THE CHILD OF SORROW. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN OF HERDER-BY CHARLES HODGES. As once, beside a murmuring stream, Alone and musing, Sorrow sate, Chance guided there the mighty Jove :- "Well, live!-it lives-and henceforth be "Was it not moulded by my hand?" True, but I gave the vital flame,” Said Jove. While these contesting stand, ""Tis mine! from my lap, Sorrow took Spake Saturn: "Take it, take it, all; "Tellus, its bones are thy just meed, "For thou wilt ne'er thine infant leave, Fate's edict is fulfilled well : In life, he must with Sorrow dwell- October 19th. what is possible! A STUDENT'S JOURNAL. (Addressed to a Friend.) PART SECOND. **** What a pity that we cannot be satisfied to do Most truly has some one said, "The very hardest thing for man Is to do only what he can!" October 20th. **** Literary persons are accused of pride and reserve, if they do not talk about their own plans and pursuits-and of egotism and conceit, if they do. *** **** There are some persons who find fault with a novel, because it is not like a sermon; there are others, who complain of a grave essay, because it is not amusing. What a reasonable world this is! In the words of a certain poem, from which I presume nobody but its author will ever quote "O what a world, for those who love To laugh at human folly! And yet, while laughter it doth move, To think what a strange world we live in❞— October 21st. * * ** October 22d. *** Mrs. Hemans is one of the many poets whose lives illustrate the truth of Shelley's saying, "they learn in suffering what they teach in song." October 23d. ****** October 24th. **** In describing some characters, to utter the simple truth is to express unconsciously the severest satire. **** The common saying, that you may know what a man is by the character of his associates, is certainly true; and it is equally true that you may know any individual by his favorite authors-by the books that he reads, recommends and delights in, most. * * * * The mind may be as seriously injured by reading history or biography exclusively, as by the constant and indiscriminate perusal of fictitious works; and it seems to me that to read merely or chiefly the popular religious books of the present age, would ruin almost any intellect. To confine one's reading to newspapers and literary magazines, would be still worse-for-at least nine tenths of all that is contained in our literary periodicals is mere trash. [Our readers will please to observe that, according to this estimate, they may think themselves well off if we furnish them each month two pages of valuable matter.] October 25th. I have just been listening to a very edifying conver sation on practical utility, from which I draw the following inferences for your benefit.— The body is superior to the mind, and therefore to be more regarded.— Every thing which multiplies the means of physical comfort is useful; but that which only improves the mind is, to say the least, questionable.Nothing is useful of which all cannot see the immediate utility.-The great object of man's life should be to make a show; for appearances are all, realities of no consequence.-Hannah More should have been working muslin when she was writing books.-Mrs. Child's only work of any value is "The Frugal Housewife."-Milton should have made baskets in his blindness, instead of composing "Paradise Lost."-Paul ought never to have left his occupation of tent-making to write his Epis tles-for only think how many tents he might have made! Misguided Paul! would that you had been favored with the light of some modern utilitarians!!****** October 26th. *** **** October 27th. **** If I were to write the popular creed of the age, some of its leading articles should be as follows. Every person is fit for every employment. We have all a right to our own opinions, but it is folly to be willing that others should have the same right. *** *** Wonderful truly is the march of mind! oh! enlightened, glorious, most christian nineteenth century!! October 28th. *** Does the number of poets increase, just in proportion as the spirit of poetry declines? certainly there is some reason to think so. What a host of worshippers have the muses now! Truly, they are "as the stars of the sky in multitude;" but alas! most of them are not much like stars, in other respects. Some one has remarked that, at the present day, it is more of a distinction for a clergyman to be a "Rev. Mr." than a "Rev. Dr. ;" and shall we not soon be able to say, with like truth, that not to write poetry, (or rather, not to perpetrate rhymes,) is a greater distinction than to belong to the rhyming race? October 29th. I remember, shortly after I learned to read, when I was about four years old, having, in common with a brother near my own age, a great ambition to read the Bible through in course; and sometime after we had commenced its perusal, he being in the second book of Chronicles, and myself in Judges, we retired to our room, one rainy Sunday, and read aloud, nearly all day, in the most edifying man. My brother first read two verses in his place, from Chronicles; then I read two, in my place; and so on through various books in the Old Testament. I assure you, we made great progress. When our day's reading was over, I believe G. was somewhere in the Psalms, and I had reached the second of Kings. Since then, I have listened to many a conversation, which has brought to mind most forcibly that method of reading. ner. **** October 30th. ***** October 31st. *** This book reminds me, as do many others, of that glorious specimen of school-compositions, beginning thus" It is pretty impossible for a person to express himself of those ideas whereof he is not himself possessed of." *** Are there not, occasionally, some young men admitted to the degree of A. B., in our most respectable colleges, who are not at all qualified for any degree, unless perchance it be for the honorable one of S. M.