Robert Southey.
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Tell the story of the poem in your own words.
What are some of the important lessons it teaches?
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57
smit’ ing el’ o quence mes’ mer
ize ges’ ture vin’ e gar un dy’
ing ly
Kind words are the music of the world. They have
a power which seems to be beyond natural causes, as
if they were some angel’s song, which had lost
its way and come on earth, and sang on undyingly, smiting
the hearts of men with sweetest wounds, and putting
for the while an angel’s nature into us.
Let us then think first of all of the power of kind
words. In truth, there is hardly a power on earth
equal to them. It seems as they could almost
do what in reality God alone can do, namely, soften
the hard and angry hearts of men. Many a friendship,
long, loyal, and self-sacrificing, rested at first
on no thicker a foundation than a kind word.
Kind words produce happiness. How often have
we ourselves been made happy by kind words, in a manner
and to an extent which we are unable to explain!
And happiness is a great power of holiness. Thus,
kind words, by their power of producing happiness,
have also a power of producing holiness, and so of
winning men to God.
If I may use such a word when I am speaking of religious
subjects, it is by voice and words that men mesmerize
each other. Hence it is that the world is converted
by the voice of the preacher. Hence it is that
an angry word rankles longer in the heart than an
angry gesture, nay, very often even longer than a
blow. Thus, all that has been said of the power
of kindness in general applies with an additional and
peculiar force to kind words.
Father Faber.
From “Spiritual Conferences.”
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Explain: Kind words are the music of the world—An
angel’s song that had lost its way and come
on earth—Smiting the hearts of men with
sweetest wounds—Putting an angel’s
nature into us—Hard and angry hearts of
men—An angry word rankles longer in the
heart than even a blow.
Mention some occasions when kind words addressed to
you made you very happy. Which will bring a person
more happiness,—to have kind words said
to him, or for him to say them to another?
Memorize the first paragraph of the selection.
Memory Gems:
Kindness has converted more sinners than either zeal,
eloquence, or learning.
Father Faber.
You will catch more flies with a spoonful of honey
than with a hundred barrels of vinegar.
St. Francis de Sales.
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58
Memorize:
