An inexhaustible good nature is one of the most precious gifts

When Washington Irving wrote, “An inexhaustible good nature is one of the most precious gifts of heaven, spreading itself like oil over the troubled sea of thought, and keeping the mind smooth and equable in the roughest weather,” he offered us an image at once poetic and profound. He saw good nature—the steady kindness of spirit, the cheerful patience of heart—not as a trivial trait, but as a divine blessing, a shield for the soul. For life brings tempests of anxiety, anger, and despair, yet the man or woman who carries within them this inexhaustible calm finds their mind preserved, as the sea grows still beneath the soothing spread of oil.

The origin of this wisdom is older than Irving himself. Sailors of antiquity knew that pouring oil upon stormy waters could calm their fury, and Emerson later recalled that truth in his own writings. Irving, a man of letters steeped in both history and seafaring lore, seized upon this natural phenomenon as a metaphor for the human spirit. Just as oil lays its silken sheen across the raging waves, so good nature—that deep reservoir of patience, forgiveness, and lightness of heart—calms the storm-tossed mind in moments of hardship.

History gives us luminous examples of this truth. Consider Abraham Lincoln, whose presidency bore the crushing weight of civil war. He was beset on all sides by critics, generals, and the bloody strife of a divided nation. Yet his contemporaries marveled at his good nature—his humor, his refusal to lash out, his steady patience even when the storm raged at its fiercest. This quality did not erase the suffering around him, but it steadied his own mind and gave his countrymen hope. His calm spirit was the oil upon the troubled sea of his people’s fear.

The ancients also revered this quality. Marcus Aurelius, though emperor of Rome, counseled himself to remain equable in all circumstances, to master anger, and to treat others with patience even when wronged. For he knew that the mind, once agitated by resentment or pride, becomes as ungovernable as a storm-tossed ship. The gift of equanimity, preserved by good nature, was to him the truest strength of a ruler. In this, Irving’s words echo the stoic wisdom of centuries: that to govern oneself with serenity is the noblest art.

The meaning of Irving’s image is therefore not delicate or sentimental, but heroic. To be of inexhaustible good nature is not to be naïve, but to possess a power that withstands storms. It is to remain calm in insult, patient in adversity, and cheerful in darkness. Where bitterness corrodes and anger blinds, good nature restores clarity, allowing the mind to remain “smooth and equable” even in the roughest seas of life. This quality, more than wit, wealth, or strength, is indeed among the most precious gifts of heaven.

The lesson for us is clear: cultivate within yourself this inner reservoir of good nature. Do not allow the troubles of the world to dictate your spirit. When insulted, choose patience; when disappointed, choose humor; when surrounded by fear, radiate calm. These choices, made daily, form the habit of good nature until it becomes inexhaustible. And in time, you will discover that you not only calm your own storms, but bring peace to those around you, just as oil spreads across the water, quieting even distant waves.

Practically, live this wisdom by practicing forbearance in your speech, gentleness in your dealings, and cheerfulness even in trial. When your thoughts begin to churn with worry or resentment, recall Irving’s image: see yourself as a sea, and lay across it the oil of good nature, smoothing its turmoil. Remember that storms will pass, but the spirit trained in serenity endures.

Thus, Irving’s words remain not only poetic, but practical guidance for all ages. Good nature is heaven’s gift, the oil upon life’s troubled sea. It steadies the heart, clears the mind, and shines as a light of comfort to all who sail beside you. Let us then treasure and cultivate this gift, for in it lies the strength to endure every storm with grace.