3. I have heard it from spring's first blossom, "All we love must die!" 4. The flushes that gild the morning, And ever sadly cry, "All we love must die!" 5. From the tombs of the buried nations, From all who have gone before me, I hear the same sad story,— They lift the same sad cry— 6. O, the brows that my lips are caressing! Each lip that to mine makes reply, The hearts that I love, and the hearts that love me, Utter the same sad sigh— "All we love must die!" 7. There are graves holding holiest ashes, All sounds unite in a wail That speaketh of vanished pleasures, For all I fondly cherish, Like shadows will quickly fly— 8. Weary of earth's frail pleasures, My soul will with rapture rejoice! 9. O, vanishing pictures of sunset! O, sea's sad monotone! O, forests and winds and flowers of earth! There the clouds ne'er weep on the landscape, The sunlight is aye in the sky, The flowers aye bloom, and the pictures, Never can fade and die! 10. O, brows that from earth have vanished! O, hearts that have here grown cold! Ye are now in the beautiful country, In that land I shall meet you and greet you, All we love shall be ours for ever, XCII.-GOOD NATURE. HENRY WARD BEECHER. 1. If there be one thing for which a man should be more grateful than another, it is the possession of good nature. I do not consider him good-tempered who has no temper at all. A man ought to have spirit, strong, earnest, and capable of great indignation. We like to hear a man thunder, once in a while, if it is genuine, and in the right way for a right man. 2. When a noble fellow is brought into contact with mean and little ways, and is tempted by unscrupulous natures to do unworthy things; or when a great and generous heart perceives the wrong done by lordly strength to shrinking, unprotected weakness; or when a man sees the foul mischiefs that sometimes rise and cover the public welfare like a thick cloud of poisonous vapors,—we like to hear a man express himself with outburst and glorious anger. It makes us feel safer to know that there are such men. We respect human nature all the more, to know that it is capable of such feelings. 3. But just these men are best capable of good nature. These are the men upon whom a sweet justice in common things, and a forbearance toward men in all the details of life, and a placable, patient, and cheerful mind sit with peculiar grace. 4. Some men are much helped to do this by a kind of bravery born with them. Some men are good-natured because they are benevolent, and always feel in a sunny mood; some, because they have such vigor and robust health that care flies off from them, and they really cannot feel nettled and worried; some, because a sense of character keeps them from all things unbecoming manliness; and some, from an overflow of what may be called in part animal spirits, and in part, also, hopeful and cheerful dispositions. 5. But whatever be the cause or reason, is there anything else that so much blesses a man in human life as this voluntary or involuntary good nature? Is there anything else that converts all things so much into enjoyment to him? And then what a glow and light he carries with him to others! Some men come upon you like a cloud passing over the sun. You do not know what ails you, but you feel cold and chilly while they are about, and need an extra handful of coal on the fire whenever they tarry long. Others rise upon you like daylight. 6. How many times does a cheerful and hopeful physician cure his patients by what he carries in his heart and face, more than by what he has in his medical case! How often does the coming of a happy-hearted friend lift you up out of deep despondency; and, before you are aware, inspire you with hope and cheer. What a gift it is to make all men better and happier without knowing it! We don't suppose that flowers know how sweet they are. We have watched them. But as far as we can find out their thoughts, flowers are just as modest as they are beautiful. 7. These roses before me, salfataine, lamarque, and saffrano, with their geranium leaves (rose) and carnations and abutilon, have made me happy for a day. Yet they stand huddled together in my pitcher without seeming to know my thoughts of them, or the gracious work which they are doing! And how much more is it to have a disposition that carries with it, involuntarily, sweetness, calmness, courage, hope, and happiness, to all who are such? Yet this is a portion of good-nature in a real, large-minded, strong-natured man! When it has made him happy it has scarcely begun its office! 8. In this world, where there is so much real sorrow, and so much unnecessary grief of fret and worry; where burdens are so heavy and the way so long; where men stumble in rough paths, and so many push them down rather than help them up; where tears are as common as smiles, and hearts ache so easily, but are poorly fed on higher joys, how grate ful ought we to be that God sends along, here and there, a natural heart-singer,—a man whose nature is large and luminous, and who, by his very carriage and spontaneous actions, calms, cheers, and helps his fellows. God bless the good-natured, for they bless everybody else! XCIII. THE USES OF SUFFERING. CORA CORNWALL. 1. What beauty were there in a sky 2. Change, change alone gives all things worth The sweetest sunbeam is the one That cometh when the storm is done,— 3. Who, that hath done no toiling, knows 4. Know only those who've wept can weep |