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·THE CHILDREN'S BOOK OF MORAL LESSONS ·$ “THE purpose of the public elementary school is to form and strengthen the character. and to develop the intelligence of the children entrusted to it. With this purpose in view, it will be the aim of the school to train the children carefully in habits of observation and clear reasoning, to arouse in tliem a living interest in the ideals and achievements of mankind .. and to develop in them such a taste for good reading and thoughtful study as will enable them to increase that knowledge in after years by their own efforts. And though their opportunities are but brief, the teachers can yet do much to lay the foundations of conduct. They can endeavour, by example and influence, aided by the sense of discipline which should pervade the school, to implant in the children habits of industry, self-control, and couragcous perseverance in the face of difficulties ; they can teach them to reverence what is noble, to be ready for self-sacrifice, and to strive their utmost after purity and truth ; they can foster a strong respect for duty, and that consideration and respect for others which must be the foundation of unselfishness and the true basis of all good manncrs ; while the corporate life of the school, especially in the playground, should develop that instinct for fairness and for loyalty to one another which is the germ of a wider sense of honour in later life. In all these endeavours the school should enlist, as far as possible, the interest and co-operation of the parents and the home in a united effort to enable the children not mercly to reach their full development as individuals, but also to become upright and useful inembers of the community in which they live, and worthy sons and daughters of the country to which tlicy belong." Introduction to Educution Code, 1904.

·THE
CHILDREN'S BOOK OF
MORAL LESSONS
.BY
F. J. GOULD
(First Scries : “ Self-Control” and “
Truthfulness ")
WATTS & CO.,
17, JOHNSON'S COURT, FLEET STREET, LONDON, E.C.
1905

·This book is also issued in cr. 8010. sisi, bound in cloth, price 25. Special terms are given to schwols and educational bodies. The Second and Third Series are published only in the 25. form, uniform with the First Series.

·PREFACE THE highest end of home and school education is to mould the child's character as a moral being; and to attain this end we must discipline the child's natural good feeling by systematic lessons in the interpretation of personal and civic conduct. The lessons in this book are rather "lessons in the teacher's or parent's sense, but to the children themselves (so the author hopes) the idea of “lesson” will yield to the dramatic interest of the stories and illustrations which form the vehicles of the moral instruction. It would be a truly noble issue out of the present educational crisis if persons of all schools of thought could unite in the establishment of a sound and practical moral teaching detached from controversial doctrines. The lessons are intended for children aged 10 to 14. F. J. G. January, 1905.

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·CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.--FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE. L'AGE PAGE 1. People who go the right way for fear of pain. 2. People who go the right way for fear of prison. 3. L'eople who go the right way for fear of being seen. 4. The best kind of people. LESSON V.-A TEMPERATE LIFE- (concludea). Temperance as an aid to bravery, honour, and cheerfulness. The force of example. The live parties (a story from the Talmud) 14 LESSON VI.-A TALK ABOUT TALKING. SELF.CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP. The tonguc an instrument, weapon, or tool. It can speak our thoughts, ask questions, teach, command, etc. Ilow to speak and when to speak. Our talk shows our characters. LESSON I. -SELF-CONTROL. 17 Control of a horse ; control of a bicycle, a business, an army, a ship. Self-control. Control of the body; useless self-control and useful self-control 5 LESSON VII.-PATIENCE. The doctor's patients. Patience is the brave and calin bearing of trouble. Patience at work. Patience under difficulties and pain 20 LESSON II. SELF-CONTROL- (conclued). Contro! of the limbs and features. Con. trol of the feelings. Control of the temper. The weak are noisy ; the strong are calm 7 LESSON VIII.-PATIENCE (concludul). The patience of Job. Patience with people or animals who annoy 115. Patience in waiting. John Milton's motto: " They also serve who only stand and wait" 22 LESSON III.-A TEMPERATE LIFE. Solon and Croesus. The noble icmper. The tempereel blade. The shether who lost the noble temper. The right temper knows where to stop. Temperance. Daniel and his three friends. The temperate life is healthy ; shows a good example; and makes a higher use of things and time IO LESSON IX.--PERSEVERANCE. The hare and the tortoise. Perseverance is the habit of trying again and again. Perseverance in work and play. Perseverance in working out a purpose, for one's self; for the city ; for trade ; for use and beauty ; for the spread of knowledge 1 . 25 LESSON 17.-A TEMPERATE LIFE- (continued). Mohammed and strong drink. The drunkard's family. Being temperate helps us to be kind and thoughtful; useſul ; and brave LESSON X.-EXCELSIOR. Rising higher. The aims towards which people strive ; money; health; pleasure ; fame ; power vii 12 25 ·viji CONTENTS *. LESSON XI.- EXCELSIOR--(concluded). LESSON XVIII.--ORDER. PAGE PAGE Self-improvement a noble aim. Examples in the scholars of the evening school and the aged student; the polished diamond, and the boy who learner a lesson from a rope; the music-learner; the recruit. Self-respect. Those who have improveil themselves should seek to improve others The strong foundation and the weak foundation (or basis). Order is our basis. Order gives us life, health, and comfort. Order is the rule of the sun; and order is the rule of the child 53 31 LESSON XIX. -ORDER-roncluded). Order gives us safety, intelligence and reason, science, and beauty. We must all help to put the world in order 55 LESSON XII.-COURAGE. llope, and its emblem, the star. IIope is at kind of courage. The meaning of courage. Courage to fight. Courage in exploring Courage of the Sons and Daughters of Labour. The mother's courage 35 LESSON XX. --MODESTY. Why boasting seems hateful. The charm of modesty. We should refrain from giving ourselves grand names. Modesty in talking of what we can do. Modest people know when others are better than them. selves. They know what they can do, and what they cannot do . LESSON XIII.--COURAGE-roncluded). Courage in helping our fellow-men. Courage for the sake of what we believe to be right, Gool work makes us braver. Encouraging our neighbour 59 38 LESSON XIV.SELF-RELIANCE. Reliance on crutches, cork belts, or the mother's hand. Self-reliance is trust in our own power. Self-reliance in waiting upon ourselves. Self-reliance in learning LESSON XXI.--MODESTY- conclutc/). People may be both brave and modest. Níasters should be modest. Men in high places can best carry on their work when they have a modest spirit. The noblest people have modesty, and all who have modesty are noble 61 42 TRUTII AND TRUTHFULNESS. LESSON XV.--SELF-RELIANCE- (concluded). Self-reliance in setting to work. Self-reliance in amusement. A wonderful chain, in which people are the links LESSON XXII.-TRUTHFULNESS IN АСТ. 44 The clock is true or false to the sun. Cor. sequences of untruth in clocks. True means fixed and firm. We may be truthſul or untruthful without uttering a word. Our acts may be truthful or untruthful. Truthfulness gives beauty to the face LESSON XVI.--PRUDENCE. The little hamster's providence, or pridence. Prudence is foresight and forethought. Prudence in the care of health, personal and public. Prudence in guarding against want and danger 65 47 LESSON XXIII.CANDOUR. LESSON XVII.-PRUDENCE-(concluded). . Prudence in speech. Prudence in choosing companions. Prudence in building up our habits. Prudent people are a kind of statesmen and stateswomen 50 The Roman “ candidates." Candid, and candour. Candour means frankness. Frank people need not be rude people. Candid people like to be treated with candour.' We should require no oath to bind us to speak the truth. Truthfulness is like transparent glass 68 ·CONTENTS ix LESSON XXIV.--TRUTHFULNESS IN SPEECH. L'AGE l'AGIC Lesson XX.X.SEARCHING FOR TRUTH-(roncluded). Searching for truth about light,lightning, the human body, and the social body. It is a noble thing to search for the way to raise the fallen. Mottó: “I seck after truth, luy which no m:n ever yet was injured!" 90 Why do people tell untruths ? (1) For the sake of selfish amusement-therefore "Be kind”; (2) to get gain-therefore, ware of greed”; (3) in order to appear grand- therefore, "Do not be vain (4) out of fear-therefore, Be brave" (5) to please the great and wealthy therefore, “Be candid." « Be- 71 LESSON XXV.--KEEPING PROMISES. LESSON XXXI.-JUIGING JUSTLY. Examples showing how persons are misjudgeel. We should hear all sides of a question. We must be careful in our judgment in order to be just 93 A proinise is something which makes us look forward and expect. We ouglit to (1) think before making a promise ; (2) kcep a promise really, and pot in pretence; (3) keep our promise to the hum. blest person ; (4) keep our promise in spite of difficulty. Foolish and bad promises LESSON XXXII.-DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. 75 Our different tastes with respect to colour, voices, clothes, animals, pictures, gilmes, and occupations. Such differences of opinion are amusing, and often useful. We should respect each other's opinions 96 LESSON XXVI. CAREFUL EYES, EARS, ANI) TONGUES. Careful observation of the world about us is helpſul to one's self and one's neighlours. Good people must also be observant anul quick-witted people. The cluty of careſul reporting. Exaggeration LSSON XXXIII.---DIFFERENCES OF OPINION-lioniluded). 78 Differences of opinion as 10 dict, hunting, and war. Dillorences of opinion as to religion. A view of the various religions of the world. We are all liable to error. Majorities and minoritics . LESSON XXVII.--KNOWLEDGE. 98 LESSON XXXIV.--PROOFS AND TESTS. Things which people love. The live of knowledge. The ricli gift of a bright mind. Knowledge a kind of riches, Examples of men who lover knowledge. • People who are learned yet not kind are like dead men adorned with jewels 81 l'utting things and people to the test. It is our duty to prove the true and false, good and evil, in the world about us. Ghost stories ; fear leads people to believe such tales 102 are Lesson XXVIII.--KNOWLEDGE- (concluded). Knowlerige gained not only from books, but froni observation of the world about All our life we should be learning. War is the cnemy of knowledge. Knowlecige gives us skill and strength; gives pleasure to ourselves and others; and it gives us power to help our neighbours. 83 US. LESSON XXXV.--'ROOFS AND TESTS- (continnel). Further examples of fuolish beliefs caused ly fe:ur. Another cause is laziness, Better to work than trust in “luck. Ilow to siell fortunes” lvy observing persons' habits and characters 105 LESSON XXIX.--SEARCHING FOR TRUTII. LESSON XXIVI.-PROOFS ANI) TESTS (concluded). Things people search after. The scarch after truth about the carth; about the heavens 87 Through want of care in proving and testing, many useful works have been hin.

·х CONTENTS PAGE dered; the search for truth has been delayed ; and people have acted cruelly. It is our duty to think and question in order to gain our livelihood, live in comfort, and act justly PAGE LESSON XXXVIII.-BEING, NOT SEEM- ING-(concluded). The foolishness which thinks more highly of great ancestors than or good character. Action better than fair words worth is in being, not seeming" 107. * True 33 . II2 LESSON XXXVII.-BEING, NOT SEEMING Things are not always what they seem. Vain things may appear sound and honest, but they cannot stand tests. Pretence, however splendid, only leads to failure and shame. THE REWARD. Wages for work. There are many ways in which we may serve society, and it should be a joy to us to do, the service without wages. The story of a young Greek's services to his country, and of the reward which he received 110 115 ·NAH, NOUBAN Thell PUBLIC LIBRART. ESTD. 1902 INTRODUCTION FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE I. People who go the right way for fear of pain. wall. He reached the top, and looked 2. People who go the right way for fear of into the dark garden that surrounded prison. 3. People who go the right way for the house. fear of being seen. 4. The best kind of No lights twinkled at the people. windows. The man--the burglar--was just about to drop from the wall into I STOOD in the valley, and looked up at the garden, when he heard the hoarse the broad side of the mountain. In bark of a mastiff. Instantly he sprang some places I saw dark rocks, in other back into the road and fled. He did places I saw stretches of green grass. not rob the house. It was right to leave As the sky grew dark I heard the voice the robbery undone, was it not? And of a man calling, and before him hun would you call him a good man for dreds of white things were running going away? No? Butdid he not go towards the valley. It was the shepherd on the right road? Yes; but only and his sheep. Down the mountain path because he was afraid of the dog, afraid came the white sheep. Now and then of the PAIN. one strayed away, but soon, with a A robber niet an old man in a lonely sudden leap, it rejoined its companions. thoroughfare. “I will take this old Thus towards the valley the flock man's gold," said the robber to himself, passed. Was it the man who kept the clenching his stick tight, and striding sheep in the right way? No; it was forward, The next moment he altered the watchful dog--the brave collie. And his manner; he walked quietly on, and were the sheep good creatures for going never laid a finger upon the old man. the right way to the shelter and fold in The robber had caught sight of a policethe valley ? Good? They simply went He thought to himself: "If I right berause they were afraid of the were caught striking this old man, I dog---not afraid of his bark, though they might be taken before the judge, and he started at his rough yelp; but afraid of might sentence me to be flogged with his teeth, his bite, and the PAIN they the knotted rope." And was this robber would feel if he bit them. good to leave the old man unhurt? No. One night, when the moon was hidden He only went the right road because he behind the clouds, a man climbed a was afraid he might suffer PAIN. man. 1 ·2 FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE .. A boy entered a room, and saw an orange on the table. He was about to take it and eat it, when he heard his father's footsteps. His father was a stern man, and would have beaten the child with a cane or birch if he had found him in the act of stealing. 'The boy never touched the orange. And was he good? No; he only did right because he feared l’AIN. This, then, is the first kind of people I have to speak about ; and I do not think you will admire them. Let us now look at the second kind. Some men were painting the woodwork of a house. While the work was being done the people of the house had retired to one or two of the snjaller chambers. A painter entered a parlour, and noticed a fine gold watch lying on the mantel. It ticked, it glittered; he wished he could have it. He was all alone; he stretched out his hand- But he did not touch the watch; he walked softly away, and took up his brush; he had heard someone coming. Why did he go the right way? Not because he was afraid of pain, but because he was afraid of being taken to PRISON. Here is a picture of the unhappy place ---the bare walls; the plank bed; the grated windows; you see no pictures, no carpet, no curtains, no smiles. This is the place of tears and sorrowful sighing. The sunlight may shine in freely upon the prisoner ; but he has no freedom to pass out. There are people who are half ready to do the wrong deed, but they check themselves, they turn away, they go the right road. And are they truly good ? No. This second class of men and women only go the right way from fear of PRISON. I will show you a strange picture, and you will wonder what it means. What is this? You see an eye looking straight towards you. Come, now, can you understand this puzzle ? Remember that we are talking of different classes of people. Some do right for fear of PAIN; some from fear of PRISON; and this third class? Yes; I thought you would catch the idea : Some people do right because they are afraid of an eye ; they are afraid of being seen. A girl thinks she is alone in a room, and she has almost seized the orange that lies on the table, when she hears her aunt coming. Now, she is not frightened lest her aunt should beat her, nor lest she should be sent to gaol. She dreads letting her aunt. see her doing such a mean and paltry thing. A boy is drawing a copy in the schoolroom. 'l'he teacher leaves the room ; the boy plays mischievous tricks with ink and chalk, and with his neighbour's books; the moment he observes the teacher returning the boy flies to his desk, and the teacher finds him handling his pencil and drawing the sails of the ship which he has been told to copy. He does his task when the teacher's Eve is on him ; and only then. You have met such children? You have seen them behaving nicely when the mother or the father was looking, but acting rudely when the parent's back was turned. Are there girls who do not sweep under the mat because they think no one's eye will see the dust that lies thick underncath? And boys who wash only their faces because they know their neighbour's eye will not see through their collars ? I have two more pictures to show you. First you see a man chopping a large log of wood. In the corner is an eye-the master's eye-gazing steadily at the work- The other picture shows the same man ; but the eye is gone; the master is not looking. The man is still chopping. This is an honest workman, indeed. wonder if all workmen would do likewise when the master's cye was closed or withdrawn? Well, I would like to tell you of another shepherd. He lived in Lydia (Lid'-ya), in Asia Minor. One day he was in the open country, when a terrible tempest broke over him, and the lightning all but blinded his eyes. The ground opened, and the trembling shepherd saw a kind of passage leading downwards. He overcame his fear, man. I ·do so. VEMOH TV FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE 3 and thought he would take shelter. such power, by means of his magic ring, Creeping down the underground passage, that he was crowned, and took the throne he presently (now do not believe this ? it himself. And suppose all the people is only a myth, or fairy tale)-he pre watched him while he wore the collet sently arrived at a large house made of upwards; and suppose he did right brass, and the door was of brass also. actions while the eyes of the people The shepherd pushed open the brazen were on him ; was Gyges truly a just door, and entered a chamber. Ha! it man? No, for when he was in secret, made him start when he beheld a great and unseen, he did evil deeds. giant lying full length upon the floor. But the workman in my last picture The giant was dead. Gyges (sv-jees) was not of the class that Gyges belonged for that was the shepherd's name went to. He was of a better class; we will closer, and, perceiving a ring on the call it the fourth class. He did the giant's finger, drew it off and placed it right thing because he felt in his own on his own, and turned and hastily left heart, his own mind, that he ought to the brazen house. The ring had a collet or knob, in which recious stones were A four-year child went out, and saw a set. When Gyges returned to his sheep tortoise--a slow, patient, crawling torhe found his fellow-shepherds talking toise. toise. Little Theodore picked up a about who should carry to the king the stone, and was on the point of flinging monthly report concerning the state of it at the tortoise; but he stopped. the flocks." As they talked Gyges hap Poor little crawling thing," little pened to turn the ring round, the collet Theodore l'arker said to himself, "I being under his finger. must not hurt it." “Where is Gyges ?” said the shop He dropped the stone, and went herds. home. They were looking at him, and yet “Mother," said the child, “I thought did not see him ! He turned the collet I must not hurt the tortoise. What made upwards. me drop the stone?” "Why, Gyges," they exclaimed, "It was your conscience, dear,"answered where have you been ?" the mother. He understood now that the ring had The little child knows a right thing a magic power. It could make him in from a wrong thing. Men know; women visible, so that no eye could see him. know; the men and women of Europe Ah ! what would Gyges do now? Would know ; the men and women of America, he do right or wrong? Would he act Africa, Asia, Australia, and the islands justly or unjustly? of the wide sea. If we are alone, shall The shepherds chose Gyges to be the we do right for fear of PAIN? For fear of reporter, and he went his way to the PRISON ? For fear of an EYE watching us? palace of the king. When he had We will do it because we can see ourentered the building he turned the selves; because our own thought will collet downwards. None could observe tell us the just from the unjust.. The him. Oh, what would he do? Alas ! fourth class—the best kind of peoplehe did a foul deed. He drew a dagger go the right way because they are bidden and slew the king. Afterwards he reached to do so by THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE. 2001 5:33 AV0011 1!1

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·SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP LESSON. I SELF-CONTROL man Control of a horse : control or a bicycle, a busi The bystanders laughed; but King ness, an army, a ship. Self-control. Control Philip agreed, and Alexander ran to the of the body ; useless self-control and useſul horse. First he laid hold of the bridle self-control. and turned the creature's head towards A SPLENDID horse was brought by a the sun ; for he had noticed that it had dealer to King Philip. been startled by its own shadow. Speak- "A fine animal," said the king ; "and ing soft words, he stroked the horse's what is its price ?" glossy skin; the noble steed, little by “ Thirteen talents, sir," answered the little, grew quieter. Then the youth dealer. Thirteen talents, in Göcek leaped on its back. money, was as much as £2,500. Away! Let us take him to the open plain The king and the people watched and try him," ordered the king. with an uneasy feeling as the youth But the horse would let no flashed past them and was almost lost to mount him.' He snorted, he pawed the view. But when the horse was seen ground, he reared; he turned fiercely on returning with its young master seated all the grooms. safely, firmly, and proudly on its back, ** Take him away,” bade the king. they all raised a loud cheer, except his " He is too wild." father. His father wept for joy at his “What a horse they are losing !” said son's courage, and kissed him, and said : the king's young son Alexander, "and “Go and find another kingdom, my all through want of skill and spirit to son; for this kingdom of Macedonia is manage him. What a pity!" too small for you." My son,” cried the king," you find This youth was afterwards a fault with people older than yourself, as queror who marched as far as Persia, if you knew more than they did, or India, and Egypt, and he earned the could manage the horse better." title of Alexander the Great. "And so I could," replied Alexander. Now what could Alexander do, and “If you should not be able to ride what did the grooms fail in doing? He him, what sum will you pay as a punish- tamed the horse ; he conquered it; he ment?" managed it; he mastered it; he con- “I will pay the price of the horse." trolled it. He had CONTROL over it. con- 5 ·6. SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP We may control many things besides control one's self? Certainly, self-conhorses. A boy races along the lane trol is the finer. with his iron hoop, and he controls it with a stick or, hook.' A bicycle-rider Under a tree in India lies a filthy, guides his machine, and turns it to right aged, wrinkled man whom the passers-by or left, and makes it go faster or slower ; regard with much respect. He holds up and if it rushes at break-neck speed one arm; he holds it steady; and the down a hill, we say he has lost control day goes by, and still it is raised ; day. of his bicycle. If you go into the large after day it is held up. He has kept it warehouse where the merchant stores in that position for years; the arm is his cloth, you will see men folding cloth, stiff and useless; it is like an arm of men packing cloth, men selling cloth, wood or stone. The man is a fakir (famen carrying cloth to waggons, men keer), and the people give him money bringing cloth in from the factories, men because they think him a noble character. writing, men carrying messages; and, in But do you think so? No, indeed. the midst of it all, you peep through a The fakir can control his body in a very glass door and see the man who con remarkable way; but the control is of trols the business. You sec the master; no use to him or to anybody else in the perhaps only a little old man wearing world. gold spectacles ; but he it is who sets In olden times there were men called all these men to work and directs them, Pillar Saints. One of these was named and watches them, and pays them. Here Simeon of the Pillar.. For thirty-seven is a picture of a soldier standing in a years he lived on the top of a pillar; and meadow on the hillside. · He has his there he ate and drank and slept ; no hands behind him ; his head is bent one ordered him to do it.; he had such forward ; he is watching a battle. This strong mastery over himself; he made quiet-looking officer is the general. At himself like a slave, and kept himself a a word from him ten thousand men will prisoner on the pillar. This was selfmarch forward ; or the cannon will control; but it was useless; it was cease firing ; or the whole army will foolish. move to the east or the west. His mind A traveller entered a building in controls a multitude. In another picture China, and saw a crowd of people at a you behold the steersman of a ship. meeting. The place was very silent. He grasps the handles which stick out Each man was holding his breath as long from the wheel; as he turns the wheel, as he could! It made the traveller smile. the wheel turns a cable, which turns the But he found that the