possesses, or can create for himself, the certain means of active and regular employment of mind and body. The former will strengthen and expand with every effort; the latter will thrive under its invigorating influence: and when summoned to receive the reward of having industriously and conscientiously fulfilled the great ends of existence, he will leave behind him a memorial of good works, and depart in honour and in peace. "Proved, by the ends of being, to have been." ESSAY XV. THE WORLD. "Le monde! c'est une servitude éternelle, où nul ne vit pour soi, et où, pour être heureux, il faut pouvoir baiser ses fers, et aimer son esclavage." MASSILLON. "To apply oneself to others is good: so it be with demonstration, that a man doth it upon regard, and not upon facility. “If you will grant his opinion, let it be with some distinction; if you will follow his motion, let it be with condition; if you allow his counsel, let it be with alleging farther reason." BACON. THE literal meaning of THE WORLD, it need scarcely be observed, is the globe on which we are placed, which forms a small part of the visible creation, and moves in harmony with other apparently more important planets, whose existence our limited faculties can but just discover. We are, consequently, unable to judge whether the wonders scattered by the bountiful hand of Providence over this terrestrial globe are equalled, or surpassed, in other spheres: the Almighty Creator, who placed these beyond the reach of our examination, has given us, in this delightful dwelling, more than enough to employ the keenest research, and gratify the most ardent desire of beauty and novelty: "Through worlds unnumbered tho' the God be known, 'Tis ours to trace him only in our own." This admirable world does, indeed, offer a rich and tempting subject for consideration. Where is there an imagination so cold that would not delight to dwell on the contemplation of this fair portion of the universe, and meditate on that mysterious and sublime moment, in which it proceeded fresh from the hands of Omnipotence, "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy *!" Resounded, "The earth, the air The heavens and all the constellations rung, Milton's Par. Lost, b. vii. *Job xxxviii. 7. But it is a less elevated theme that must now engage our attention. The world, like many other words, varies, in its common acceptation, from its original meaning. When the Italian says, " tutto il mondo," he means literally all the globe: the Frenchman, according to the idiom of his language, applies the same phrase, “ tout le monde," to three or four persons with whom he is at the moment conversing: and the two do not differ more widely in their meaning than the same expression does in its several acceptations in our own language. It is frequently used to express, not the earth itself, but the inhabitants of it; and has often a more limited signification, comprehending only that very small portion of them amongst whom it is the lot of any individual to move; so that, in fact, every man affixes a different meaning to the term, or, in other words, each may be said to have a world of his own; involving in its contracted circle all his pleasures, anxities, hopes, fears, and pursuits, as far as this life is concerned; and comprising, in his estimation, every thing of importance to him that the globe contains. It makes little difference in what grade of the scale of society his little world is placed; whether its scene be the court or the cottage, it is the universe to him. The orator, when he looks around for "the applause of listening senates," is not more impressed with the awful importance of his world's verdict, than John Gilpin was with that of his own world-Cheapside; when he observed, that "All the world would stare, If wife should dine at Edmonton, And he should dine at Ware *." It may be observed that people do not, as might be expected, attach this comprehensive name to the most worthy and important portion of their society: their world is not composed of such as are the most nearly connected with their pursuits, or of the most immediate consequence to their peace; parents, children, and dear friends, are excepted; and when men talk of the world, they usually mean those who surround them closely, but are unconnected with them by any tie of affinity, of common interest, of esteem, or even sometimes of acquaintance. * The popularity of this well-known character, evidently and exquisitely drawn from the life, must plead the author's excuse for the impropriety of quoting from a personage, who, if not purely imaginary, was certainly neither historian, poet, nor classic. |