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Show Proud hearts and lofty mountains are always barren. He is happy whose circumstances suit his temper. Answer not a word when unjustly accused, and you are the conqueror. Faith steps into our aid when our boasted reason and knowledge fail. There is more merit in subduing a passion than in avenging an injury. Trails of character which you wish to conceal you had better seek to reform. Nothing but frank intercourse with independent minds, nothing but discussion on equal terms, will keep a thinker intellectually humble and conscious of fallibility. One of the best rules for getting on easily in the world is to let the mind dwell upon the beautiful and good things of life, and to think as little as possible of falsehood and wickedness. When man believes, he will do, and if he has no faith to guide his practice and impel him to action, he will only drift-and no man drifted into a good and useful life. Evil thoughts are worse enemies than lions or tigers: for we can keep out of the way of wild beasts, but bad thoughts win their way everywhere. A lie will die of neglect sooner than in any other way. The only reason why some lies grow so large and stout is that everybody pets and feeds them. The desires of man are without limit. There never lived the man who could truthfully say, "I am content with the lot Providence has apportioned me." No worthy and successful man ever yet knew the breadth and depth of obligation which he is under to the mother who guided his steps at the time when his character for virtue and purity so narrowly blanched against a course of vice and ignominy. Let the dutiful so do his utmost to smooth his mother's pathway; let him obey as implicitly as he can her wishes and advice; let him omit nothing that will contribute to her peace, rest and happiness, and yet he will part with her at the tomb with the debt to her not half discharged. |