Chinese were rudder which turns the ship; and so the doing this in order to teach themselves to man at the wheel controls the great vessel be quiet and calm, so that they might be in its course to the palm-trees of the more attentive and obedient to the West Indies, or the coral islands of the teachers of religion. And that was not Pacific, or the icy seas where the whales a foolish reason. It reminds us of the play in their “schools.". soldier on guard at the castle gate. No A wonderful thing this is to be able war is going on; the land is at peace ; to control and guide. But here is a yet the soldier keeps guard as if danger poor man who has not this wonderful might threaten. He stands still at his power. Look at him coming along the sentry-box for an hour, and perhaps no street. He staggers ;, he lurches against one passes. But this exercise teaches the people; he falls"; he cannot rise and trains him, so that when danger without help. Alas! this is a drunkard. comes he is master of himself; he is He has lost control of himself. He has ready to obey orders; he can endure no SELF-CONTROL, And which is the hard weather and weary waiting. Men finer thing—to control a ship or to can also show self-control while moving ·MAJO PUBLIC LIBRANT, SELF-CONTROL -7 as well as while standing still. Think of had met with no accident, though he the Swiss guides who lead travellers up had climbed the lofty mountains for and down the snowy Alps. They can forty years. This self-control was useful command their limbs so skilfully that to himself; and it was useful to the the foot never slips on the ice or on the tourists whom he guided; they could În 1894 an old guide trust him amid the steep rocks and on named Anderegg retired from work; he the rough ice of the glaciers. ESTD. 1902 LESSON II boil on SELF-CONTROL- concluded) Control of the limbs and features. Control of must scream and brush the insect away. the feelings. Control of the temper. The But she remembered this might only weak are noisy ; the strong are calm. make the wasp angry, and then it might SOMETIMES your teacher gives you an sting her. Florrie waited quietly until exercise in drill. You march, wheel, the brown and golden stranger, linding halt; you raise the right hand, the left; nothing that he wanted on her sleeve, you swing the arms; you lunge out with passed out again into the garden. I'lorric this or that foot; you bend, you bow, had controlled her feelings, and perhaps you stand upright again. Why is all saved herself from a sharp pain. A mai this? Your teacher wishes you to be who lived in the West Indies went out quick, to be ready-witted, to bave con one night, and happened to thirust bis trol of every part of your body. Do you hand into a hedge, where he felt the not know there are some poor children cold, smooth body of a snake gliding who have not proper command of their under his palm. He thought that, if he own bodies ? Sone cannot sit still ; withdrew his hand suddenly, the startled come cannot point steadily; some can reptile might dart at him and bite. He ‘not look with calm, fixed gaze; some kept still until the snake had coiled itsell cannot keep the mouth shut when they away. You may be sure this was not are not speaking or singing. If you have the first time in his life that the man had Something the matter with your throat, thus mastered his feelings. He had you may find it difficult to keep the lips taught hiinself the habit of SELF-CONTROL. closed. But, except for such a reason, And people who learn this habit will you should have the mouth shut. If know what to do when they sit in a two boys came to you, and you had to theatre, and hear the cry of “l'ire!" choose one for running errands and They will not start up until they have doing tasks for you; and if one was looked round to see if the alarm is a continually staring about with his mouth truc one; and, if there is really danger, open, and the other had the lips closed they will leave the building as steadily firmly, which do you think would be the and in as orderly a way as possible. more likely to do your work promptly You have heard of Julius Cæsar. This and smartly? famous Roman captain could lead armies When Florrie sat by the open window across plains and mountains, and, in face one sunny afternoon, and a wasp flew in of a hundred thousand fierce Gauls, he and settled on her sleeve, she felt she could keep his troops firm and fearless. 13 ·8 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP But he could also control himself; he smitten with sadness, and felt ashamed was king of his own temper. When he at their outbreak; and, seizing Alcander, was inclined to rush forward and do a they dragged him to Lycurgus, saying: hasty act, or strike a hasty -blow, he Sir, this wretch is your prisoner; do would stay, like a man who reins back a with him as you will." horse ; and he would pause awhile, as if The Spartans followed their ruler to he were counting twenty. Then his eyes his house. On reaching his door, Lysaw more clearly, and his thoughts were curgus said: wiser. That made Cæsar strong. "I thank you, good people, and beg Long before Cæsar's time there lived you all to go quietly to your homes, and a noble Greek named Lycurgus. He was leave the young man with me.” ruler and law-maker in Sparta. So strict He took Alcander into his house, but was he in his government that he told never scolded him, and never ill-treated the Spartan folk just what furniture they hin. For some days the youth lived in should have in their houses, and what the ruler's house, and waited upon him food they should eat. Many of the instead of the usual servants. Alcander people murmured and complained saw how good a man Lycurgus wasagainst him. One day the discontent how hard he worked, how kindly he grew to a riot. spoke, how orderly he lived ; and when “Wicked man,” grumbled a Spartan ; at length he left the law-maker's dwelling "he makes us use iron*money instead of he told his friends how sorry he was for gold or silver; he will not let us lay having so bil-used the best man in Sparta. purple coverlets on our beds; he will And Alçander himself learned to rule his not allow us to carve our doors and temper, and he became a modest and ceilings, and our tables are just cut with well-behaved citizen. Now, this shows the saw and left rough and plain.” how strong a man Lycurgus was; he “Worse still," cried another, "we may could not only make laws for the people, not have the dinners that we like. Ly but also for himself. Suppose that, when curgus bids us sit at the public tables, Lycurgus was struck in the eye, he had fifteen in each group. And we get nothing flown into a passion, and plunged about better than black broth, barley-meal, wildly among the people, bawling and poor wine, cheese, figs, and a little meat yelling in his rage. Then he would have or fish." proved himself to be a weak man. “And when we go home from the Charles and his teacher walked in the public tables," growled a third man, "he country. Several small curs came barkmakes us walk without the help of ing and snarling at their heels. When lighted torches; he wants us, he says, to they saw a cudgel uplifted, they hurried learn to pick our way boldly in the away; then they followed again, yelping, dark." and rushing first this side and then that. “He is a bad ruler; he is a tyrant !" All this time a big mastiff lay at the shouted the crowd. roadside. Like a prince of dogs he Just then Lycurgus passed by, and looked, stately and powerful ; and he the mob flung stones at him, so that he made no sound. was forced to fly, in order to take refuge Presently Charles and his teacher in a temple. But, before he could reach arrived at a common. Over the grass the gate of the temple, he was overtaken waddled a flock of geese, stretching out by a young man named Alcander. The their necks, and staring, and hissing, and youth struck Lycurgus a stinging blow cackling.. Meanwhile some great cows in the eye with a stick. The law-maker silently grazed, and took no notice of the stopped, and turned round to the people, passers-by. and showed them his bruised face, "You see," said the teacher, "the streaming with blood. Then they were small and weak people are noisy; they ·SELF-CONTROL 2 bark, they chatter, but they can do little. The strong people are calm." I told you of the great conqueror Alexander, and how he marched to Persia, to India, to Egypt. But he never conquered himself. In a fit of anger he threw a spear at a friend whom he loved dearly, and slew him; and afterwards was deeply grieved at his own deed. He drank often from the winecup; much too often he drank; and he fell into a fever and died. Now, in that same India that Alexander visited there once lived a wise teacher named Buddha. Buddha taught his disciples this saying :- "If one man conquers in battle a thousand times ten thousand men, and another man conquers himself, he who conquers himself is the greater conqueror."

