On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (3)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS. r ^ _
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
# vils that the most abject slavery can inflict upon him . What woula have been our state if Dr . Williams and oar Puritanic ancestors had been thus indolent , thus ignoble ? What hut that we should have been bending
# Under the yoke of superstition , and consigned to dangerous , or to ignominious labours , by weak ; kings and their appropriate instruments , selfish and bigoted priests ,, jwithout the hope of deliverance ? Let us think of this , and be zealous for the maintenance of
Untitled Article
jOn the Sources of Human Happiness . * Tf ^ HE principal object which I have JL in view in the following remarks , is' to point out some circumstances which are eminently conducive to
well-being , but which yet are not commonly regarded as possessing a moral quality , or as entitling the possessor to moral approbation or reward , — -although the improvement and practice of them is in a high degree calculated to increase the efficacy of
tlxpse dispositions which we unversally denominate virtuous . Jf the question be proposed' generally , wherein consists human h * pp iliess ; it would be difficult , perhaps impossible to give an answer which would apply with absolute precision it \ the character and circumstances
of every individual . The characters , situations , abilities natural or acquired , and the consequent duties , 6 f different persons , are so various , that what would be expedient and desirable for one , might be impracticable or very injurious to another ; so that to lay down any one precise
rule to apply to , all cases would evidently be . a vain and absurd attempt . Some , general observations however ip ^ y be sa fely hazarded , since , though t ^ le situations of different individuals are extremely various , vet the general
prir * cli > ie $ of human nature are the ajnV ^; ifn d the influence of particular rn $ des ot conduct ( on the physical atwi xrxoral constitution of man , \ s in * fe ^ 3 if 4 v * £ dte ? in a 11 a 8 e f dnd nattons . it in never cease t 6
Be true for e " xaijipie that the active " fti&n'"ttefefii \ parwus > > is thbre likely to be happyvrihaa the , J ounger ; or tfctft j ^ nfmal : W % )^ ifer is ^ mfe
Untitled Article
our principles , and the increase an $ diffusion of civil and religions advantages . In one word , ~ Jet us imitate our founder- If we should ever grow indifferent to these glorious objects , or tp any of the great interests of truth
and freedom , the spirit of Dr . Wil-Hams , and of the mighty dead our predecessors ( with whose portraits we are surrounded ) , would rise up to reproach our apathy , to record our condemnation , and to seal our disgrace .
Untitled Article
conducive to real enjoyment than a fretful repining disposition . It may be observed then in the firs £ place , that activity is a very important requisite to human happiness . The exercise of the bodily and mental faculties in the pursuit of some
interesting occupation , seems absolutely essential to the enjoyment of life . It is true that if we were to judge of the result of general experience by the general language of mankind , we should deduce a very different inference ; and might suppose that the true happiness of man consisted in indolence and inaction . For we are
constantly complaining of the labour and toil we are subjected to , and express ourselves as though exertion of mind and body were the greatest burden and most grievous evil to which our present situation exposes us . When we examine human life however a little more attentively , we shalf
soon be led to perceive the fallacy of any inference deduced from this almost universal language of mankind . The most active men are invariably the happiest ; while none are more destitute of enjoyment than <» uch as are given up to slothful indulgence . To relieve themselves from the
insupportable burden of idleness , we often see them have recourse to the most childish and * frivolous amusements ; which however commonly fail to produce the effect , because they are mcapable of exciting that degree of interest in the niind which is necesto
sttry to ro ^ ise powers exertion . Employment of any kind has comjft jpnty ' a surprising effect on the spirits and temper , ax > d is ; hig hly instruxiicutal'ttf otif i ) riiprovexiie » t in bodity
Untitled Article
314 On the Sources of Human Happhiess .
Miscellaneous Communications. R ^ _
MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS . r ^ _
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1816, page 314, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2453/page/6/
-