sake。〃　　When　surprise　was　expressed　at　the　patience　of　a　poor
  Arabian　woman　under　heavy　affliction；　she　said；　〃When　we　look　on
  God's　face　we　do　not　feel　His　hand。〃
  Suffering　is　doubtless　as　divinely　appointed　as　joy；　while　it　is
  much　more　influential　as　a　discipline　of　character。　　It　chastens
  and　sweetens　the　nature；　teaches　patience　and　resignation；　and
  promotes　the　deepest　as　well　as　the　most　exalted　thought。　（12）
  〃The　best　of　men
  That　e'er　wore　earth　about　Him　was　a　sufferer；
  A　soft；　meek；　patient；　humble；　tranquil　spirit
  The　first　true　gentleman　that　ever　breathed。〃　（13）
  Suffering　may　be　the　appointed　means　by　which　the　highest　nature
  of　man　is　to　be　disciplined　and　developed。　　Assuming　happiness　to
  be　the　end　of　being；　sorrow　may　be　the　indispensable　condition
  through　which　it　is　to　be　reached。　　Hence　St。　Paul's　noble　paradox
  descriptive　of　the　Christian　life；〃as　chastened；　and　not
  killed；　as　sorrowful；　yet　always　rejoicing；　as　poor；　yet　making
  many　rich；　as　having　nothing；　and　yet　possessing　all　things。〃
  Even　pain　is　not　all　painful。　　On　one　side　it　is　related　to
  suffering；　and　on　the　other　to　happiness。　　For　pain　is　remedial　as
  well　as　sorrowful。　　Suffering　is　a　misfortune　as　viewed　from　the
  one　side；　and　a　discipline　as　viewed　from　the　other。　　But　for
  suffering；　the　best　part　of　many　men's　nature　would　sleep　a　deep
  sleep。　　Indeed；　it　might　almost　be　said　that　pain　and　sorrow　were
  the　indispensable　conditions　of　some　men's　success；　and　the
  necessary　means　to　evoke　the　highest　development　of　their　genius。
  Shelley　has　said　of　poets：
  〃Most　wretched　men　are　cradled　into　poetry　by　wrong；
  They　learn　in　suffering　what　they　teach　in　song。〃
  Does　any　one　suppose　that　Burns　would　have　sung　as　he　did；
  had　he　been　rich；　respectable；　and　〃kept　a　gig；〃　or　Byron；
  if　he　had　been　a　prosperous；　happily…married　Lord　Privy　Seal
  or　Postmaster…General？
  Sometimes　a　heartbreak　rouses　an　impassive　nature　to　life。
  〃What　does　he　know；〃　said　a　sage；　〃who　has　not　suffered？〃
  When　Dumas　asked　Reboul；　〃What　made　you　a　poet？〃　his　answer　was；
  〃Suffering！〃　It　was　the　death；　first　of　his　wife；　and　then　of
  his　child；　that　drove　him　into　solitude　for　the　indulgence　of
  his　grief；　and　eventually　led　him　to　seek　and　find　relief　in
  verse。　（14）　　It　was　also　to　a　domestic　affliction　that　we　owe
  the　beautiful　writings　of　Mrs。　Gaskell。　　〃It　was　as　a　recreation；
  in　the　highest　sense　of　the　word；〃　says　a　recent　writer；　speaking
  from　personal　knowledge；　〃as　an　escape　from　the　great　void　of　a
  life　from　which　a　cherished　presence　had　been　taken；　that　she
  began　that　series　of　exquisite　creations　which　has　served　to
  multiply　the　number　of　our　acquaintances；　and　to　enlarge　even
  the　circle　of　our　friendships。〃　（15）
  Much　of　the　best　and　most　useful　work　done　by　men　and　women　has
  been　done　amidst　afflictionsometimes　as　a　relief　from　it；
  sometimes　from　a　sense　of　duty　overpowering　personal　sorrow。　　〃If
  I　had　not　been　so　great　an　invalid；〃　said　Dr。　Darwin　to　a　friend；
  〃I　should　not　have　done　nearly　so　much　work　as　I　have　been　able　to
  accomplish。〃　　So　Dr。　Donne；　speaking　of　his　illnesses；　once　said：
  〃This　advantage　you　and　my　other　friends　have　by　my　frequent
  fevers　is；　that　I　am　so　much　the　oftener　at　the　gates　of　Heaven；
  and　by　the　solitude　and　close　imprisonment　they　reduce　me　to；　I　am
  so　much　the　oftener　at　my　prayers；　in　which　you　and　my　other　dear
  friends　are　not　forgotten。〃
  Schiller　produced　his　greatest　tragedies　in　the　midst　of　physical
  suffering　almost　amounting　to　torture。　　Handel　was　never　greater
  than　when；　warned　by　palsy　of　the　approach　of　death；　and
  struggling　with　distress　and　suffering；　he　sat　down　to　compose　the
  great　works　which　have　made　his　name　immortal　in　music。　　Mozart
  composed　his　great　operas；　and　last　of　all　his　'Requiem；'　when
  oppressed　by　debt；　and　struggling　with　a　fatal　disease。　　Beethoven
  produced　his　greatest　works　amidst　gloomy　sorrow；　when　oppressed
  by　almost　total　deafness。　　And　poor　Schubert；　after　his　short　but
  brilliant　life；　laid　it　down　at　the　early　age　of　thirty…two；
  his　sole　property　at　his　death　consisting　of　his　manuscripts；
  the　clothes　he　wore；　and　sixty…three　florins　in　money。　　Some　of
  Lamb's　finest　writings　were　produced　amidst　deep　sorrow；　and
  Hood's　apparent　gaiety　often　sprang　from　a　suffering　heart。
  As　he　himself　wrote；
  〃There's　not　a　string　attuned　to　mirth；
  But　has　its　chord　in　melancholy。〃
