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THE LIMITS TO: TRUE .HAPPLINESS. 2
men are born with fiery nerves, that sparkle and burn with
the slightest excitement ; others are born lethargic, cold, al-
most-congealed. Some overrun, some lag behind.;;, Some are
surrounded with society that depraves.and hindcrs everything,
Some are met on the threshold. by,-love, ,and.;virtue, and
niety. .
Few things are given;to all-in, the, universal disparities. of.
vrganization and condition.-; In. one theory,all are alike——the
best and the worst, the. highest .,and ;the.lowest—they enter
upon-a life of unfolding, of training, and. training in this world
is by conflict... Men are started into Jife.not perfectly sym-
metric, but every man comes into, life with a -bundle. of. raw
elements, which hejis to learn hovy to organize-into. character.
How ;truly,.no man finds -himself,at»-birth: . On) the road
mcn find themselves, if at.all, . And; out-of the ;very: night. .it
is mysteriously inspired to .the best, “ It doth not yet;appear
what you shall be.”.
Now it is this universal. necessity. of growth, construction,
and reconstruction which makes happiness ; equal, uniform,
and continuous. :To search for,it is'vain. , As there can, not
be any. temper.given to metal without beating, so, God. tempers
men by:pain; Suffering-is the mother of fortitude, of patience,
of faith and of hope. Suffering deepens every. affection, con-
verts materials into principles; . Let men look back and, re-
count the things that have most favored;them -in;life...; All the
things that-were sweetest in the, fruition are forgotten, and men
that are men will remember. that they. were made by. their-rug-
yed experiences,., It was.the.discipline that enabled them. to
bear asa good soldier.; It. was worth setting themselves against
nature,.and apparently. against Providence, to win the, battle,
Every. man who. is, a. man, and has: battled -his,;way,up,
can*say to. men, if you were: to take out of :the experiencee
of my life, all. the pains and suffering, I should be left pulpy.
A man without: pain is a man without a -bone,.in_, his body
The. very first step toward -happiness,.then, consists,,in,, tw
right conception of its limits. :
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