at all particular about their fitness, connexion, or power of expressing his meaning, (if he had one,) he pronounced with a sort of oracular gravity, which carried a great weight with a certain class of listeners; though it may be fairly questioned whether himself, or one of those who stood amazed at his learning and eloquence, could have defined any one of his long words; or put one of his ideas into clear and simple language. He always made me think of the character drawn by Goldsmith: a man who had learned by rote a string of hard words about cosmogony, and philosophers with crabbed names, which he constantly plied, to make people take him for a learned sage, instead of a consummate sharper. Mr. W. was as far from being a sharper as he was from being a learned man: however, he was certainly fond of puzzling simple hearers with the affectation of learning, which he did not possess; and thus, with some of the very simple, he made his way. Better informed persons would listen once or twice to his harangues, hoping by close attention to find some meaning in them; but they were soon convinced of the utter uselessness of such attempts, and could only despise him as a talker of nonsense. pompous But Mr. W. was as headstrong and positive as he was empty. At whatever consultation he was present, he came to a conclusion at a jump; and, with the utmost pertinacity, adhered to the opinion or determination he had once expressed, refusing to hear any other proposal: or if others claimed the privilege of being heard, he would fly off into a passion, and say, "Ah, well! they might have it just their own way, and he would have nothing at all to do with the matter; but then, they must not expect that either he or his aunt would support the cause; and he fancied it would not stand long if they withdrew from it." Thus he generally carried his point; for when he talked, the timid and time-serving gave way for the sake of interest; the quiet, for the sake of peace; and even men of sense and integrity were tired out by the hopeless task of contending with, and trying to convince, a fool. I mention his character for the sake of introducing old Anthony's shrewd remark upon it. There was a parish meeting, about a contemplated building, in which the poor people were to be employed in some kind of manufacture. The day before the meeting, my uncle was unexpectedly called away by the illness of a friend. He desired Anthony (who was a substantial man for one in his line of life, and a rate payer) to attend the meeting. My uncle, on his return, asked Anthony what sort of a meeting it was, and what was agreed upon. "Why, sir, it was not much of a meeting, nor much of an agreement; for one man carried it all his own way. He laid down the law, and insisted upon this and that being done, though every one beside disapproved of it,-just as if he thought the world was made for him,and he talked them down till they yielded to his clamour. He just put me in mind of children at play, when one girl will have the big doll and the little doll too, and will not be content when she has got them both; and one boy will not play unless he holds all the marbles and takes the first shoot." Anthony's odd sayings drew forth some further remarks from my uncle, who especially observed that this one truism, "The world was not made for you," if really and practically believed, would have a very happy influence in curing many of our mistakes. I think it was Martin Luther who said, "Every man carries a little pope within him." He who sets up for infallibility, and requires every one he meets with to bend to his opinion and his will, forgets that the world was not made for him. "The world was not made for you." Then learn to moderate your expectations from it. Remember, you neither can nor ought to control the order of things. "Should it be according to thy mind?" Job xxxiv. 33. "Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?" Job. xviii. 4. He who forms such unreasonable expectations from the world, is only preparing for himself the keener disappointment. He knows best how to use and enjoy the world, who has learned to take things as they come; in whatever state he is, therewith to be content and to say, "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him," Psa. lxii. 5. "The world was not made for you." Then be reconciled to the inconveniences you meet with in it. I said to a youth, "Your coat does not seem to fit you very well? "No," he replied, "it is not to be expected that it should fit very comfortably; it was not made for me. However, it has served to keep me warm and dry I am glad to wear this to-day, and I shall have my own, which fits me better, to-morrow." Apply this to the world, and it will be found useful in reconciling you to most of its inconveniences and disappointments. "The world was not made for you.' Then do not be selfish, and forget the claims of others. : You are one among a great many, who are all to have a share of accommodation from the world. Interests will often jar and clash; but he who would be beloved by others, and enjoy peace of mind, peace in what he possesses, and resignation in what he wants, must learn to love his neighbour as himself, and look not on his own things only, but also on the things of others, Matt. xix. 19; Phil. ii. 4. Considering that the world was not made for us, what reason have we to be thankful that it has afforded us so many enjoyments, and been in so many ways subservient to us! What a cure for repining would it be to look back on the period when we entered the world in a state of entire destitution, and to think how many mercies have been afforded to us, from that period to this. Then look round, and see how many mercies at the present moment surround us, notwithstanding all our ingratitude, rebellion, and ill-deserving; and, instead of murmuring that we enjoy no more, we shall rather be lost in wonder, love, and praise, and "Worthy thoughts of that unwearied love That plann'd, and built, and still upholds a world, "The world was not made for you," nor you for the world. You possess powers and capabilities too noble to be engrossed by the world; learn to look above it, and "set your affections on things above." Do not attempt to make the world your idol or your rest, your home or your portion. How pitiable is the condition of those who are called " men of the world, which have their portion in this life!" What is the improvement that we are taught in Scripture to derive from a sentiment like this, on which these remarks are founded? Is it not, "Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted?" Micah ii. 10. "I have often," said Mrs. Mortimer, "felt that that admonition is peculiarly suitable to those who realize the endeared connexions of life; for, perhaps, there is no particular in which one may so unsuspectedly, and so creditably cling to the world, as if it really were made for us." "True," replied my uncle; "it is very possible for a Christian, who rises above the sordid gain and vain pleasures of the world, to be chained down by tender affections. But from whatever particular quarter the danger arises, the watchful eye of our God discerns it, and, in mercy to his children, often causes the dispensations of his providence to second the admonitions of his word. Well-laid schemes are blasted, dear connexions broken up, vanity and dissatisfaction are stamped on worldly enjoyments; and all with the gracious design of convincing us that this is not our rest, and of rousing us to arise and depart." "And yet we are not-are we ?-allowed, much less required, to quit our stations in the world, and give ourselves wholly to contemplation?" "Certainly not. We obey the spirit of the call, if we renounce the corrupt manners and customs of the world-if we maintain a spirit and temper above it. As the worldling is actuated by selfishness, ambition, and self-indulgence, the Christian should be distinguished by spirituality, elevation of aim, self-denial, zeal for the glory of God, and benevolent regard to the welfare of men. |