Character and Conduct – 28 November – Humour

GIRD up the loins of your mind, be sober.

1 Peter I v 13

A MERRY heart doeth good like a medicine.

Proverbs  XVII v  22.

GRAVITY…   I mean simply that grave and serious way of looking at life which, while it never repels the true light-heartedness of pure and trustful hearts, welcomes into a manifest sympathy the souls of men who are oppressed and burdened, anxious and full of questions which for the time at least have banished all laughter from their faces…   Gravity has a delicate power of discrimination.   It attracts all that it can help, and it repels all that could harm it or be harmed by it.   It admits the earnest and simple with a cordial welcome.   It shuts out the impertinent and insincere inexorably.

The gravity of which I speak is not inconsistent with the keenest perception of the ludicrous side of things.   It is more than consistent with – it is even necessary to humour.   Humour involves the perception of the true proportions of life…   It has softened the bitterness of controversy a thousand times.   You cannot encourage it too much.   You cannot grow too familiar with the books of all ages which have in them the truest humour, for the truest humour is the bloom of the highest life, Read George Eliot and Thackeray, and, above all, Shakespeare.   They will help you to keep from extravagances without fading into insipidity.   They will preserve your gravity while they save you from pompous solemnity.

PHILLIPS BROOKS

oooOOOooo

These quotes are from ‘Character and Conduct’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing them here readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.