We do not quite forgive a
giver. The hand that feeds us is in some danger of being bitten.
In fact, one of them offered her a gourd of milk--a filthy, smoke-begrimed gourd, with the ancient rind of long-curdled milk caked in layers within its neck; but the spirit of the
giver touched her deeply, and her face lightened for a moment with one of those almost forgotten smiles of radiance that had helped to make her beauty famous both in Baltimore and London.
And of that which is neither yours nor your subjects' you can be a ready
giver, as were Cyrus, Caesar, and Alexander; because it does not take away your reputation if you squander that of others, but adds to it; it is only squandering your own that injures you.
For this is hardest of all: to close the open hand out of love, and keep modest as a
giver.
As for the little negro babies, they were offered to be
giver away like young kittens."
The feeble fingers were never idle, and one of her pleasures was to make little things for the school children daily passing to and fro, to drop a pair of mittens from her window for a pair of purple hands, a needlebook for some small mother of many dolls, penwipers for young penmen toiling through forests of pothooks, scrapbooks for picture-loving eyes, and all manner of pleasant devices, till the reluctant climbers of the ladder of learning found their way strewn with flowers, as it were, and came to regard the gentle
giver as a sort of fairy godmother, who sat above there, and showered down gifts miraculously suited to their tastes and needs.
Grace being said, -- for those people have their grace as well as we --though Queequeg told me that unlike us, who at such times look downwards to our platters, they, on the contrary, copying the ducks, glance upwards to the great
Giver of all feasts --Grace, I say, being said, the High Priest opens the banquet by the immemorial ceremony of the island; that is, dipping his consecrated and consecrating fingers into the bowl before the blessed beverage circulates.
In his memoirs he piously thanks the
Giver of all Good for remembering him in his needs and delivering sundry such cargoes into his hands at times when only special providences could have relieved him.
And at the same time William took Rosa's hand, and placed it in that of a young man, who rushed forth, pale and beyond himself with joy, to the foot of the throne saluting alternately the Prince and his bride; and who with a grateful look to heaven, returned his thanks to the
Giver of all this happiness.
But an apology for invading the hermitage was still necessary; so I had furnished myself with a blue morocco collar for Arthur's little dog; and that being given and received, with much more joy and gratitude, on the part of the receiver, than the worth of the gift or the selfish motive of the
giver deserved, I ventured to ask Mrs.
Thus did they converse, but King Apollo said to Mercury, "Messenger Mercury,
giver of good things, you would not care how strong the chains were, would you, if you could sleep with Venus?"
I shall only add, that the
givers are generally of the former sentiment, and the receivers are almost universally inclined to the latter.
giver - person who makes a gift of property