·LESSON III A TEMPERATE LIFE Solon and Croesus. The noble temper. The Tellus, am I not the happiest man in tempered blade. The shepherd who lost the the world? You don't know any noble temper. The right temper knows where to stop. Tempcrance. Daniel and his three happier, do you?" friends. The temperate life is healthy; shows “ Yes; there were two brothers who a good example; and makes a higher use loved each other, and who loved their of things and time. mother. One day, when their mother "My friend, have you ever before seen wished to go to the temple, the oxen such jewels as those that flash in my were not ready to draw her cart, and the crown? Yonder you perceive the queen two brothers put themselves in the passing with her maids to the garden ; harness, and carried her to the temple her necklace, her bracelets, and rings amid the blessings of the", people who glitter with diamonds, rubies, and sap stood by. Afterwards they lay down to phires. Hark! the music plays, and my rest and died, and all men praised them soldiers are marching out, with spear, for their goodness." bow, and arrow, to the plains in front of Was Solon right? I think so. But my palace; walk with me round my why was Tellus, and why were the two palace; behold my statues, my beautiful brothers, happier than the King of vases, my curtains, my ivory throne, my Lydia ? King Croesus was rich in jewels, fountains; and from this window you statues, splendid clothing, servants, may watch my huntsmen and hounds soldiers. Were these things part of himgoing to the great park to chase the wild self, or were they outside himself? They bear and the boar and the wolf. Friend were outside himself; he ,might lose Solon, have you ever seen a happier then all; and years afterwards, he really man than me” did lose them all when another king All this was said by Croesus, King of conquered his country and took him Lydia, to Solon the Greek. captive. But Tellus was made happy, “Yes," answered Solon, “I have seen a and the brothers were made happy, by happier man." something which was a part of them- Who was it? What king do you selves. It was their own character; their speak of?” own TEMPER. The noble temper cf “He was not a king, but a plain Tellus stayed with him all his life. The citizen of Athens. Not much money noble temper of the two brothers was had he; nor was his house adorned with the thing that made them rich; it made statues and hangings like yours. But them glorious in their death. still, he was never in want, and his Look at this steel blade. When it neighbours respected him for his honesty was first fashioned from the rough metal and courage. He died on the field of it was soft ; it could be bent, and it battle, fighting for his country; and he would not spring back. Then it was left behind Itim sons and daughters who heated red and plunged into water. are following his good example." That made it hard, but brittle ; it could “ Well," said Croesus, excepting easily have been broken. Again it was IO ·A TEMPERATE LIFE 11 heated till it turned white or even yellow, and again it was thrust into water; and then it became elastic: it could be bent without breaking, and it would spring back like a thing alive. It has now a fine temper, a fine quality for cutting. It can bend, but it knows where to stop bending, so as not to break. I will tell you of a man who had the right temper, and lost it. A young Indian Rajah (prince) said to his vizier (viz-eer') :- “How is it I am so often ill? I don't go out in the rain; my clothes are fine and warm ; my food is good; yet I am always catching cold and fever." “Overmuch care is worse than none at all," replied the vizier, "and I will soon prove it to you." The prince and his vizier walked out in the fields. They met a poor shepherd who tended his flocks all day; his cloak was coarse ; he was nearly always out in the open air, in dew, frost, and sunshine; his food was parched corn, his drink water ; he lived in a simple hut made of plaited palm-branches. "My good man,” asked the prince ; " don't you ever suffer from cold and fever?" “No," answered the shepherd; "I am used to this hard life.” “Oh,” remarked the prince," he is a strong man; nothing could make him ill." “We shall see," said the vizier. They invited the shepherd to live in the Rajah's palace. He kept sheltered from the rain, dew, frost and sunlight, and never allowed to sit in a draught or get wet feet. At the end of some months the marble floor of the courtyard was sprinkled with water to cleanse it ; the shepherd walked over the damp floor, caught cold, and died. He had lost the old temper; he lived a soft, easy life, and it did him harm. Of course, you will bear in mind that this happened in India, where the climate is warm. In France, England, Germany, the United States, or Australia, we may need more clothing than the shepherd wore even in the palace. But what might be good for us was not good for him. He had too much fine clothing, too much fine food, too much care taken of him. Would it hurt you to eat a strawberry, or two, or three, or six ? I suppose not; but I have heard of an old clergyman in America who was sick if he ate only one ; even one was too much! If, again, a dish of very fat meat were placed before you, you would not care to eat it all; it would give you a'disgust, and make you ill. But if we were to visit the snowhouses of the North, and watch the Esquimaux taking their meals, we should be astonished at the mass of od which they consumed. Great portions of whale fat and the fat of seals they swallow with eagerness, and they need it to keep up the warmth of their bodies in the sharp frosty air of the Polar regions. Could an Esquimau cat too much? No doubt he could. He must learn when to stop, the same as we ourselves must learn; only he stops at a different place! Nor should we always stop at the same place. If you arc well and strong; a slice of cake or a parcel of sweetmeats from your goodnatured uncle will not hurt you; but if you are not well, this very same cake and these very same sweetmeals would give you pain and sickness. Now, when we have this temper which knows where to stop, we are said to be TEMPERATE ; we practise TEMPERANCE; we lead a TEMPERATE LIFE. I have told you of a man who lost the right temper; now I will tell you of one who kept it. In the days of ancient Judæa the city of Jerusalem was taken by the King of Babylon; and many noblemen were carried away prisoners to the East. The king of Babylon gave orders to his steward to rear these youths at a college where, for three years, they should live at the king's expense, and carry on their studies until they were quick in mind, and had learning and manners that would fit them to be companions of the king. Each day the college table was spread with costly food and wine-cups. A young was ·12 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP 66 Jew named Daniel turned away in dis- writing, astronomy, and other arts and pleasure from the heavy feast, and deter sciences as were any scholars in the mined to live on plain and simple diet. royal college. So the steward let them He and three friends spoke to the steward have their own way; and, after three on the subject. years, none were found so handsome in No, no,” exclaimed the steward; “I body and so clever in thought and speech cannot consent to your doing any 'such as these four temperate youths; and thing. You must eat the same food and Daniel and his three friends were chosen dainties as the rest, else you will get thin by the king as his special companions. and pale, and your brains will become Now, we need not all copy. Daniel in the stupid, and my royal master will be angry meals he ate ; but we may copy his with me, and I may head !" temper. You see- Try us, I beseech you,” pleaded I. He kept healthy in his body and Daniel; “let us, for ten days, eat plain in his mind. peas, beans, and herbs, and drink only. 2. He showed his young comrades water; and if, at the end of that time, we a good example. Perhaps his three appear weaker than the others, then we friends would have lived a lazier liſe if will again take our places at the table he had not shown them a better way. which the king provides." 3. Even if the king's dainties were “I agree," said the steward. At the good, and the wine pure, it was higher end of ten days Daniel and his three and nobler to live plainly and gain skill friends were cheerful, active, healthy ; in learning. and they were as ready to learn reading, 12 lose my LESSON IV A TEMPERATE LIFE-(continued) Mohammed and strong drink. The drunkard's the house before the party broke up. family. "Being temperate helps us to be kind The next morning he visited the same. and thoughtful; useful; and brave. house, and he saw spots of blood on the In the great cities of India, on the table floor, and portions of torn clothing; and land of Persia, amid the sands of Arabia, he learned that the men had drunk too in wide regions of Africa, the people much of the wine, and it had maddened follow the teaching of the prophet Mo: their brains, and they had quarrelled and hammed (Mo-ham-med), who lived more fought; and then Mohammed saw what than a thousand years ago. He said to evil came of strong drink, and forbade his his disciples, “In wine there is great followers ever to take wine. He could sin," and the people who love his name see that strong drink made people behave will never drink wine or any kind of brutally and selfishly; and he could see, *spirits. It is said that Mohammed once that temperate men and women were went to party where men drank wine, more likely to be kind and THOUGHTFUL. and laughed and joked and made merry ; There are men who grow so fond of and he said to himself: "Wine is a blessed tobacco that they wish to smoke everything, for it makes men happy." He left i where, They will smoke in railway ·A TEMPERATE LIFE 13 AIAcome on. carriages and other places which are not your father, your mother, and your set apart for smokers, and though they friends what their opinion is. A book know the persons about them do not like or a lesson will not tell you everything. it; and every puff of their smoke tells Think for yourself, and, as you grow the tale of their selfishness. older, you will judge what to do. But, Is it wrong to drink wine and other whether you eat or drink, or whatever drink which contains the spirit alcohol? else you may do, remember that you I do not think we ought to say so. Is should do nothing