mark of consequence by little great men, but the truly great have always thought differently.

Purposes, like eggs, unless they be hatched into action, will run into decay.

—Smiles.

CONSUMPTION OF THE PURSE.

I can get no remedy against the consumption of the purse: borrowing only lingers and lingers it out, and I find the disease is incurable.

—Shakespeare.

Who has an empty purse must have a sweet tongue.

Not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open.

—Franklin.

Quakerwise.—"William, thee knows I never call any bad names; but, William, if the mayor of the city were to come to me and say, 'Joshua, I want thee to find me the biggest liar in the city,' I would come to thee and put my hand on thy shoulder, and say to thee, 'William, the mayor wants to see thee.'"

THE BEST TIME TO QUARREL.

In Lanarkshire, there lived a sma' laird named Hamilton, who was noted for his eccentricity. On one occasion, a neighbor waited on him, and requested his name as an accommodation to a bill for twenty pounds at three months date, which led to the following characteristic and truly Scottish colloquy:

"Na, na, I canna do that."

"What for no', laird? Ye hae dune the same thing for ithers."

"Ay, ay, Tammas, but there's wheels within wheels ye ken naething aboot; I canna do 't."

"It's a sma' affair to refuse me, laird."

"Weel, ye see, Tammas, if I was to pit my name till't, ye wad get the siller frae the bank, and when the time came round, ye wadna be ready, and I wad hae to pay't; sae then you and me wad quarrel; sae we mae just as weel quarrel the noo, as lang's the siller's in ma pouch."

In all thy quarrels leave open the door of reconciliation.

To quarrel with one person to please another, is to meet what we merit,—the displeasure of both.

—Crete.

He that blows the coals in quarrels he has nothing to do with, has no right to complain if the sparks fly in his face.

If you wish a wise answer you must put a rational question.

WHEN IT RAINS.

THE PESSIMIST.

THE OPTIMIST.

My high birth suffocates me. If thou love me, mother, thou wilt not on all occasions quote my high rank; it is those only who have no peculiar good in their own nature who are constantly speaking of their noble birth.

A man who attempts to read all the new publications must do as the fly does—skip.