Life and Literature Part 28

367

Do even as you will, that this dispute live not between us as a consuming fire forever!

368

CONTENTION--AVOIDING OF.

Where two discourse, if the one's anger rise, The man who lets the contest fall is wise.

--_Plutarch._

369

"I never complained of my condition but once," said an old man, "when my feet were bare and I had no money to buy shoes; but I met a man without feet, and became contented."

370

It is right to be contented with what we have, but never with what we are.

--_Sir James Mackintosh._

371

A favorite saying of the beloved Dr. John A. Broaddus was: "It is better to like what you have, than to have what you like."

--_Christian Observer._

372

If you live according to nature, you never will be poor; if according to the world's caprice, you never will be rich.

373

Happy the man, whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air In his own ground.

374

Since we have loaves, let us look not for cakes.

--_Spanish._

375

To be content with little is difficult; to be content with much--impossible.

--_Marie Ebner Eschenbach._

376

If thou hast but little, make it not less by murmuring.

--_Quarles._

377

Contentment will make a cabbage look as fair as a palace.

--_W. Secker._

378

May we never murmur without a cause, nor have cause to murmur.

379

He that is rich need not live sparingly, and he that can live sparingly need not be rich.

380

Some have too much, yet still do crave; I have little, and seek no more: They are but poor, though much they have, And I am rich with little store; They poor, I rich; they beg, I give; They lack, I have; they pine, I live.

--_Sir Edward Dyer, (Died 1607.)_

381

If all the gems of earth were mine And wealth and power were to me sent, How infinitely poor I'd be Without content.

--_Annie W. McCoy._

382

Is it possible to find perfect contentment? Some one once said:--"The secret of perfect contentment is, that there isn't any."