Ouu Djchihk Kon Phaisjc.
18!!
of life, with firm sweet touch plays tlio
Grout Master's score of Truth and Love
and Duty ever more knows loo, that far
beyond the roar and strife, though lie may
never hear, in the true time these notes
must all accord in symphonies sublime.
& V.
OUJl DI'JSUIH 1'Vlt PRAISE.
Much lias been written on this subject
and many have condemned tiie desire as
harmful, one which hastens its votaries to
their speedy ruin. That this is oftlimes
tme we will not attempt to deny, hut wo
are not to draw from this that the desire
in its natural state is injurious but rather
that it has been perverted and has become
the sole object of the individual.
. This desire exhibits itself not only in
the matured person but also in almost the
first acts of the little child, from which
we arc- able to conclude that it is natural
to mankind in general, and harmless ex
cept when carried to excess. If praise is
harmful why does (iod himself command
that we give glory to Him? We believe
Unit this desire oven granting all the
evils that How from it is one ot the
mainsprings of civilization. For exam,
pie, what would the world come to if we
were ever actuated by the fear of punish.
mentV Is it not far better to see u person
moved by the thought that, for what he
does he will receive praise, than to see
him cringing and doing just enough to es
cape the penalty of the law whether that
be natural or human? Take the desire
for praise or reward, the desire for richi's
and the fear of ptu'shmcul, and what oth
er motives are there left by which we are
actuated? We answer none. Under the
desire for praise we do not merely include
those who are ever acting so that they
may gain the applause of their fellow be
ings, far from it. These are they who are
daily perverting this very natural desire
and making it their god. We mean also
those who so conduct themselves that
they are conscious of having acted right
ly whether they may receive praise from
others or not. This we call receiving the
reward from one's own conscience, a
kind of praise which will not pun' up nor
harm. Addison says, "The wise man is
happy when he gains his own approbu.
lion, and the fool when he recommends
himself to (he praise of those about him."
On general terms we will agree with
this statement but not absolutely ; for if
it is true, ovei nine-tenlhs of mankind are
fools a fact which many of us scarcely
wish to admit. Lot each one take it home
to himself and see if, even in his daily
actions, he is not governed more or less
by the desire to do whatever he under
takes in a praiseworthy manner. Setting
aside our dally acts and looking forward
to our future caieers, how many are there
who do not have some ambition to rank
high in some department or other?
Moreover do we not, while tired by this
ambition, look about us aid compare our
selves with others striving to outstrip us,
now this one and now that one? There
is no other motive which stimulates us to
greater exertions.
it is as we said the great promoter of
civilization. Some are continually striv
ing to shine in themselves whom Addi
son calls ;!!, while others and really
the large majority aim to surpass their
fellow beings whom the same author calls
fools, which being the ease, we believe it
lias been a blessing to (he world that it
lias had so many l'uols(V). Some, while
living, gain their glory, others are com
pelled to wall until years after death be
I'oie their names ale held up to posterity.
Some strive for Immediate reward, oth
ers look forward to what glory they will
gain when dead. Some who are extolled
after death have done some heroic deed
in which they acted disinterestedly and
for the good of others--perhaps for their
country while many, though doing some
brave act, are thinking merely of the glo
ry they will receive when dead. The hit.
ter and we here agree with -Mr. Addison
i are fools. Kuthusinsls are intoxicated