that will make you it wrong to smoke tobacca? I do not less healthy, or make you unkind and think so.. Is it wrong to be unkind and thoughtless towards your neighbour. thoughtless? Most certainly it is. You One of the greatest men who ever see the thing we need to look at is not the lived was the Englishman, John Howard. wine or the tobacco, but the man's While on a voyage to Lisbon, he and temper or character, If drinking or his fellow-passengers in a packet ship smoking makes a man unkind, or makes were captured by a French vessel, and him unfit to do good work, or causes were kept without food or water for him to spend money that might be used forty-eight hours. At Brest they were for better things, then the man does placed in a dirty prison for a week; they wrong; he is INTEMPERATE. had only straw to lie on; and so hungry Look at this picture. It is called were they that, when the gaoler flung a “The Drunkard's Family”] Night has joint of mutton into the cell, they tore it On a ledge at the foot of a to pieces like beasts. After his release dull, dead wall sits a woman. Her feet he thought often and often of the suffer. are bare; her head is uncovered ; her ings of prisoners. Even if these people hair falls untidily over her neck; her have done wrong, he said to himself, dress is all in rags; and is not a ragged they ought not to be treated with woman more sad to look at than a cruelty. And then, for many years, he ragged man? Most terrible of all is her visited prisons, looking at the rooms, downcast, tearful face. In her right arm the windows, the beds, the water, the she clasps a pale baby; against her left food, and begging the gaolers and side crouches a boy; his clothes also are magistrates and rulers and kings to be ragged ; and he stares at us as if he were merciful to the men and women who had wondering why he and the baby and his been shut up for their misdeeds, and in mother should be so unhappy. A great many places his advice was listened to, shadow hangs over the place, the woman, and the prisons were made more clean and the children. Where is the father? and wholesome. In this way he travelled We cannot see him, but we see his work, over England, Scotland, Ireland, France, his evil work. He has left his family Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, uncared for and wretched. His intem Spain, Portugal, and Russia. He died perate habits have made him selfish and Russia in the year 1789, at the age of thoughtless. It is no wonder that in. sixty-four; and, as he lay dying, he said England and America so many people to a companion : "Lay me quietly in should hate strong drink, and take a the earth; place a sun-dial over my pledge never to taste it. Some of them grave, and let me be forgotten. do so lest they might be led into drink he shall never be forgotten. You and I ing too much. But many have a still will think with love and respect of John nobler reason: they abstain from these Howard, who was SO USEFUL to his drinks so that other persons, whose will fellow-men." Now, Howard led a very is not so strong, may-be helped and temperate life; perhaps you will think encouraged to leave the dangerous thing he was much too strict. A rady at whose alone. Think of this, then; and ask house he once visited tells us that during By Gustave Doré. the day he would take nothing but a cup No; 1 ·14 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP of tea or coffee and a little bread and butter ; and at night his meal would consist of a glass of water and a few potatoes! We are astonished that he could do so much work on so small an amount of food. Your father and mother wish you to be kind and useful ; but they will not ask you to live on water, bread and butter, and potatoes. What was enough for John Howard might not be cnough for another person. But what we must think of is not his potatoes, or his glass of water, but his fine' temper. He lived in this plain zmanner so that he might save his wealth, and (as he thought) keep strong and healthy, and give his riches and his labour to the service of sorrowful prisoners. So the temperate man is more likely to be HEALTHY in mind and body, to be KIND, THOUGHTFUL, and USEFUL. In ancient times there dwelt in Greece a famous people called the Spartans. They were a very temperate nation, though, like John Howard, they were more strict than most people need to be. The boys were taught to labour, to drill, to fight, and to cndure hardship, and they slept on becis made of reeds which they had cut with knives on the bank of the river ; but in winter they were allowed to strew thistledown on the beds, to make them softer and warmer. The houses of the Spartans were built of plain logs of wood, hewn only by the axe ; and the doors were simply cut by the saw, and had no ornament; the beds, tables, and other furniture were of the most homely character. The money they used was but iron coins. Lest they should become idle by resting on couches at home, or feasting too richly, it was ordered that all the men should eat their meals-flour, wine, cheese, figs, black broth, and a little flesh and fish-at the public tables, about fifteen persons sitting at cach board. In these ways, and by sports and long exercises, the Spartans were prepared for war, and they advanced to battle without flinching, and would die rather than yield to a foe. When their ruler, Lycurgus, was asked if he would not build a wall round the city of Sparta, he answered : “That city is best fortified which has a wall of men instead of brick." Thus, you see, the temperate Spartans were very BRAVE. And you, boys and girls, also wish to be brave, though not with that. bravery which aims only at shedding blood. They are brave men who face the fire of burning houses, who toil on the sea, who labour in mines and quarries and docks--ah, yes, ali men and women can be brave in bearing pain, in doing the daily work, in saying right words, in resisting what is unjust. And to be brave we need the noble TEMPER; we must be TEM- PERATE. LESSON V A TEMPERATE LIFE-concluded) Temperance as an aid to bravery, honour, and cheerfulness. The force of example. The five parties (a story from the Talmul). I HAVE told you of the Spartans. Another brave nation was the Roman people, and one of the bravest of the brave Romans was Cincinnatus (Sin-sind-tus). In the year 458 B.C. a host of enemies wasapproaching Rome, with dust, and shouts, and the clatter of chariots and horses. The people said : "Where is Cincinnatus ? He is the noblest of our captains. If he leads us, we shall conquer the foe." So messengers were sent to his home in the country. When they reached the little thatched ·A TEMPERATE LIFE 15 10 I tell you cottage, they found Cincinnatus was not breast, but to aim at their delicate faces; there. So they trudged across the farm, and Pompey's young troopers were in and over the heavy clods of carth great fear of being made ugly, and where the ground had been cut into they fled, and Pompey lost the furrows to receive the grain. A plough battle. was being drawn by two stout oxen, and Sometimes people may be too strict the man at the plough was Cincinnatus. and severe, as John Howard was. They His coat was of coarse wool ; his face wish to keep strong, and active, and was bronzed by the wind and the sun. brave; and so they live very simply ; but When he heard their story he took the they may go too far; they do not know oxen to the stable, and went straight to where to stop. Many years ago the Rome. The citizens raised a cry of Scottish Highlanders were engaged in joy. He chose out the strongest and war, and were encamped in the moun. most stalwart men, and bade each one tains. It was the winter season, and one take with him food cnough for five days, of the Highlanders had rolled up some and twelve wooden staves, or thick snow to form a pillow. His companion sticks. Then he led them out across was vexed at his wanting to rest so comthe hills towards the enemy. The in fortably, and he kicked the snow away, vaders lay encamped in a valley, and saying that a Highlander ought not to were not expecting the Romans so soon. care for such luxuries! Now, that was At night all was quiet. By the order not the noble TEMPER; it was INTEMof Cincinnatus the Roman warriors PERATE ; it was too hard and stern. drove their staves into the earth until a TEMPERANCE, then, helps to make men fence was silently formed all round the and women IEALTHY, KINI), THOUGHT. encmy's camp. Then the swordsmen FUI., USEFUL. and BRAVE. and spearmen and bowmen yelled a the story of Manius Curius, a Roman, terrible war-whoop, and the focs awoke, perhaps you will see another quality which and found themselves caught in a trap! the Simple Life helps us to learn. Curius Cincinnatus returned to Rome, and the was a famous leader, and the enemics of people hailed him as victor. Rome trembled at his power and name. Suddenly he left the city, and went Yet he lived in a modest little country back to his cottage and his plough. He cottage just like a ploughman or a herdshad been captain for sixteen days, and T'he tribe of the Samites were che would take no pay, no fee, no reward. foes to the Romans, and they sent mes- This ploughman, this man of simple sengers to persuade Curius to come over life, this temperate farmer, was the to their side. The Samite ambassadors noblest of the Romans. found Curius sitting by his hearth, When a battle is to be fought, and watching a pot in which he was preparwhen hard work is to be donc, we do ing his evening meal. They showed him not go to the dainty people for help. a bag of glittering gold. There was a great Roman named Pom “ This, Curius," said they, "shall be pey; and Pompey made war against yours if you will join the Samites, and Julius Cæsar. In Pompey's army were lead our armies against Rome.". many young soldiers who came of rich Curius smiled. families; they wore their hair long, took "I am going to have turnips for immense pains with their dress, and were supper," he replied ; "and a man who very vain of their looks. Cæsar's men can sup on turnips can do without gold." were hardy and tough; they grew strong Now, what was this fine quality which on plain food, and could carry heavy made Curius too proud to do such a burdens and strike mighty blows. So mean thing as to betray his country? It Cæsar gave orders to his soldiers not to was his feeling of HONOUR ; he was an smite Pompey's men upon the legs or HONOURABLE man. The Samites could . man.

