Beware of the angry in his passion; but fear not to approach him afterward; For if thou acknowledge thine error, he himself will be sorry for his wrath: Beware of the hater in his coolness; for he meditateth evil against thee: Commending the resources of his mind calmly to work thy ruin. Deceit and treachery skulk with hatred, but an honest spirit flieth with anger: The one lieth secret, as a serpent; the other chaseth, as a leopard. Speedily be reconciled in love, and receive the returning offender, For wittingly prolonging Anger, thou tamperest unconsciously with Hatred. Patience is power in a man, nerving him to rein his spirit: Passion is as palsy to his arm, while it yelleth on the coursers to their speed: Patience keepeth counsel, and standeth in solid self-possession, But the weakness of sudden passion layeth bare the secrets of the soul. The sentiment of anger is not ill, when thou lookest on the impudence of vice, Or savourest the breath of calumny, or hast earned the hard wages of injustice; But see that thou curb it in expression, rendering the mildness of rebuke, So shall thou stand without reproach, mailed in all the dignity of virtue. [Illustration] OF GOOD IN THINGS EVIL. [Illustration: "I"] I heard the man of sin reproaching the goodness of Jehovah, Wherefore, if He be Almighty Love, permitteth He misery and pain? I saw the child of hope vexed in the labyrinth of doubt, Wherefore, O holy One and just, is the horn of Thy foul foe so high exalted? And, alas! for this our groaning world, for that grief and guilt are here; Alas! for that Earth is the battle-field, where good must combat with evil: Angels look on and hold their breath, burning to mingle in the conflict, But the troops of the Captain of Salvation may be none but the soldiers of the cross: And that slender band must fight alone, and yet shall triumph gloriously, Enough shall they be for conquest, and the motto of their standard is, ENOUGH. Thou art sad, O denizen of earth, for pains and diseases and death, But remember, thy hand hath earned them; grudge not at the wages of thy doings: Thy guilt, and thy fathers' guilt, must bring many sorrows in their company, And if thou wilt drink sweet poison, doubtless it shall rot thee to the core. What art thou but the heritor of evil, with a right to nothing good? The respite of an interval of ease were a boon which Justice might deny thee: Therefore lay thy hand upon thy mouth, O man much to be forgiven, And wait, thou child of hope, for time shall teach thee all things.