Cheerful thoughts of a cheery philosopher

CHEERFUL THOUGHTS OF A CHEERY

PHILOSOPHER

"Give us, O give us the man who sings at his work; be his occupation what it may, he is equal to any of those who follow the same pursuit in silent sullenness. He will do more in the same time-he will do it better-he will persevere longer. One is scarcely sensible of fatigue whilst he marches to music. The very stars are said to make harmony as they revolve in their spheres. Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, altogether past calculation its powers of endurance, Efforts to be permanently useful must be uniformly joyous—a spirit all sunshine -graceful from every gladness-beautiful because bright.'—THOMAS CARLYLE.

Whatever we do, we should keep the cheerfulness of our spirits, and never let them sink below an inclination at least to be well pleased. The way to this, is to keep our bodies in exercise, our minds at ease. That insipid state wherein neither are in vigour, is not to be accounted any part of our portion of being. When we are in the satisfaction of some innocent pleasure, or pursuit of some laudable design, we are in the possession of life, of human life. Fortune will give us disappointments enough, without our adding to the unhappy side of our account by our spleen or ill-humour.'—Sir R. STEELÉ, Spectator, No. 143.

.There is no Christian duty that is not to be seasoned and set off with cheerish. ness,-which in a thousand outward and intermitting crosses may yet be done well, as in this vale of tears.'-JOHN MILTON.

OF

A CHEERY PHILOSOPHER

BY THE REV. FREDERICK ARNOLD, B.A.

LATE OF CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD

AUTHOR OF 'OUR BISHOPS AND DEANS
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE: THEIR COLLEGES AND MEMORIES
THREE-CORNERED ESSAYS BY A MIDDLE-AGED ENGLISHMAN

"THE PHILOSOPHER IN SLIPPERS'
TURNING-POINTS IN LIFE'

ETC.

VOL, 11.

LONDON
SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & COMPANY

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