·16 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP and sat upon not tempt him into an act of treason ; spread soft skins and carpets on the the sight of the money did not disturb ground for their master to recline on. his mind. But the Persian thought to himself: You remember I told you of Moham “The king of Sparta is content to sit med visiting the house of feasting, and on the grass, and I ought to show mypraising wine for its power to make men self as simple in my manners as he." gay; and afterwards he changed his So he followed the king's EXAMPLE, mind, and forbade his disciples to drink the green grass. it. But you may be sure he did not Well, one more story, and this shall object to people singing, and laughing, be the last, or else you will think I am an and merry-making. Are temperate people intemperate story-teller! This tale is gloomy? No, indeed. The people who taken from the great Jewish book known are spiteful, and sullen, and fault-finding as the Talmud. are intemperate. The noble TEMPER A ship approached a beautiful island, keeps cheerful. Have you not seen men and the captain said all the passengers and women sailing joyfully down the who chose might land; but they must stream or upon the rippling sea ? Have return when the ship-bell rang at sunset, you not seen the children sporting on for then he would weigh the anchor and the sands, building castles and palaces, proceed on his voyage. The people or gathering pink and yellow shells on divided themselves into five parties. the beach? Have you not seen lads 1. The first party stayed on board ; and lasses chasing one another in the they were afraid lest they might get greenwood, or romping among the glori lost on the island. I do not admire ous clusters of bracken, or picking black these timid people. berries with song and shouting? Have 2. The second party roamed in the you not seen men and women enjoying woods, enjoyed the scent of the the climbing of hills, or the riding of flowers, ate of the sweet fruit, and rebicycles; or listening to the singing of turned to the vessel happy and re choirs or the rolling notes of the organ ; freshed. They had the noble TEMPER of gazing with delight at white statues or which knew where to stop. the pictures in a public gallery? When 3. The third party wandered a long we have tasted these pleasures, we are way, and came back to the shore just stronger to do our day's work, and our as the crew were raising the anchor, hearts are more glad. When the intem and were in terror lest they should be perate man has taken too much strong too late, drink, he is filled with fierce and uneasy 4. The fourth party loitered and passion; when he spends too much on loitered, and heard the bell ring; and food, or clothes, or furniture, or houses, even then they said : "Oh, there is no he gets into debt and suffers many necd to hurry; the captain will not worries; when he loves the bull-fight, or go without us." But the ship was amuses himself with the killing of dumb beginning to move ; and the foolish animals, he is no longer troubled by the people waded through the water, and sight of bloodshed, and loses the tender fought with each other as they ness of his heart. scrambled over the ship's side. We who love TEMPERATE *pleasures 5. The fifth party ate, and drank, can perhaps lead others to love them and feasted again, and knew not when also. Our neighbours may copy us. to stop; they fell asleep; they heard When a wealthy Persian nobleman came not the sound of the bell; and they to see Agesilaus (A-ges-2-la-us), king of knew not that the vessel had sailed; Sparta, he found him sitting on the grass. and then they awoke in the darkness The nobleman's servants were about to of the night, ·LESSON VI A TALK ABOUT TALKING The longue an instrument, weapon, or tool. It can speak our thoughts, ask questions, teach, command, &c. How to speak and when to speak. Our talk shows our characters. A SOLDIER's sword; a rifle; a spear; a revolver ; a bayonet; a dagger--what are all these things? They are weapons, deadly weapons. A spade; a chisel; a hammer; a mallet; a gimlet ; a screwdriver ; a saw a plane; what are all these things ? They are tools, useful tools. If we mix together swords and hammers, revolvers, and saws, what shall we call them now? They are instruments, some deadly, some useful. Now, I am going to talk to you about a little instrument which I have brought with me but, indeed, I could not talk to you at all without it! What is this instrument ? It is the tongue, the instrument of SPEECH ; though let us remember it could do nothing without the help of the lips, teeth, and the roof of the mouth. Is it a tool or a weapon? It may be a deadly weapon, and it may be a useful tool. How many kinds of work this tool can perform! It can speak our thoughts. In the darkness of my brain there is a thought which you do not know; and my tongue tells it out to you, and then you know that I was thinking how a poor, dirty street in a city might be turned into a hamlet of pretty cottages with rose gardens all round. It can ask questions. Ah, these wonderful questions. What makes the wind blow? How was chalk made? Why is the tiger striped ? How do young plants come from old plants? What are the stars made of? How did men come to think of ABC? It can teach. We that teach you boys and girls like to look at your upturned faces, and we rejoice that we have tongues to tell you stories of brave men and women. And then we, too, like to listen to some old man whose tongue speaks wisdom to us and makes us wiser. It can command. See the noble fleet sailing across the bay, now slowly, now fast, now to the east, now to the west, like black fortresses with spires that point to heaven; it moves as the admiral commands. A hundred children are playing in the playground with bat, ball, hoop, skipping-rope, marbles. All of & sudden the teacher commands “ Fall-in !” and the noisy crowd is turned into silent rows of boys and girls, and all is so still that you can hear the buzzing of a fly. Wonderful tongue ! It can praise, Daisy, how fair are the snow-white petals that surround your golden centre. Child, you have run your little errand promptly, and we are glad you were so willing. Mother, you make the house beautiful. Tather, your work has given us bread and garments and a shelter from the storm. It can blame. Ugly house, the builder who made you thought more of getting money than of giving you pretty walls and windows. Selfish boy, you play. with a box full of toys while your little neighbour, whose parents are poor, looks eagerly at your model engine and would so love to work it if you would let him. Hard-hearted man, you dwell in a great mansion and sit at ease, and do not feel troubled when the people starve.

·A TALK ABOUT TALKING 19 sometimes he would close his lips, and “So you would, master Charcoalwisely resolve not to say all that he burner,” said the shepherd. thought, and so he came to be called "If," remarked the second, “I could William the Silent. strip off the bark of this tree, I should But speak when you can tell a neigh- have tan enough to last for a year.' bour the right road ; speak when you “Yes, master Tanner," said the shepcan tell people what they will be glad to herd, “but it would be a pity to spoil learn ; speak when you can make a sad the tree.” person smile; speak when you can show “What acorns !” cried the third ; " if I kindness and friendship. Yes, speak could feed my pigs with them, what then with a good heart; for we grown-up sausages, what hams, I should be able to people do not love any sound in the sell ! world so much as the sound of happy "Well, master Butcher," said the children's voices. shepherd," next week the acorns will be We said that the tongue might be a for sale." weapon, a deadly weapon, as well as a When the three men had gone away, useful tool. But will not talk of the the boy asked: evil things the tongue may say. You “Father, how did you know these men know what harm it can do. were a Charcoal-burner, a Tanner, and a But, last of all, I must relate to you Butcher ?” the story of the three wayfarers. "I know them by their talk," replied A shepherd and his son were seated the father. People talk of the things under an oak-tree. Three militia-men they take interest in. The charcoalin soldiers' uniforms stopped to look at burner speaks of burning wood, the the oak. These three men were return tanner of making leather, and the butcher ing home after their army exercises. of his fat pigs. So people know us by "A fine oak," observed the first ; " if our speech. Our tongues show our cha- I could turn it into charcoal, what a price racters." I should get."

