An ill-tempered letter, once sent, will sometimes embitter a life-time. We once saw an old gentleman, with a wise, fine head, calm face, and a most benevolent look, beg of a postmaster to return him a letter which he had dropped into the box. To do so, as everybody knows, is illegal; but won over by the old gentleman's importunity, the postmaster complied, upon full proof, in comparing the writing etc. being given. Then, with a beaming face, the old gentleman tore the letter into fragments, and, scattering them to the winds, exclaimed--"Ah! I've preserved my friend." The fact is, he had written a letter in a state of irritation, which was probably unjust and hurtful, but which he had wisely recalled. "Written words remain," is not only a proverb, but a very grave caution; and hence the advice--never write in anger, or, at any rate, keep your letter till next morning, when you probably will be cool and in a better frame of mind. 2092 A good beginning is half the work. --_Euripides._ 2093 Art little? Do thy little well: And for thy comfort know The great can do their greatest work No better than, just so. --_Goethe._ 2094 He who is willing to work finds it hard to wait. 2095 Never be ashamed of honest work. It is far better to be a good blacksmith than a bad lawyer. 2096 YOUTH AND OLD AGE. Youth is the seed-time, old age the harvest. If we lay nothing up for old age it will be as related in the fable; namely: A cricket came to the ant, and said, "Give me something to eat?" The ant asked, "What did you in the summer?" "I whistled," said the cricket. "Then," said the ant, "if you whistled in summer while I was working, you may dance in the winter," and gave her nothing. 2097 We are best known by what we do. 2098 One's work is the best company. --_French._ 2099 I am often tired in, but never of, my work. --_Whitefield._ 2100 We often hear of people breaking down from over-work, but nine cases out of ten they are really suffering from worry or anxiety. --_Sir John Lubbock._ 2101 Unless a man works, he cannot find out what he is able to do. 2102 I cannot abide to see men throw away their tools the minute the clock begins to strike, as if they took no pleasure in their work, and was afraid o' doing a stroke too much. The very grindstone 'll go on turning a bit after you loose it. --_George Eliot._ 2103 THE TENT.