Precept and Practice – OCTOBER 7 – Allowances

It is unjust to expect a soul that is cast down and conquered by some terrible blow to maintain its accustomed vigour.   Are we surprised when a sick man can neither walk nor bear himself in his usual manner?   Would it not be strange if he were the same man as when in full health?   After a night of pain and sleeplessness we are excused if we do not apply ourselves to our customary work, and no one suspects us on that account of habitual idleness.

Shall we deny a dying man the privilege we accord to one who is suffering from headache?   And shall we venture to affirm that he has lacked courage when in health, because it fails him when he is vanquished by disease.

Vauvenargies

A bruised reed thou shalt not break.

The Bible

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From the Introduction to Precept and Practice

The kindly welcome given to my other little books, ‘Being and Doing’ and ‘Character and Conduct,’ must be my excuse for adding another collection of extracts to the number now in circulation.

The quotations are gathered from the books of many earnest thinkers, and deal with Life in all its length and breadth, with ourselves, our characters, our plain unvarnished faults and weaknesses, our often untoward circumstances, and with all that drags us down;-  with our purposes, our religion, our love and friendships, and with all that uplifts us;-  with our relation to others, our influence and responsibilities, and finally with those stages of our journey which bring us to the Road’s Last Turn and to the Silent Land.

CONSTANCE  M. WHISHAW