JB/015/388/001

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65

Disassociated from the present & the future the past is valueless
– for as past, present & future are only interesting or instructive in
as far as they afford materials out of which good may be extracted –
the past being irrevocable cannot of course be influenced by succeeding
events or opinions. But except in the past there is no experience
& from it alone can be gathered those results which may serve
be the guidance of the future. Beyond its the lessons it gives, –
the remembrances of the past are for the most part painful –
tho history is to a great extent the history of privations. If the mind can
be so happily turned as to make those privations sources of
pleasurable retrospect, – something will be gained to happiness by
dwelling upon them. In a great majority of instances the
memory of departed times is sad & distressful – The contract calculation
of what we had & have not – is not fairly balanced against what the
ultimate of what we have. The lost – the irrevocable, – is frequently
exaggerated in importance because it is irrevocably lost – while
there is a prevalent disposition to under-rate the value of a
present possession. On the whole the safest general rule
is to apply the attention as little as possible to bygone scenes
and events. Every man may for himself mark out certain
exceptions. These are thoughts so of past enjoyments that still have pleasant impressions
notwithstanding the knowledge of their being never to return –
so there are recollections of painful events from which the remembrance
of leaving our escapes will be constantly of accompanied
with pleasurable impressions. One class of reminiscences
are wholly pernicious – that of vain regrets – dreamings
of what might have been had not that been which was –
No regret tho can change the past & unless it can be
turned to some useful account for the future prudence
requires its suppression. There is profound philosophical
truth in Shakespeare's dictum
All regrets are vain – & those most vain
Which by pain purchased do inherit pain

Identifier: | JB/015/388/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	015	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	388	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f65
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5604
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