-i. e. saltandi magister? 42 November 1st. Do you remember our discussion in regard to the definition of genius? I have just met with something in a German author, which may enlighten you on the subject-and I will translate it for your benefit. It is entitled, "Account of a genius," and is as follows— A fox once met with a jackass, and accosted him thus-"Sir, every body takes you for a great character, a real genius." "Indeed, that's very strange !" said the jackass, "for I have done nothing foolish !" *** November 2d. ***There were three young ladies sitting in one corner of the room, discussing the characters of their acquaintances. Among others, they spoke of a gentleman who has devoted his life chiefly to poetical composition, and has produced a good deal of true poetry. One of them, who seemed to be the oracle in the trio, remarked concerning him, "What a pity that he does not engage in some useful employment!" And the second echoed the words of the first; and the third took up the same lamentation. I looked around, to see how this "wondrous wise young judge" and her companions, who all seemed to have such a sense of the value of time and the importance of being usefully engaged, were themselves occupied. They were employedhow think you? each was employed in the high and important labor of -working a pocket-handkerchief! I ventured to throw in a remark something like this-that the time spent in cultivating the highest powers of mind could hardly be considered as wasted. I might have added that, to employ the hands in ministering to a tasteless love of display and the tongue in scandalizing one's neighbors, was certainly not much better than idleness. [We know not who these young ladies are; but if they should happen to be among our readers, we take the liberty of recommending to them the careful study of some small dictionary of the English language; and further, we recommend, as a relief to their friends, and for their own benefit, "silence, for the space of half an hour," daily; and moreover, we think it would be well for them occasionally to devote an hour to the strange business of-thinking.] November 3d. "After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well"-You probably remember this line in Macbeth. It seems to me that in these few words, "life's fitful fever," man's existence on earth is more truly and forcibly described than in any thing else I have ever read. You may travel through scores of modern volumes, without finding in the whole as much meaning and force as there is in this simple phrase. **** O that this "vexed question," whether the female sex is equal to the other, could be permitted to sleep in peace! What a vast amount of time and temper has been lost in the discussion! A gentleman who is very earnest and noisy in maintaining the superiority of his own sex is sufficiently disgusting; but a lady who is warmly tenacious in assertSuch generally prove ing the equality of the sexes is still more so. one thing at least-that is, their own individual weakness or want of thought. It will do for very young ladies and gentlemen to argue pertinaciously about such matters; but in those who have arrived at years of discretion, (or, at least, have lived long enough to reach that period,) it is insufferable. E. F. X. A TEACHER'S COUNSELS. (Addressed to a Young Lady.) NUMBER ONE. I WILL, most cheerfully, comply with your request that I would send you occasionally some written counsels, now that our personal intercourse is suspended. Indeed, before I received that request, I had thought of writing you something of the kind. From the disposition you have always manifested, to listen with attention and docility to whatever suggestions I have made for your improvement, I feel sure that if I shall give you any important counsels, you will not fail to profit by them. And this thought renders what would otherwise be a task, a real pleasure. And now, I will warn you, at the beginning, that you are not to expect an elaborate book of advice, divided into regular chapters, and arranged under appropriate heads; but merely some rambling hints on various subjects, thrown together without any regard to order. . In respect to the employment of your time, look above, around, within, to learn the path of duty. Look above, to seek the guidance of Him whom we are to " acknowledge in all our ways;" and never engage in any pursuit, that would prevent the remembrance, "Thou, God, seest ," from being a joyous and cheering thought. Look around, on the circumstances and relations in which you are placed. Look within, to ascertain what you are capable of doing, what you are best fitted for. Be all that you can be; do all that you can do. In other words, let the object of your unceasing efforts be, to make the highest possible attainments in knowledge, wisdom, moral excellence; and to do all in your power to promote the happiness, the intellectual cultivation, and moral improvement, of every individual within the sphere of your influence. Spend as much time in reading and study, as you can without neg. lecting any other duty. Do not read any book merely because it happens to come in your way. Read, first, what is absolutely essential; secondly, what is highly important; and thirdly, (should you ever get as far as this,) what is merely desirable. Do not indulge in unreasonable expectations--as though every thing could be acquired and accomplished at once, and the labor of a life be crowded into a month or a year-but in all your efforts to improve yourself and do good to others, strive to be very calm and patient, as well as unceasingly diligent and earnest. "be it ours, Both thine and mine, to cultivate that frame These lines, if not very good poetry, are certainly very good advice. |