EXTRACTS.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 679, 2 July 1870, Page 3

EXTRACTS.

What a Man Knows.—"What a man can write out clearly, correctly and briefly, without book or reference of any kind, that he undoubtedly knows, whatever else he may be ignorant of. For knowledge that falls shox-t of that—knowledge that is vague, hazy, indistinct, uncertain—l for one profess no respect at all. And I believe that there was never a time or country where the influence of careful training were in that respect more needed. Men live in haste, write in haste—l was going to say, think in haste, only that perhaps the work " thinking" is hardly applicable to that large number who, for the most part, purchase their daily allowance of thought ready made. Lord Stanley.

Our blunders in life are not due to ignorance so much as to temperament; and only the exceptionally wise among us learn to correct the excesses of temperament by the lessons of experience. To the mass of mankind these lessons are for the time only, and prophesy nothing of the future.

Piave, who wrote for Verdi the libretti of " Trovatore," " Traviata," " Rigoletto," and other popular operas, is now the unfortunate inmate of a lunatic asylum. If you are a wise man you will treat the world as the moon treats it. Show only one side of yourself, seldom show yourself too much at a time, and let what you show be calm, cool, and polished. But look at every side of the world. —Shirley Brookes. There are three things in the world that know no kind of restraint, and are governed by no laws, but merely by passions and brutality—civil wars, family quarrels, and religious disputes. Five Facts. —A firm faith is the best divinity; a good life is the best philosophy; a clear conscience the best law ; honesty is the best policy; and temperance the best physic. There is a member named Grammar in the Legislature of Massachusetts. Couldn't he be prevailed upon to come over here and enter our own ? He is very much wanted. " Mother," said a little child, " why are orphans the happiest children in the world ?" " They are not; but why do you think they are, my child ?" " Because they have no parents to lick 'em." A little Sabbath-school scholar said she could'nt help laughing to think how astonished Goliah must have been when the stone from David's sling hit him, as she didn't believe that such a thing ever entered his head before. A Dutchman describes New York as " berry fine people, who go about the streets scheating each other, and day call dat pizzinezs." A correspondent says that some amusement was caused a few days ago by the remark of a young lady in company :—" It is really fortunate that these twins are brothers. How shocking it would be if two persons not related to each other were to be united in such a manner!"

A couple of fellows who were pretty thoroughly soaked with bad whiskey, got into a gutter. After floundering about for a few minutes, one of them said, " Jim, let's go to another house; this hotel leaks."

Irish Wit. —An Irish girl at play, on Sunday, being accosted by the priest, " Good morning, daughter of the Evil One," meekly replied, " Good morning, father." Some men are like cats. Tou may stroke the fur the right way for years, and hear nothing but purring; but accidentally tread on the tail, and all memory of former kindness is obliterated.

A newly lauded son of Erin was trying to scrape an acquaintance with one of his countrymen. " And what's the name, did ye say?" "Patrick Dwyer," "O, I know the Dwyers Sure and ye're not the son of tl e two old maids, Dwyers, of Navan Common, are ye ?" The last case of modesty is that of a young lady who discarded her lo%'er, a sea captain, because in speaking of one of his 1 voyages he said that he "hugged" the shore.