It was said of Samuel Johnson that few persons walked away from being in his company without perceiving themselves wiser and better than they were before. What a legacy! Oh, that we all had that kind of legacy!
Or do we?
If we listen carefully during every conversation we participate in, do we not walk away wiser? Do we not walk away improved?
I do not always agree with what Samuel Johnson says, but I respect and admire him greatly. He speaks exactly what he thinks, succinctly and powerfully, displaying no fear of how someone else will judge him. Much of what he says takes me by surprise, immediately followed by a sense of, "Ahhhhh, I see. He is right." Occasionally, I disagree; but even when I disagree, my senses are sharpened by his point of view.
Reading Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson is like sitting down to a banquet of ideas. In it we are placed in the company of Samuel Johnson and are given the privilege of listening in on some of his conversations, as well as of reading some of his letters. Below, I paraphrase and share with you a few pearls I walked away with after being in Dr. Johnson's company via the 1770 portion of Life of Samuel Johnson. Sometimes the pearls are shaped in the form of thought-provoking questions, pearls that will continue to grow and develop as the questions become more answered for me.
If someone has something in his possession that may be useful to the public, ought he to keep it wholly to himself? This applies to ideas and knowledge as well as to physical things.
Wisdom plans. Virtue executes.
Samuel Johnson frequently gave all the silver in his pocket to the poor, who watched him as he walked from his house to the tavern where he dined. That's a challenging and inspiring example. I admire generosity, so why am I not more generous?
It's good to be around people that are your superiors in many things, for it helps to keep ugly pride from being a parasite to your soul.
You know a book is good when it gets you out of bed two hours sooner than you wish to rise.
If you don't think it would be right for someone else to do something, maybe you shouldn't do it yourself.
The concerns of eternity ought to be the governing principles of our lives.
If you have seen unutterable things, it might be better not to utter them.
Is a nation's highest reputation derived from the splendor and dignity of its writers? What is written has a way of lasting and continuing to speak for generations.
If people have an honest way of feeding themselves, let them do it. Why make it harder for them than it has to be?
Wisdom is right in front of the one who has understanding.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
WALKING ON WATER: REFLECTIONS ON FAITH AND ART, by Madeleine L'Engle, chapter 7, pp. 121-128
People are too amazing to be labeled and therefore limited by this or that. A person is a whole entity, magnificent beyond comprehension. We only get to know parts of him. There is always more there that we haven't seen before.
When we meet someone, we can be excited about all the things we discover about him, but must not assume those things we discover set boundaries on who he might be. We can't justly assume, for instance, that if a person likes math, she is not creative. We cannot justly assume that because a person is a Christian, he doesn't have fun or isn't any fun. We can't justly assume that a person who doesn't have a college degree doesn't know the things of higher learning or have profound wisdom.
Labeling someone is putting him in a box, pigeonholing him. It is identifying him with our own definition. This limits our view of him. It is not looking at him as a whole person. If we look at the whole person, who he is cannot be defined; he is simply sublime.
When we love, and view people with eyes of love, we do not limit them; we empower them.
When we meet someone, we can be excited about all the things we discover about him, but must not assume those things we discover set boundaries on who he might be. We can't justly assume, for instance, that if a person likes math, she is not creative. We cannot justly assume that because a person is a Christian, he doesn't have fun or isn't any fun. We can't justly assume that a person who doesn't have a college degree doesn't know the things of higher learning or have profound wisdom.
Labeling someone is putting him in a box, pigeonholing him. It is identifying him with our own definition. This limits our view of him. It is not looking at him as a whole person. If we look at the whole person, who he is cannot be defined; he is simply sublime.
When we love, and view people with eyes of love, we do not limit them; we empower them.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
THE SPECTATOR, by Sir Richard Steele and Joseph Addison, Nos. 58-63
Spectator papers 58-63 were written by Joseph Addison for Monday, May 7, through Saturday, May 12, 1711. For that week in May, he wrote about wit, comparing true wit with false wit. True wit is wit that effictively conveys the truth. False wit is wit that might sound cool or clever, but the truth is distorted or completely absent. He spoke of anagrams and acrostics and puns and allegories and rhymes and double rhymes and chronograms and lipograms. He quoted Dryden and Locke and Cowley. He spoke of Greek poets and philosophers and Shakespeare and monks and King James.
Addison spoke of truth and how it is beautiful no matter with what words it is clothed. He commended natural writing of the simply beautiful truth and cautioned against trying to be witty when the simple truth says it better. He pointed out that in order to follow a witty pattern of some kind, rather than using the word that perfectly says what is begging to be said, the writer occasionally chooses a word that only weakly conveys the truth, if it conveys the truth at all.
Eloquence is a form of beauty that is greatly appreciated and enjoyed. A beautifully spoken phrase can evoke a sense of bliss in the hearer. A cleverly woven sentence can awaken a thrilling sense of humor and joy. And then there is the beauty that is in an idea itself, beauty of meaning. This kind of beauty and truth remains just as powerful no matter how gracefully or cleverly it is said. It survives translation into other languages without losing its sense, without losing its power. It holds wisdom that can be spoken using the words of a child or the words of a pedant.
A pun or acrostic or rhyme can draw attention to a truth in a valuable way. These and other forms of wit can make truths easy to remember; they also provide an excellent vehicle for teaching truths and wisdom to children and adults in a manner that is fun for both teacher and scholar. Enjoyment increases the learning curve.
In Addison's last paper on the subject of wit, he described a dream from the night before. The dream was a terrific and imaginative allegory of the different kinds of wit. It reminded me of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, which was published over 150 years later. The dream beautifully summed up what Addison had said about wit throughout the week.
Truth always outshines what is false; what is false and manipulated fades away into nothing in the presence of truth.
