LESSON XXII.

ON CHARACTER.

A good model of the Instructive Essay. From Smiles's Self Helps. [Analysis.-1. What is character? its influence? the result of what?-2. Cause of Franklin's success. What defects his integrity overcame.-3. Character creates confidence. Alexander of Russia. Montaigne.-4. Character and knowledge compared. -5. Qualities that are the essence of manly character. Their power.-6. Stephen of Colonna. Character in misfortune.-7. Why a man should aim at the possession of a good character. A high standard.-8. Extract from George Herbert.-9. Wisdom in having a high standard.-10. The true character always acts rightly. Illustration. The principle an active power.-11. Little arts. Conduct toward others.-12. Selfeducation in behavior. Gentleness in society.]

1. THE crown and glory of life is character'. It is the noblest possession of a man', constituting a rank in itself, and an estate in the general good-will'; dignifying every station', and exalting every position in society'. It exercises a greater power than wealth', and secures all the honor' without the jealousies' of fame. It carries with it an influence which always tells'; for it is the result of proved honor', rectitude', and consistency-qualities which, perhaps more than any other', command the general confidence and respect of mankind.

2. Franklin attributed his success, as a public man, not to his talents or his powers of speaking-for these were but moderate-but to his known integrity of character. "Hence it was," he says, " that I had so much weight with my fellowcitizens. I was but a bad speaker', never eloquent', subject to much hesitation in my choice of words', hardly correct in language', and yet I generally carried my point'."

3. Character creates confidence in men in high station as well as in humble life. It was said of the first Emperor Alexander of Russia, that his personal character was equivalent to a constitution. During the wars of the Fronde, Montaigne was the only man among the French gentry who kept his castle gates unbarred; and it was said of him that his personal character was worth more to him than a regiment of horse.

4. That character is power, is true in a much higher sense than that knowledge is power. Mind' without heart', intel

ligence' without conduct', cleverness' without goodness', are powers in their way, but they may be powers only for mischief. We may be instructed or amused by them; but it is sometimes as difficult to admire them', as it would be to admire the dexterity of a pickpocket', or the horsemanship of a highwayman'.

5. Truthfulness, integrity, and goodness-qualities that hang not on any man's breath-form the essence of manly character; or, as one of our old writers has it, "that inbred loyalty unto virtue which can serve her without a livery.” He who possesses these qualities, united with strength of purpose, carries with him a power which is irresistible. He is strong' to do good', strong' to resist evil', and strong' to bear up under difficulty and misfortune'.

6. When Stephen of Colonna fell into the hands of his base assailants, and they asked him in derision, “Where is now your fortress' ?" "Here," was his bold reply, placing his hand upon his heart. It is in misfortune that the character of the upright man shines forth with the greatest lustre'; and, when all else fails, he takes his stand upon his integrity and his courage.

7. Every man is bound to aim at the possession of a good character, as one of the highest objects of life. The very ef fort to secure it by worthy means will furnish him with a motive of exertion; and his idea of manhood, in proportion as it is elevated, will steady and animate his motive. It is well to have a high standard of life, even though we may not be able altogether to realize it. "The youth," says Mr. Disraelia," who does not look up', will look down'; and the spirit that does not soar', is destined perhaps to grovel." 8. George Herbert wisely writes—

"Pitch thy behavior low', thy projects high';

So shalt thou humble and magnanimous be.
Sink not in spirit': who aimeth at the sky',

Shoots higher, much, than he that means a tree."

9. He who has a high standard of living and thinking will certainly do better than he who has none at all. "Pluck

a Diz ra'el ee.

at a gown of gold," says the Scotch proverb," and you may get a sleeve o't." Whoever tries for the highest results, can not fail to reach a point far in advance of that from which he started; and though the end accomplished may fall short of that proposed, still the very effort to rise, of itself, can not fail to prove permanently beneficial.

