And be the very envied creature? MORAL. Every one thinks his own condition the hardest SUSPICION. SUSPICION is no less an enemy to virtue, than to happiness. He that is already corrupt is naturally suspi cious; and he that becomes suspicious, will quickly be corrupt. He that suffers by imposture, has too often his virtue more impaired than his fortune. But as it is necessary not to invite robbery by supineness, so it is our duty not to suppress tenderness by suspicion. It is better to suffer wrong than to do it; and happier to be sometimes cheated, than not to trust. He who is spontaneously suspicious, may be justly charged with radical corruption. "Though wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill 34 THE FALLS OF NIAGARA. The nightingale said, "Little one, "The pretty bugs and beetles, Sir, Replied the modest little bird. "So take advice, my little friend, Is the best I ever knew; THE FALLS OF NIAGARA. THE thoughts are strange that crowd into my brain, And spoke in that loud voice, which seemed to him Thy flood to chronicle the ages back And notch His cent'ries in the eternal rocks. Deep calleth unto deep. And what are we, IMPATIENCE. Oh! what are all the notes that ever rung From war's vain trumpet, by thy thundering side! 35 IMPATIENCE. In those evils which are allotted to us by Providence, such as deformity, privation of the senses, or old age, it is always to be remembered, that impatience can have no present effect, but to deprive us of the consolations which our condition admits, by driving away from us those by whose conversation, or advice, we might be amused or helped; and that with regard to futurity, it is yet less to be justified, since without lessening the pain it cuts off the hope of that reward, which he, by whom it is inflicted, will confer upon those that bear it well. A MEDDLING Jackdaw was vain enough to imagine that he wanted nothing but the colored plumes to ren der him as elegant a bird as the Peacock. Puffed up with this wise conceit, he dressed himself in some of their most beautiful feathers, and in this borrowed garb, forsaking his old companions, endeavored to pass for a Peacock; but he no sooner attempted to associate with these elegant birds, than an affected strut betrayed the vain pretender. The offended peacocks, plucking from him their degraded feathers, soon stripped him of his finery, reduced him to a mere Jackdaw, and drove him back to his brethren; by whom he was now equally despised, and justly punished with derision and contempt. MORAL. |