Addison spoke of truth and how it is beautiful no matter with what words it is clothed. He commended natural writing of the simply beautiful truth and cautioned against trying to be witty when the simple truth says it better. He pointed out that in order to follow a witty pattern of some kind, rather than using the word that perfectly says what is begging to be said, the writer occasionally chooses a word that only weakly conveys the truth, if it conveys the truth at all.
Eloquence is a form of beauty that is greatly appreciated and enjoyed. A beautifully spoken phrase can evoke a sense of bliss in the hearer. A cleverly woven sentence can awaken a thrilling sense of humor and joy. And then there is the beauty that is in an idea itself, beauty of meaning. This kind of beauty and truth remains just as powerful no matter how gracefully or cleverly it is said. It survives translation into other languages without losing its sense, without losing its power. It holds wisdom that can be spoken using the words of a child or the words of a pedant.
A pun or acrostic or rhyme can draw attention to a truth in a valuable way. These and other forms of wit can make truths easy to remember; they also provide an excellent vehicle for teaching truths and wisdom to children and adults in a manner that is fun for both teacher and scholar. Enjoyment increases the learning curve.
In Addison's last paper on the subject of wit, he described a dream from the night before. The dream was a terrific and imaginative allegory of the different kinds of wit. It reminded me of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, which was published over 150 years later. The dream beautifully summed up what Addison had said about wit throughout the week.
Truth always outshines what is false; what is false and manipulated fades away into nothing in the presence of truth.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
THE HISTORY, by Herodotus (c.484-c.425 B.C.), Book 4, chapters 179-195
The histories of Herodotus are fascinating. In Book IV, chapters 179-195, Herodotus describes various peoples living in Africa along a sand ridge reaching from Egyptian Thebes in the East to the Pillars of Hercules (two promontories on either side of the Strait of Gibraltar) in the Northwest. He considers all these peoples to be Libyans, yet each group with its own name and culture, which may or may not have much in common with the Libyans in general. He tells of the land, the animals, the customs, the diets, and even the hairstyles of the different peoples. He also hints at interesting connections between these peoples and the Greeks.
One of the great things about Herodotus is that he does not claim that everything he writes is true, only that what he writes is what is said in these various countries, many of which he visited on his travels. Herodotus admits when he cannot say things with certainty. Occasionally, the account given by one country contradicts that given by another, and Herodotus points this out, giving both versions of the story, and usually without passing judgment, even when one story seems terribly far-fetched. Herodotus sometimes gives an opinion of which account he thinks is more plausible, but he points out that it is only his opinion. He seems fair in his presentation of the various accounts.
One of the great things about Herodotus is that he does not claim that everything he writes is true, only that what he writes is what is said in these various countries, many of which he visited on his travels. Herodotus admits when he cannot say things with certainty. Occasionally, the account given by one country contradicts that given by another, and Herodotus points this out, giving both versions of the story, and usually without passing judgment, even when one story seems terribly far-fetched. Herodotus sometimes gives an opinion of which account he thinks is more plausible, but he points out that it is only his opinion. He seems fair in his presentation of the various accounts.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, by Oscar Wilde, chapters 8 and 9
Outer beauty is nothing compared to inner beauty. Inner beauty is powerful and true and lasting. Outer beauty is lovely if it clothes inner beauty, but if outer beauty covers inner ugliness, it is like a lie spoken in smooth words--it may sound good, but that doesn't change the fact that it is a lie, and it is all the more despicable because it tried to look good.
Outer beauty that covers inner wickedness and hatefulness is like a lie that sounds good. A lie is a lie no matter how good it sounds, but if it sounds good, some people might be deceived by it and suffer as a result. It is the same with beauty: if a person appears beautiful on the outside, but inside there is the ugliness of pride and selfishness and malice, the appearance is deceiving. The outer beauty idly promises good things which the inner wickedness cannot bring about.
Inner beauty is more important, and indeed, more beautiful, than outer beauty. Inner beauty carries out its promises. Inner beauty is incorruptible--it does not fade like outer beauty does. Inner beauty increases with time. Inner beauty outshines outer beauty. Inner beauty can be seen both with the eyes open and with the eyes closed. Inner beauty tells the truth and uplifts all who gaze upon it.
Outer beauty that covers inner wickedness and hatefulness is like a lie that sounds good. A lie is a lie no matter how good it sounds, but if it sounds good, some people might be deceived by it and suffer as a result. It is the same with beauty: if a person appears beautiful on the outside, but inside there is the ugliness of pride and selfishness and malice, the appearance is deceiving. The outer beauty idly promises good things which the inner wickedness cannot bring about.
Inner beauty is more important, and indeed, more beautiful, than outer beauty. Inner beauty carries out its promises. Inner beauty is incorruptible--it does not fade like outer beauty does. Inner beauty increases with time. Inner beauty outshines outer beauty. Inner beauty can be seen both with the eyes open and with the eyes closed. Inner beauty tells the truth and uplifts all who gaze upon it.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
I hope to use this blog to record the good that comes to mind when I read literature.
I am currently reading many different books; each one has its own beauty and blessing. I'd like to share with you the good that I find as I am reading. I like to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report; if there is any virtue or if there is any praise, I like to think on these things.
When I read, I take in what is good and let the bad bounce off and away. Sometimes when I am reading, what I find that is good is not what the book says, but the good that comes to mind to banish what is bad.
I hope you will join me in enjoying that which is good.
I am currently reading many different books; each one has its own beauty and blessing. I'd like to share with you the good that I find as I am reading. I like to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report; if there is any virtue or if there is any praise, I like to think on these things.
When I read, I take in what is good and let the bad bounce off and away. Sometimes when I am reading, what I find that is good is not what the book says, but the good that comes to mind to banish what is bad.
I hope you will join me in enjoying that which is good.
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