Generosity of an elder brother.
Mr. H——, an ingenious artist, for want of employment, was reduced to great distress, and applied to his elder brother, who was in good circumstances, and begged some little hovel to live in, and some provision for his support. His brother was melted to tears: “You, my dear brother,” said he, “you live in a hovel! You are a man; you are an honor to the family. I am nothing. You shall take this house and estate, and I will be your guest, if you please.” The two brothers lived thus affectionately together, as if it had been common property, till the death of the elder put the artist in possession of the whole. How happy every family of brothers would be, if they would thus share with each other all they have! It would save all disputing about mine and thine. Every one would be equally pleased that his brother was enjoying any thing, as if he had it himself.
Section II.—The Golden Rule.
generous blacksmith.
MR. Wilson, passing late one evening by a blacksmith’s shop, and hearing the sound of the hammer much later than usual, stepped in to inquire the cause. The man told him that one of his neighbors had just been burned out, and had lost every thing; and he had undertaken to work an hour earlier in the morning and an hour later at night to help him.
“This is kind, in you,” said Mr. Wilson; “for I suppose your neighbor will never be able to pay you again.”
“I do not expect it,” replied the blacksmith; “but if I were in his situation, and he in mine, I am sure he would do as much for me.”
The next morning, Mr. Wilson called and offered to lend the blacksmith fifty dollars without interest, so that he might be able to buy his iron cheaper. But the man refused to take it, but told Mr. Wilson that, if he would lend it to the man whose house was burned down, it would go far towards helping him rebuild his cottage. To this, Mr. Wilson consented, and had the pleasure of making two men happy.
Michael Verin.
Michael Verin, a Florentine youth, was always foremost; and his compositions being more correct than those of any other boy in school, he always obtained the first prize. One of his school-fellows, named Belvicino, studied hard night and day, but could never get the prize. This grieved him so much that he pined away and grew sick. Verin was strongly attached to Belvicino; and, discovering the cause of his illness, he determined to remove it. The next composition day, he made several faults in his Greek version. Belvicino’s was judged the best, and he took the prize. This so delighted him that he quickly recovered his health and spirits. But he would never have known to whom he was indebted for his success, had not the preceptor pressed Verin to tell him why he had made such palpable faults in his composition.