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of feeling in a lively manner both joy and sorrow ; and no one can feel what true joy is who is not quick in perceiving sorrow . You will perhaps understand me when you grow older . The toad has been found enclosed and alive in the trunk of a tree , where it must have remained more than fifty years ; and there is a wonderful instance related of one that was discovered in a block of marble , which it would be useless to guess how long it had been there . Now , do you think that those two animals could have been as happy as the butterfly , which flutters so giddily over the meadows , and drinks the morning dew from the butter-cup and honeysuckle ; and which now and then , when he is weary , will sleep upon some sweet blossom , and lay his wings at rest upon it ? That tender little creature , however , has many more enemies than the long-Jiving toud ; and , if it should escape them all , lives but a few days . Yet
who would not rather be a butterfly than a toad ? A cold and stormy day is but a dreary blank in its little life ; but then observe it in the bright sunshine , and the soft summer wind , and no creature seems more happy . The toad , on the other hand , appears to be indifferent to every thing around him . He remains in his hole all day , and in the evening comes shuffling along the dusty roads in search of insects . He is frequently trodden upon by the passengers , and blunders away at the same
pace as he did before the accident happened to him , I do not say that the toad is in itself an unhappy animal ^ for I believe that God has given more happiness than misery to all his creatures ; I only wished to show you that the May-fly , or butterfly , in its short but very varied career , experienced fully as much delight as the toad with its long-drawn and monotonous existence . " '—p . 91—93 .
In July , the warning against hasty credit in ill reports , is badly motived ; ' it shows that you possess a spirit , and an understanding superior to the common race of mankind . ' In August—we really must escape out of moralities into merriment . Is not this story good ? The scene is a harvest supper .
* As they were clearing the board of the provision , a lubberly young lad , at the further end , who had sat for some time quite silent , and with his mouth wide open , suddenly burst into tears . "Hul-lo ! what ' s the matter with you , Giles . ?** * My naame ain * t Giles—it ' s Jowleymother calls me Jowley for shortness . " " Well , Jowley , what are you howling arter ? " " Why—why , * ' said he , sobbing , " ain ' t it enough to make any one roar to see all that ' ere nice pudding going away , and I can ' t eat no more ? " '—p . 139 . August concludes with a moral on authority , and it would he difficult to find man or maxim more excellent .
• 4 i Bear in mind to your life ' s end the saying of your friend Mr . Vincent , that * there is nothing in the whole world worth the cost and trouble of a lie . ' The uniform simplicity and honesty of his character , throughout his valuable life , have gained him more admiration and love from those who have known him , than his shining musical talents : yet these of themselves alone would command the respect of maqkind . " '—1 > . 144 . There is a beautiful propriety in this last expression , which
Untitled Article
Adam the Gardenert 151
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1834, page 151, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2630/page/67/
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