  Again；　in　science；　we　have　the　noble　instance　of　the　suffering
  Wollaston；　even　in　the　last　stages　of　the　mortal　disease　which
  afflicted　him；　devoting　his　numbered　hours　to　putting　on　record；
  by　dictation；　the　various　discoveries　and　improvements　he　had
  made；　so　that　any　knowledge　he　had　acquired；　calculated　to　benefit
  his　fellow…creatures；　might　not　be　lost。
  Afflictions　often　prove　but　blessings　in　disguise。　　〃Fear　not　the
  darkness；〃　said　the　Persian　sage；　it　〃conceals　perhaps　the　springs
  of　the　waters　of　life。〃　　Experience　is　often　bitter；　but
  wholesome；　only　by　its　teaching　can　we　learn　to　suffer　and　be
  strong。　　Character；　in　its　highest　forms；　is　disciplined　by　trial；
  and　〃made　perfect　through　suffering。〃　　Even　from　the　deepest
  sorrow；　the　patient　and　thoughtful　mind　will　gather　richer　wisdom
  than　pleasure　ever　yielded。
  〃The　soul's　dark　cottage；　batter'd　and　decayed；
  Lets　in　new　light　through　chinks　that　Time　has　made。〃
  〃Consider；〃　said　Jeremy　Taylor；　〃that　sad　accidents；　and　a　state
  of　afflictions；　is　a　school　of　virtue。　　It　reduces　our　spirits　to
  soberness；　and　our　counsels　to　moderation；　it　corrects　levity；　and
  interrupts　the　confidence　of　sinning。。。。　God；　who　in　mercy　and
  wisdom　governs　the　world；　would　never　have　suffered　so　many
  sadnesses；　and　have　sent　them；　especially；　to　the　most　virtuous
  and　the　wisest　men；　but　that　He　intends　they　should　be　the
  seminary　of　comfort；　the　nursery　of　virtue；　the　exercise　of
  wisdom；　the　trial　of　patience；　the　venturing　for　a　crown；
  and　the　gate　of　glory。〃　（16）
  And　again：〃No　man　is　more　miserable　than　he　that　hath　no
  adversity。　　That　man　is　not　tried；　whether　he　be　good　or　bad；
  and　God　never　crowns　those　virtues　which　are　only　FACULTIES
  and　DISPOSITIONS；　but　every　act　of　virtue　is　an　ingredient
  unto　reward。〃　（17）
  Prosperity　and　success　of　themselves　do　not　confer　happiness；
  indeed；　it　not　unfrequently　happens　that　the　least　successful　in
  life　have　the　greatest　share　of　true　joy　in　it。　　No　man　could　have
  been　more　successful　than　Goethepossessed　of　splendid　health；
  honour；　power；　and　sufficiency　of　this　world's　goodsand　yet　he
  confessed　that　he　had　not；　in　the　course　of　his　life；　enjoyed　five
  weeks　of　genuine　pleasure。　　So　the　Caliph　Abdalrahman；　in
  surveying　his　successful　reign　of　fifty　years；　found　that　he　had
  enjoyed　only　fourteen　days　of　pure　and　genuine　happiness。　（18）
  After　this；　might　it　not　be　said　that　the　pursuit　of　mere
  happiness　is　an　illusion？
  Life；　all　sunshine　without　shade；　all　happiness　without　sorrow；
  all　pleasure　without　pain；　were　not　life　at　allat　least　not
  human　life。　　Take　the　lot　of　the　happiestit　is　a　tangled　yarn。
  It　is　made　up　of　sorrows　and　joys；　and　the　joys　are　all　the
  sweeter　because　of　the　sorrows；　bereavements　and　blessings；　one
  following　another；　making　us　sad　and　blessed　by　turns。　　Even　death
  itself　makes　life　more　loving；　it　binds　us　more　closely　together
  while　here。　　Dr。　Thomas　Browne　has　argued　that　death　is　one　of　the
  necessary　conditions　of　human　happiness；　and　he　supports　his
  argument　with　great　force　and　eloquence。　　But　when　death　comes
  into　a　household；　we　do　not　philosophisewe　only　feel。　　The
  eyes　that　are　full　of　tears　do　not　see；　though　in　course　of
  time　they　come　to　see　more　clearly　and　brightly　than　those
  that　have　never　known　sorrow。
  The　wise　person　gradually　learns　not　to　expect　too　much　from　life。
  While　he　strives　for　success　by　worthy　methods；　he　will　be
  prepared　for　failures；　he　will　keep　his　mind　open　to　enjoyment；
  but　submit　patiently　to　suffering。　　Wailings　and　complainings　of
  life　are　never　of　any　use；　only　cheerful　and　continuous　working
  in　right　paths　are　of　real　avail。
  Nor　will　the　wise　man　expect　too　much　from　those　about　him。　　If　he
  would　live　at　peace　with　others；　he　will　bear　and　forbear。　　And
  even　the　best　have　often　foibles　of　character　which　have　to　be
  endured；　sympathised　with；　and　perhaps　pitied。　　Who　is　perfect？
  Who　does　not　suffer　from　some　thorn　in　the　flesh？　　Who　does　not
  stand　in　need　of　toleration；　of　forbearance；　of　forgiveness？　　What
  the　poor　imprisoned　Queen　Caroline　Matilda　of　Denmark　wrote　on　her
  chapel…window　ought　to　be　the　prayer　of　all；〃Oh！　keep　me
  innocent！　make　others　great。〃
  Then；　how　much　does　the　disposition　of　every　human　being　depend
  upon　their　innate　constitution　and　their　early　surroundings；
  the　comfort　or　discomfort　of　the　homes　in　which