He who hunts one hare stands a good chance of catching it; but he who hunts two at the same time will certainly lose both.

While a river keeps within its channel its waters are clear, its progress to the sea steady, and its stream a blessing, but immediately it overflows its banks it becomes muddy, turbulent, and a great evil.

Though a cobbler can make a shoe, let him not to lecture Apelles.*

presume

QUOTATIONS.-Let none of you suffer as a busy-body in other men's matters.-1 Pet. iv. 15.

Seest thou a man diligent in business, he shall stand before kings. Prov. xxii. 29.

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.-Prov. xxvii. 24.

He that tilleth his land shall have bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.— Prov. xxviii. 19.

Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.— 1 Thes. iv. 11.

We hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy-bodies. Now, them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.-2 Thes. iii. 11, 12.

Let every tub stand on its own bottom.

When Apelles exposed his fine painting, called "The Trojan Shepherd," to the public view, and solicited the opinion of the Greeks respecting its merit, a certain shoemaker found fault with the sandal, which the artist instantly corrected. The man, puffed up with conceit, next began to pass his censure on the painting generally when Apelles turned to him and said, "Keep to the sandal, friend." This gave rise to the proverb, Ne sutor vitra crepidam.

M*

No man's pie is free from his ambitious finger.Shakspeare.

Do thine own work and know thyself.-Maunder's proverbs.

Of little meddling comes great ease.

proverbs.

Maunder's

He who doth his own business, defileth not his fingers. -Fielding's proverbs.

Beware of the man of one book.

Never meddle with that which does not concern you.

Bon homme, garde ta vache.

Qui fa le fatti suoi, non s'embratta le mani.

Tuâ quod nihil refert ne cures.

Suum cura negotium.

Is rerum suarum satagit.-Terence.

CONCLUSION.

THEME LXXVIII. Study to mind your own Business and not another's.

PART II.

INTRODUCTION.

1ST REASON. - Busy-bodies are always hated and despised.

2ND REASON.-Interfering with the business of others instead of attending to one's own, is indicative of a restless, unsettled state of mind.

3RD REASON. By spending your time upon what does not concern you, your own business will suffer neglect.

4TH REASON.-Every man has troubles enough of his own, without incumbering himself with those of others to no benevolent or useful purpose.

5TH REASON.-Intermeddlers are a great hinderance to others in their pursuits; they are perpetually finding fault, proposing new schemes, and wasting valuable time. in idle gossip.

6TH REASON.-Gadding from place to place has a very evil moral influence; and hence Solomon says, "If thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent."-Eccles. xi. 10.

7TH REASON. It is repugnant to the command of God, and "cannot come of good."

SIMILES. As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.—Prov. xxvii. 8.

A certain jay left her nest to advise and counsel her neighbours; but while she was busying herself with the concerns of others, her own eggs became addled, and the meddling bird was laughed at by all the inmates of the grove.

A man that wants to put "everybody to rights" is like Procrustes the robber, who used to tie all travellers who fell into his hands upon a bed: If they were shorter than the bed, he would stretch their limbs till they measured the same length; if they were longer, he would cut off the parts which stretched beyond it.

A meddler is like a "turnspit dog," who is always employed in turning the roast for others, but never tastes it himself.*

The Romans called a busy-body a fly; hence Cicero's caution, Puer, abige muscas.

When an oak tree lends its trunk and branches to the trailing ivy, the epiphytet flourishes, but the tree itself gradually decays.

A perfume is exhausted by being poured from bottle to bottle.

*The turnspit dog was a species of terrier, employed before the inven tion of "jacks" to turn a wheel, on which depended the spit for roasting meat in the kitchen. Burke said of a certain "creature" of George III, Your lordship is his majesty's turnspit."

↑ An "epiphyte" (EπI-OUTOV, on the plant) is any plant which grows on another, as mosses, lichens, mistletoe, ivy, &c.

Tattlers and busy-bodies are the canker and rust of idleness, as idleness is the rust of time.-Taylor.

As a pawnbroker's shop is full of other men's goods, so a busy-body is full of other men's affairs; but both are equally disliked, and equally disesteemed.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.

QUOTATIONS.-Every fool will be meddling.—Prov.

XX. 3.

Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not.Eccles. xi. 9.

There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much more behind.-Eccles. xi. 11. A foolish man's foot is soon in his neighbour's house.— Eccles. xxi. 22.

They learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy-bodies, speaking things which they ought not.-1 Tim. v. 13.

Why shouldst thou meddle to thy hurt?-2 Kings, xiv. 10.

No man can serve two masters.-Matt. vi. 24.

Too many cooks spoil the broth.-Scotch proverb.
Too many irons in the fire, some will burn.

Meddle not with that which concerns thee not.— Maunder's proverbs.

Pry not into the affairs of other men.-Maunder's proverbs.

Never scald your lips with other folks' porridge.— Scotch proverb.

Busy-bodies and intermeddlers are a dangerous sort of people to have to do withal.-L'Estrange.

There's hardly a greater pest to a government or family than an officious tale-bearer, or busy intermeddler. -L'Estrange.

Assis entre deux selles le cul à terre.

Aliena negotia curo, excussus propius.-Horace.

Proprium est stultitiæ aliorum vitia cernere, oblivisci suorum.-Cicero,

Tu ne quæsiveris extra.-Horace.

Deformius nihil est ardelione.-Martial.

Curiosus nemo est, quin sit malevolus.—Plautus.
Stultorum est se alienis immiscere periculis.

THEME LXXIX. The Commandments of God are not grievous.

INTRODUCTION. . . . .

1ST REASON.-Because they are the dictates of supreme goodness. They are not the mandates of a selfish despot, but the injunction of a holy God.

2ND REASON. They proceed not only from supreme goodness, but also from supreme love. They are the precepts of a father and friend, and not the decretals of a tyrant and a foe.

3RD REASON.-They are in full accordance with the soundest reason and wisdom. To adore the highest, to serve the greatest, to love the best, to trust the wisest and most powerful, must commend itself to every man's conscience, as being a most reasonable service."

4TH REASON. They have for their object the happiness and good of man even on earth. They tend to promote health, reputation, and long life,-cheerfulness, serenity, and contentment.

5TH REASON. They have the "promise of the life which is to come," when time shall be swallowed up of eternity, and corruption shall put on immortality.

6TH REASON.-Even if the commandments of God