Or in other
words, there is no inherent discord among these twelve sister faculties
residing in the nature of man. It is the duty of man on this earth, and
his destiny also, to bring them into harmonious relations, first by
organizing industry, and bringing man into right relation with nature
and his fellows, so that they can commence their natural action; and
this is what is meant by the "Unity of the Passions," and is the first
step towards universal happiness. Let me give a quotation from the same
author:--
"The impulses (passions) have a right and a wrong development. The
right development produces harmony, good, justice, unity. The wrong
development produces selfishness, injustice, duplicity."
I have no memorandum of what was said by the speaker, but I remember he
was enthusiastic beyond bounds, and that he went in fancy from this
earth up into the starry vault of spheres that he fancied were peopled
by living beings----Jupiter and Saturn being in harmony--and in his
enthusiasm cried out, "I _love_ those great worlds up there!"
looking upwards with outstretched arms and uplifted hands; and it was
telling, for he was eloquent as well as enthusiastic.
After this warm gush of rapture came quiet Dwight in one of those
sweet, calm, choice, dignified, exact speeches for which he was noted,
and gave as a sentiment, "The marriage of love and wisdom," the idea
being that present society, however much it may be filled with love--
love for the poor, the needy, the slave and the outcast--can never
avail much towards universal happiness until it marries itself to
wisdom: wisdom to do justice, to adapt means to ends, to exchange
charity, which is a curse to him that gives and him that takes, for
even-handed justice, divine law and social order; so that pauperism and
its kindred vices may be done away with forever, and in its place the
reign of peace and harmony prevail.
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