“Love and sympathy seem nearly synonymous, but the former can be selfish, while the very essence of the latter is thought for others. Genius is but an intense power to sympathize, coupled with ability to express the same. In fact, this one word makes a part of so many good things that to enjoy life at all we _must_ sympathize with nature, man, or God. “A sympathy with nature is the source of marvelous comfort; Shakespeare understood it when he said: ‘And this our life, exempt from public haunt, Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in everything.’ “There are times when life grown burdensome hangs like a leaden weight upon our necks; we would get away from ourselves, and it is necessary to use all our power to crush the wish that we had never been born; then if we can go into the fields or woods, and, throwing ourselves upon the ground, rest our heads on the loving earth, how soon we find relief. The quiet breeze is like a friendly hand upon our brows; the voice of the brook, the song of birds, and hum of insects are like balm upon a wound; we are children in our mothers’ arms, and the grand old trees are our brothers and sisters. Whatever human friends may leave or disappoint us, we have always sweet sympathizers in the flowers, trees, brooks, rocks, grass, and everything which springs to life in the fields or woods, on the mountains or in the valleys. “A sympathy with our fellow-beings is higher than that with nature, because more active and requiring forbearance. ‘Put yourself in his place’ has a world of meaning. We should strive that ours may be the finger which shall touch the secret spring in our neighbor’s heart, which shall unlock the good lying dormant there for want of help to bring it out. Strive to realize their griefs and temptations. If we could for one short hour put ourselves in the place of some one whom we now condemn with so much bitterness; if we could see how circumstances have wrapped their fatal web around him, how much the fatal tendency to do evil is the terrible legacy of his parents, how often would harsh judgment lie low in the dust, and loving mercy cover with her shielding mantle? If we could throw off this crust of ice, with which so many of us seem to have encased ourselves, how much more good we could do? _Now_, we stand apart; _then_, joined together, each helping the other, we would fulfill the purpose of our being. “Sympathy with God! Is it blasphemous for weak mortals to think of such a thing? No! The loving Father alone is acquainted with us, and is therefore the only thorough sympathizer we have. ‘He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.’ We commence to be in harmony with God just as soon as by cultivating sympathy for man, we become fellow-workers with Him.” MARCH 2, 1877. GIRLS.