New Spalding Club > Records of Invercauld MDXLVII - MDCCCXXVIII [1547- 1828]

FAMILY LETTERS : MURRAY. 459
Those who covet what they see possessed by their neighbour, are they
not intemperate ? Remains Fortitude, which tho : named last, is equaly
necessary to our happiness with others. Can that person be said to be
happy, who is in continual fears, and apprehentions, who.se heart
palpitates a't every little accident ? Some at the waving of a leaf of a
tree, at the noise made in the branches by the stiring of a Bird, are
agitated with inward emotions, which is also easily to be remarked by
outward signs of starting and the like. What agonies have I observed
some people in, at the sight of a spider or some other insignificant
insect? 1 know we are often apt to disguise the causes of these our
weaknesses, and instead of owning frankly that it is a bad habit of fear,
that perhaps we received the first impression of from our Nurses, we
give it the name of antipathy ; a poor refuge that many content them-
selves with ! What shall we say of those who are thrown into fainting
fits at the noise of thunder? Is that not also a bad habit that we have
not struggled by reason to get the better of? But I hear a person say
that there is real danger in thunder, and many accidents happen yearly
by the effect of it ; true, but does fear guard j-ou against the danger ?
Is it not adding a real evil (terror with all its consequences) to an
uncertain one? Fortitude enables us to go through real dangers, and
support real calamitys with resolution. It even tempts Providence by
running headlong into dangers that may be avoided. But when those
calamitys and dangers surround us fortitude inspires us with the best
means to shan them, by affording a presence of mind that often
extricates the person endued therewith, out of great dificultys. When
a pusillanimous person sinks under them and is destroyed by them.
But when misfortunes do happen they, who are possessed of this virtue,
support them with a becoming dignity, by it they are enabled to bear
pain on account of distempers, without murmuring at the ways of
Providence ; the same in Prison, in Want, in Exile, and Death itself If
this be so, as sure it is ; should a Rational Creature be disturbed and be
in terror, at the ruffling of leaves, or the stirring of a bird, least it should
prove a serpent? Shall a spider fright us because it may happen to
have a venemus bite, or that its figure is not pleasant to the eye? or
shall Thunder and Lightening terrific us tho : some have lost their lives
and houses by the effect of it ? But where one house is burned by the
means of lightning, a thousand have been reduced to ashes by the
negl}-gence of servants ; and how many people are there who Die of
appoplectic fits in a year more than by the effects of lightning ? but sure
I am that fears and trembling can no ways prevent it, on the contrary,
may have very bad consequences. One thing I cannot omit, and that is,
some people pretend that timidity in a woman is becoming. It might
be as well afirmed that they are incapable of virtue, for sure stcdyness,
vigour of mind, and Fortitude as one of the cardinal virtues, suites and