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is the blessing of the Old Testament, adversity is the blessing of the New, which carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God's favour.

Blessing of the O. T.: Compare Exod.

the Essays." 20:12; Prov. 3: 9, 10; Deut. 30: 9, 10, 20. Blessing of the New: Heb. 12: 6, 11; James 1: 12; Rom. 5: 3, 4; 8: 28. The distinguishing characteristic of the Old Covenant, of the Mosaic Law, is that it was enforced by a system of temporal rewards and judgments, administered according to an extraordinary [miraculous] providence. The Israelites were promised, as the reward of obedience, long life, and health, and plentiful harvests, and victories over their enemies. And the punishments threatened for disobedience, were pestilence, famine, defeat, and all kinds of temporal calamity. These were the rewards and punishments that formed the sanction of the Mosaic Law. But the New Covenant, the Gospel, held out as its sanction rewards and punishments in the next world, and there only. The former Kingdom of God was a kingdom of this world; the latter was 'not of this world.' So far from promising worldly prosperity to his followers as a reward of their obedience to him, our Lord prepared them for suffering and death in his cause, even such as he endured himself, saying, 'great is your reward in Heaven.' The disciples were indeed taught that the painful trials sent upon Christians are among the things that work together for good' (that is spiritual and eternal good) 'to them that love God.' Under the Christian dispensation, therefore, chastisement is for a very different purpose from retribution; the allotment of good and evil, according to the character of each man (which is properly retribution), is reserved for the next world.-Whately.

This topic is most forcibly treated by Rev. Robert Philip, in his 'Guide to the Thoughtful' or Eternity Realized.'-No. IV. Prosperity is the blessing &c.: This Essay of Bacon contains some fine examples of what is called the Balanced Sentence, in which different clauses of a Compound Sentence are similar in form. Dr. Johnson's writings and the Letters of Junius furnish numerous examples of this kind of sentence. In the present instance, the balanced sentence would be more perfect if it had closed with the word 'New.' Other examples of the

[7] Yet, even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as many hearse-like airs as carols; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath laboured more in describing the afflictions of Job than

kind in this Essay may be sought and pointed out. One advantage of this form of sentence, besides affording gratification to taste, is the aid which it gives to memory. Sometimes also an agreeable surprise is conveyed by such form of expression. We have in the last sentence of the Essay an example of balanced antithesis in its purest form, that of 'obverse iteration,' as it has been designated: i. e. where the equivalent fact is stated from the opposite side-' Prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.' Α moderate use of the balanced form of sentence is to be cultivated when excessive, it wearies the reader, as in the writings of Dr. Samuel Johnson, of Junius. and of Macauley.

[7.] Hearse-like airs: funeral airs. It must be remembered that many of the Psalms of David were written by him when persecuted by Saul, as also in the tribulation caused by the wicked conduct of his son, Absalom. Some of them, too, though called "The Psalms of David " were really composed by the Jews, in their captivity at Babylon; as, for instance, the 137th Psalm, which so beautifully commences, 'By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down.”—D.

"It is true, as Lord Bacon says, that 'if you listen to David's harp, you will hear as many hearse-like airs as carols;' yet still the carols are found there more than any where else. 'Rejoice in the Lord '-'Sing ye merrily '-' Make a cheerful noise''Take the psalm, bring hither the tabret, the merry harp, with the lute'—' A joyful and a pleasant thing it is to be thankful.' This, in fact, is the very meaning of the word 'psalm.' The one Hebrew word which is their very pith and marrow, is 'hallelujah.' They express, if we may so say, the sacred duty of being happy. Be happy, cheerful, and thankful, as ever we can, we cannot go beyond the Psalms. They laugh, they shout, they scream for joy. There is a wild exhileration which rings through them. They exult alike in the joy of battle, and in the calm of nature. They see God's goodness

the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not with- [8] out many fears and distates; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needle- [9] works and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work upon a sad and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work upon a lightsome ground: judge, therefore, of the pleasure of the heart by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly virtue is like [10] precious odours, most fragrant where they are incensed or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.

every where. They are not ashamed to confess it. The light side of creation is every where uppermost; the dark, sentimental side is hardly ever seen."-Dr. Noyes.

Felicities: seldom used in the plural.

[8.] Adversity is not without comforts, &c.: Thus Shakespeare, in the pastoral play 'As You Like It,' puts this language (as is supposed) into the mouth of the representative of a Duke exiled, with two others, from court, and passing life amid rural scenes:

"Now my co-mates and brothers in exile,

Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
Than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods
More free from peril than the envious court?

[blocks in formation]

Sweet are the uses of adversity,

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,

Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;

And this our life, exempt from public haunt,

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing."

[9.] Lively work: a work in light colors.

Lightsome:

Sad: dark. 'I met him in sad

of bright or gay aspect.

colored clothes.'-Walton.

phrase the sentence.

Judge therefore, &c.: Para

[10.] Incensed: burned. See note on § 6.

1. Write an analysis of the Essay. Divide it into paragraphs. Point out the elegant sentences.

2. Whately's distinction between Discipline and Trial. Give an account of Seneca. How is the resemblance of some of the precepts of the Stoical system to those of Christianity accounted for?

3. The story of Hercules and Prometheus? The distinguishing characteristic of the Old Covenant? Also, that of the New? What is meant by the balanced sentence? Point out examples.

4. Point out the obsolete words or phrases, if any; or words used in a different sense from that which they now bear.

8. Re-write the Essay, improving the style of it, as far as possible.

ESSAY VI.

GREAT PLACE.

MEN in great place are thrice servants; ser- [1] vants of the sovereign or state, servants of fame, and servants of business; so as they have no freedom, neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their times. It is a strange desire to seek power [2] and to lose liberty; or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man's self. The rising unto [3] power is laborious, and by pains men come to greater

pains and it is sometimes base, and by indignities men

[1.] Thrice: Expand this expression. So as: so that. See Essay III, § 23. Neither-nor: In modern phrase, either-or, as the negative is implied in no ('no freedom').

[2.) An example of 'condensed sentence,' where much is left to be supplied by the reader. There is a degree of paradox in the first clause. And to lose liberty: Alter this clause so as better to express the precise thought intended by the author. A similar change must be made in the last clause of the sentence, for no man really desires to lose liberty, or to lose power over himself. In Bacon's Antitheta we read:Dum honores appetimus, libertatem exuimus,' i. e., ' While we are seeking for honors, we are divesting ourselves of liberty.'

[3.] This sentence would be improved by division into two, omitting and at the beginning of the new sentence. Indignities: undignified, mean acts.

"Fie on the pelf for which good name is sold,
And honor with indignity debased."-Spenser.

Base: used for the adverb, basely. Supply the ellipsis in the last clause.

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