And glorieth in doggedness of temper, as if it were uncompromising

justice.

Be aware of such a man; his brawling covereth designs;

This specious show of honesty cometh as the herald of a thief:

His feint is made with awkward clashing on the buckler's boss,

But meanwhile doth his secret skill ensure its fatal aim.

This is the hypocrite of honesty; ye may know him by an overacted

part;

Taking pains to turn and twist, where other men walk straight;

Or walking straight, he will not step aside to let another pass,

But roughly pusheth on, provoking opposition on the way;

He is full of disquietude for calmness, full of intriguing for simplicity,
Valorous with those who cannot fight, and humble to the brave:
Where brotherly advice were good, this man rudely blameth,

And on some small occasion, flattereth with coarse praise.

The craven in a lion's skin hath conquered by his character for courage;

Sheep's clothing helped the wolf, till he slew by his character for kindness.

FOR honesty hath many gains, and well the wise have known
This will prosper to the end, and fill their house with gold.

The phosphorus of cheatery will fade, and all its profit perish,

While honesty with growing light endureth as the moon.

Yea, it would be wise in a world of thieves, where cheating were a virtue,

To dare the vice of honesty, if any would be rich.

For that which by the laws of God is heightened into duty,

Ever, in the practice of a man, will be seen both policy and privilege.

Thank God, ye toilers for your bread, in that, daily labouring,

He hath suffered the bubbles of self-interest to float upon the stream

of duty:

For honesty, of every kind, approved by God and man,

Of wealth and better weal is found the richest cornucopia.

Tempered by humbleness and charity, honesty of speech hath honour; And mingled well with prudence, honesty of purpose hath its praise · Trust paveth homage unto truth, rewarding honesty of action;

And all men love to lean on him, who never failed nor fainted.
Freedom gloweth in his eyes, and nobleness of nature at his heart,
And Independence took a crown and fixed it on his head:
So, he stood in his integrity, just and firm of purpose,

Aiding many, fearing none, a spectacle to angels, and to men:
Yea, when the shattered globe shall rock in the throes of dissolution,
Still, will he stand in his integrity, sublime-an honest man.

OF SOCIETY.

BETTER is the mass of men, Suspicion, than thy fears,
Kinder than thy thoughts, O chilling heart of Prudence,
Purer than thy judgments, ascetic tongue of censure,

In all things worthier to love, if not also wiser to esteem.

Yea, let the moralist condemn, there be large extenuations of his verdict, Let the misanthrope shun men and abjure, the most are rather loveable

than hateful.

How many pleasant faces shed their light on every side,

How many angels unawares have crossed thy casual way!

How often, in thy journeyings, hast thou made thee instant friends,

Found, to be loved a little while, and lost, to meet no more;

Friends of happy reminiscence, although so transient in their converse, Liberal, cheerful, and sincere, a crowd of kindly traits.

I have sped by land and sea, and mingled with much people,

But never yet could find the spot unsunned by human kindness:

Some more, and some less,-but, truly, all can claim a little;

And a man may travel through the world, and sow it thick with friendships.

THERE be indeed, to say it in all sorrow, bad apostate souls,

Deserted of their ministering angels, and given up to liberty of sin,—
And other some, the miserly and mean, whose eyes are keen and greedy,
With stony hearts, and iron fists, to filch, and scrape, and clutch,—
And others yet again, the coarse in mind, selfish, sensual, brutish,
Seeming as incapable of softer thoughts, and dead to better deeds,
Such, no lover of the good, no follower of the generous and gentle,

Can nearer grow to love, than may consist with pity.

Few verily are these among the mass, and cast in fouler moulds,

Few and poor in friends, and well-deserving of their poverty:

Yet, or ever thou hast harshly judged, and linked their presence to disgust,

Consider well the thousand things that made them all they are.

Thou hast not thought upon the causes, ranged in consecutive necessity,
Which tended long to these effects, with sure constraining power.
For each of those unlovely ones, if thou couldst hear his story,
Hath much to urge of just excuse, at least as men count justice :
Foolish education, thwarted opportunities, natural propensities un-
checked,-

Thus were they discouraged from all good, and pampered in their evil:
And if thou wilt apprehend them well, tenderly locking on temptations,
Bearing the base indulgently, and liberally dealing with the froward,
Thou shalt discern a few fair fruits even upon trees so withered,
Thou shalt understand how some may praise, and some be found to love
them.

NEVERTHELESS for these, my counsel is, Avoid them if thou canst;

For the finer edges of thy virtues will be dulled by attrition with their

vice.

And there is an enemy within thee; either to palliate their sin,
Until, for surface sweetness, thou too art drawn adown the vortex;
Or, even unto fatal pride, to glorify thy purity by contrast,
Until the publican and harlot stand nearer heaven than the Pharisee:
Or daily strife against their ill, in subtleness may irritate thy soul,
And in that struggle thou shalt fail, even through infirmity of goodness;
Or, callous by continuance of injuries, thou wilt cease to pardon,

Cease to feel, and cease to care, a cold case-hardened man.

Beware of their example,-and thine own; beware the hazards of the

battle;

But chiefly be thou ware of this, an unforgiving spirit.

Many are the dangers and temptations compassing a bad man's presence: The upas hath a poisonous shade, and who would slumber there? Wherefore, avoid them if thou canst; only, under providence and duty. If thy lot be cast with Kedar, patiently and silently live to their rebuke

How beautiful thy feet, and full of grace thy coming,

O better kind companion, that art well for either world!

There is an atmosphere of happiness floating round that man,

Love is throned upon his heart, and light is found within his dwelling, His eyes are rayed with peacefulness, and wisdom waiteth on his

tongue;

Seek him out, cherish him well, walking in the halo of his influence;

For he shall be fragrance to thy soul, as a garden of sweet lilies,

Hedged and apart from the outer world, an island of the blest among the

seas.

THERE is an outer world, and there is an inner centre;

And many varying rings concentric round the self.

For, first, about a mar,-after his communion with heaven,

Is found the helpmate even as himself, the wife of his vows and his

affections:

See then that ye love in faith, scorning petty jealousies,

For Satan spoileth too much love, by souring it with doubts;

See that intimacy die not to indifference, nor anxiety sink into moroseness, And tend ye well the mutual minds bound in a copartnership for life.

NEXT of those concentric circles, radiating widely in circumference,
Wheel in wheel, and world in world,-come the band of children:
A tender nest of soft young hearts, each to be separately studied,
A curious eager flock of minds, to be severally tamed and tutored.
And a man, blest with these, hath made his own society,

He is independent of the world, hanging on his friends more loosely
For the little faces around his hearth are friends enow for him,

If he seek others, it is for sake of these, and less for his own pleasure.
What companionship so sweet, yea, who can teach so well

As these pure budding intellects, and bright unsullied hearts?
What voice so musical as theirs, what visions of elegance so comely,
What thoughts and hopes and holy prayers, can others cause like these?
If ye count society for pastime,-what happier recreation than a nursing
Its winning ways, its prattling tongue, its innocence and mirth ?

If ye count society for good,-how fair a field is here,

To guide these souls to God, and multiply thyself for heaven'