Australian Tales - Setis

you will increase your troubles, and you will probably be kicked for
being in the way, by some of your bustling neighbours.
“We overstate the ills of life, and take
Imagination, given us to bring down
The choirs of singing angels, overshone
By God's clear glory, — down our earth, to rake
The dismal snows instead; flake following flake,
To cover all the corn. We walk upon
The shadows of hills across a level thrown,
And pant like climbers.”
* * * * *
I do not mean to infer that it is always possible to chase away
distressing thoughts, by a mere effort of the will; or as easy to put away
our troubles, as to throw off an overcoat; but as I believe it is possible to
increase them by fretting over them — for like produces like — so it is
possible to lessen them, by looking hopefully to the probability of their
terminating. It is much more comforting to hope for things to mend, than
to fear they will be worse; and it is miserable waste of time to dread evils
which may never come near us. Unavoidable troubles, of course, must be
borne, and the more patiently we bear them the less are we likely to be
galled. A man who has used every honest effort to avert disaster, will
feel a degree of satisfaction at having done his duty, and his conduct will
doubtless be rightly estimated by thoughtful men around him.
That there is a good deal of distress, at the present time, throughout the
colony, is indisputable; and to trace some of the causes and their effects,
would not be difficult. There are few reflecting men, however, who did
not expect severe straits to result from the terrible inundations which
lately ravaged many of the agricultural districts, and the repeated failure
of wheat crops from rust. Droughts, too, have seriously affected some of
the pastoral and mining districts. The lawless depredations of
bushrangers, and political disruptions, together with many other minor
occurrences and calamities, have tended to depress trade, and the
influence is easily traceable to individual exchequers. However much
these things are to be deprecated, merely deploring will never remedy
them, and the truest philosophy is to look at our difficulties boldly, and
strive to diminish them if we cannot surmount them altogether. We only
double our trouble when we trouble ourselves over it. Though many
persons just now join in the cry of bad times, there is plenty of room for
hope that times will mend, for this is a great country with boundless
resources, and no rational man will fear that general distress can be
permanent. Every one knows the beneficial influence the frosts of winter