Life and Literature Part 129

Sleep.

Do not omit the heavy offer of it; It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth, It is a comforter.

--_Shakespeare._

1794

Sleep, thou patron of mankind, Great physician of the mind, Who dost nor pain nor sorrow know, Sweetest balm of every woe.

--_Sophocles, born 496 B. C._

1795

Sleep has often been mentioned as the image of death, so like it, that we should not trust it without prayer.

1796

MYSTERY OF SLEEP.

What mortal knows Whence came the tint and odor of the rose?

What probing deep Has ever solved the mystery of sleep?

--_T. B. Aldrich._

1797

SMILES ALWAYS ATTRACTIVE.

Whether seen playing upon the face of young innocence, or upon the furrowed visage of venerable age, smiles are always attractive and blissful. He who wears a smiling face is a practical philanthropist. He dispels the clouds of gloom that overshadow the brows of care, and the hearts of sorrow he meets in his life-paths, as the sun dispels the misty clouds of morning from the face of nature.

1798

A smile is ever more bright and beautiful with a tear upon it.

1799

Put a smile on your face when you go out for a walk, and it will be surprising how many pleasant people you will meet.

1800

Who can tell the value of a smile? It costs the giver nothing, but is beyond price to the erring and relenting, the sad and cheerless.

1801

WHEN ADAM SMITH PROPOSED.

A new story of Adam Smith was told recently at a convention in Kirkaldy, Scotland, the birthplace of the economist. The professor fell in love and proposed. The offer was refused. Next day the lady met Smith in Princess street, Edinburgh, and reopened the question of the proposal, about which she had been thinking. "You remember what I said?" the lady inquired, and the philosopher replied that he did. "Well," added the lady, "I was only joking." "You remember what I asked?" said Smith.

"Yes" replied the lady. "Well," said Smith, "I was only joking too."

1802

It is said that Sir Walter Raleigh once made a wager with Queen Elizabeth that he could weigh the smoke from his tobacco pipe. He weighed the tobacco before smoking, and the ashes afterwards. When Elizabeth paid the wager, she said, "I have seen many a man turn his gold into smoke, but you are first who has turned his smoke into gold."

1803

Among unequals what society Can sort, what harmony, or true delight?

--_Milton._

1804

Society is built upon trust, and trust upon confidence of one another's integrity.

--_Dr. South._

1805

Society is no comfort To one not sociable.

--_Shakespeare._

1806

If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you know already.

--_Lavater._

1807

Society is ever ready to wors.h.i.+p success, but rarely forgives failure.

--_Mme. Rowland._

1808