10. The true character acts rightly, whether in secret or in the sight of men. That boy was well trained who, when asked why he did not pocket some pears, for nobody was there to see, replied, "Yes there was: I was there to see myself; and I don't intend ever to see myself do a dishonest thing." This is a simple, but not inappropriate illustration of principle or conscience dominating in the character, and exercising a noble protectorate over it; not merely a passive influence, but an active power regulating the life. Such a principle goes on moulding the character hourly and daily, growing with a force that operates every moment.

11. As daylight can be seen through very small holes, so little things will illustrate a person's character. Indeed, character consists in little acts well and honorably performed; daily life being the quarry from which we build it up, and rough hew the habits which form it. One of the most marked tests of character is the manner in which we conduct ourselves toward others. A graceful behavior toward superiors, inferiors, and equals, is a constant source of pleasure. It pleases others, because it indicates respect for their personality; but it gives tenfold more pleasure to ourselves.

12. Every man may, to a large extent, be a self-educator in good behavior, as in every thing else; he can be civil and kind, if he will, though he have not a penny in his purse. Gentleness in society is like the silent influence of light, which gives color to all nature: it is far more powerful than loudness of force, and far more fruitful. It pushes its way quietly and persistently, like the tiniest daffodil in spring, which raises the clod and thrusts it aside by the simple persistency of growing.

LESSON XXIII.

TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW.

I. TO-DAY.

[By J. E. CARPENTER: an English poet: editor of Penny Readings, etc. This part of our lesson illustrates the importance of doing our duty to-day, instead of putting it off until the uncertain to-morrow, and is more strictly didactic than the second part of the lesson.]

1. DON'T tell me of to-morrow';

Give me the man who'll say,

That, when a good deed's to be done,
"Let's do the deed to-day."
We may all command the present,
If we act, and never wait;
But repentance is the phantom
Of a past that comes too late!

2. Don't tell me of to-morrow';
There is much to do to-day,
That can never be accomplished
If we throw the hours away;
Every moment has its duty;

Who the future can foretell13 ?
Why put off until to-morrow
"What to-day can do as well3 ?

3. Don't tell me of to-morrow':
If we look upon the past,

How much that we have left to do
We can not do at last'!
To-day-it is the only time
For all upon the earth;

It takes an age to form a life-
A moment gives it birth!

II. TO-MORROW.

COTTON.

[NATHANIEL COTTON, an English physician and poet; born in 1707; died in 1788. This is a poetic description of "To-morrow:" but includes, also, the instructive lesson that "To-morrow" is a sharper, and a bankrupt cheat: that it is the fool's day, and the child of Fancy and of Folly.-Here are good examples of personification; for which see p. 207.]

1. To-Morrow didst thou say'1?

2.

!

Methought I heard Horatio say To-Morrow`; Go to', I will not hear of it; To-Morrow'10, a. Į 'Tis a sharper, who stakes his penury'

Against thy plenty'; who takes thy ready cash,

And pays thee naught but wishes, hopes, and promises', The currency of idiots'; injurious bankrupt,

That gulls the easy creditor.

To-Morrow'10, a. !

It is a period nowhere to be found

In all the hoary registers of Time',

Unless, perchance, in the fool's calendar'.
Wisdom disclaims the word, nor holds society
With those who own' it. No', my Horatio'2,
'Tis Fancy's child', and Folly is its father';
Wrought of such stuff as dreams' are, and as baseless
As the fantastic visions of the evening.

LESSON XXIV.

ON STUDIES.

LORD BACON.

[FRANCIS BACON, born in London, Eng., in 1560, died in 1620. Pope very justly characterized him, in one emphatic line, as "the wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind." He was famous as a scholar, a wit, a lawyer, a judge, a statesman, a politician-and, as a philosopher, no language can be too lofty for his praise; but he was guilty of official bribery, was slavishly obsequious to the sovereign, and was a dangerous enemy to freedom.

The following extract, though somewhat quaint in manner, is a good example of that conciseness of style which is so well adapted to the purpose of instruction.]

1. STUDIES serve for delight', for ornament', and for ability'. Their chief use for delight is in the quiet of private life; for ornament', is in discourse'; and for ability', is in the judg