·WAHI, HOWRAL. MAJO PUBLIC LIBRARY ËSTD. 1902 LESSON VII PATIENCE > The doctor's patients. Patience is the brave when fighting cannot help us, we can and calm bearing of trouble. Patience at still show our bravery by bearing the work. Patience under difficulties and pain. trouble without foolish groaning, sulking, THERE is certainly something strange or anger. about the people whom we see in the When can we show this bravery? picture which I am placing before you. I. At work. Here is an old man leaning back in an Two girls went to the market, each arm-chair; here is a young girl ; a child carrying a heavy basket of fruit on her lying sadly on its mother's lap; a young head. Mary kept grumbling: “Oh, this man sitting at the table, resting his head heavy basket! Ah, how I wish I were on his hand; an elderly woman, with at the end of the journey! Alas, I feel her hands folded, looking mournfully at ready to drop! But Alice laughed and the floor; these, and others, all appear said merry words. as if they were not happy. Let us read “What makes you laugh so?” asked the title of the picture“ The Physician's Mary. “Your basket is as heavy as Waiting-room.” Ah, now we understand. mine, and you are no stronger." These people are waiting to see the Alice replied: "I have a precious doctor. They are patients. little herb, which makes it easier for me Do they all bear their trouble well ? to carry the basket." No; some take their suffering quietly, “ Indeed!” cried Mary. “ What is calmly, bravely. Others fret and worry this wonderful plant, then ?" and complain. All patients are not “It is PATIENCE," answered Alice. patient. Now, you see the word patient You will not, of course, suppose tha: has two meanings. It may simply mean Alice meant a real herb such as grows in a person who goes to the doctor to be gardens. PATIENCE grows in our hearts, cured of pain or weakness. It may also our characters. mean that a person is ready to suffer the A man-a very thoughtful man -once pain or weakness or waiting without laid small lumps of chalk all over a field. murmuring and fidgetting ; and such a He knew the soil was full of worms, and person shows PATIENCE. To bear trouble that these worms passed the earth bravely and .calmly is to be PATIENT ; through their bodies and cast it out upon and PATIENCE IS THE BRAVE AND CALM the surface. As the worms bored BEARING OF TROUBLE. Ought we to through the soil; the chalk would sink bear all our troubles calmly? No. If down into the softened earth; and if, a man tried to "chain you, to make you after a time, he dug up the ground, he work for unfair wages or no wages, to would know, by the sinking of the white treat you as a slave, and to force you chalk, how far, the worms had broken up into doing his will as if you were a the ground. He was in no hurry to turn machine-ought you to bear this trouble up the earth. He was willing to wait; calmly? No, indeed; you should resist, and, of course, he had many other kinds and wrestle, and seek to be free. But, of work to carry out-some that needed ·PATIENCE 21 doing quickly, some that needed much forest and field, and in this way he patience. Nor did Charles Darwin (for collected as many as two hundred beautithat was his name) dig up the field until ful sketches. One night all this labour twenty-nine years had passed ; and then of years was destroyed; the rats got into he found the chalk had sunk to the cupboard, and tore and spoiled the depth of seven inches. This was Dar papers. No wonder poor Audubon was win's patience in finding out facts-his sad for a day or two. After that, howpatience in the work of science. ever, he plucked up a cheerful spirit, and The great sculptor Michael Angelo set to work, and drew again all the was toiling in his studio, or workshop, pictures of the birds which he loved to one day, when a friend paid him a visit. study; and thus he showed a very noble Michael Angelo was carving a large temper. marble figure. Some weeks later the One day I watched young men play at friend visited him again, and said : football. With what eagerness they Why, you have done nothing at this kicked the ball, snatched at it, carried it, statue since last I came." threw it, and pursued it as if it were a “I have been hard at work,” returned wild beast which they must slay! the sculptor. "I have cut the wrinkle the midst of the game, when the youths on the forehead deeper; I have altered were struggling all in a heap--legs, arms, the eyelid ; I have added a new line to heads, shoulders, all in a living tangle ! the mouth- -one of them guddenly rolled flat upon “Yes," exclaimed the visitor ; " but the ground and lay still. He was hurt. these are only trifles." Some of his comrades rubbed him “They are indeed trifles, said Michael others stood and watched. Presently he Angelo; "but it is these tiny things that rose, with his lips firmly closed, and a make the work perfect. Trifles make look of pain in his face. He breathed perfection. hard, but made no outcry, no complaint; Michael Angelo, you see, was patient and, in a few minutes, he joined again in his art. And all the world is like a in the sport. This was a brave bearing studio where men, women, and children of pain; this was how the youth proved may carry on their beautiful and patient himself strong; and so, when men and art. The scholar draws a map with women bear up with manly and womanly patient eye and hand, and the proud courage against pain, we call their bravery teacher harrgs it up to adorn the wall. by the name of fortitude. Fortitude is a The ploughman patiently cuts one furrow, very strong kind of patience. But do two furrows, many furrows across the only strong men possess it? Have you field, so that corn may grow to feed the not seen some boys and girls bear pain *folk in cottage and mansion. The better than others ? Have you not dear mother sews the garments, and noticed that some children will cry at a cooks the food, and nurses the sick scratch, while others will bravely bear child, and her patience makes the home even a big bruise or cut? And when we happy bear a pain bravely once, it becomes 2. Under difficulties and pain. easier to bear a second pain, and a third. Do you know what a naturalist is? As soldiers learn drill, so we may learn Well, Darwin was a naturalist. A natura to bear troubles. A man or woman who list looks closely at birds, beasts, and bears trouble bravely is a hero, a heroine; all living creatures, and watches their and these great people of the nabits, and notices their shape, and their world. And so, if you pass a thatched food, etc. Mr. Audubon was a famous cottage where dwells a man who has had naturalist in the United States. (He much sickness, and lost a wife or childied in 1851.) He used to make very dren, and still keeps a brave spirit, and careful pictures of the birds he saw in speaks kindly to his neighbours, you may are the ·22 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP say: "In that cottage there lives a noble and able to defend myself, the trouble heart." seems much less, and I can easily bear But perhaps all this may sound too it.” sad. Let me make you smile by the You see the innkeeper looked backstory of the Chinese innkeeper. A Chinese ward at the pain he had already borne. traveller stopped at an inn. The day was It is also good for us sometimes to look warm, and the mosquitoes were very forward. You remember how the frogs annoying, and bit the traveller till he was in a pond had a very poor sort of kingquite enraged. The insects also attacked simply a log of wood that said nothing the innkeeper, who, however, kept his and did nothing. Certainly, it was not temper. a king to be proud of, and his silence My good man,” said the traveller, was very vexing ! But, if they had been "how is it you can stand the mosquitoes wise, the frogs would have kept this king so easily?" instead of the new one whom they “Ah, sir," answered the innkeeper, chose. The new king was a long-legged once I was a prisoner in the stocks, stork, who strode into the pond and and ny hands and my feet were made snapped up the frogs one by one and fast; and the mosquitoes bit me, and I devoured them! The frogs had changed could not ward them off, and I suffered a bad king for a worse one ! much agony; and now that I am free, LESSON VIII PATIENCE-(concluded) The patience of Job. Patience with people or (Kal-del-an) robbers have carried off all animals who annoy us. Patience in waiting. John Milton's motto : “They also serve who your camels, and slain all the drivers only stand and wait." except me." Fourth Messenger.--"Your sons and In the plains of Syria there once lived a your daughters were feasting merrily; very rich chieftain named Job. He had and a whirlwind smote the house, and a large family-seven sons and three the roof and walls fell in, and all the daughters; and, besides gold and silver, people lost their lives except me.” he possessed large herds of camels, oxen, Thus blow after blow fell upon Job the asses, goats, and sheep. All his life chieftain. Though the story does not seemed sunshine and happiness. But say so, I should think he had learned to one summer day, as Job sat in ease and bear troubles before these last terrible peace, four men rushed into his house, things happened ; else I do not believe one after the other, with terrible tidings. he could have borne his woes so calmly First Messenger.-" The Arabs from and bravely. He sat silent for a little the South have captured your oxen and while, and then he said: asses, and slain all the herdsmen except “ As a babe, I came into the world me." with nothing; and nothing can I carry, Second Messenger. - "The lightning The lightning away when I die'; and I have no right to has destroyed your sheep, and all the complain if all things are now taken shepherds except myself have been killed from me. in the storm. And when, after all these misfortunes, Third Messenger.-" The Chaldæan a terrible disease poisoned his blood and ·PATIENCE 23 # wasted his body, Job önly said: “It is 'candlestick had fallen over ; the flame only just that when we have had the had caught a bundle of his precious pleasure of good things, we should also papers, and nothing remained of them be patient enough to bear the sorrow of but ashes and smoke ! evil things." But who had caused this disaster? This was the PATIENCE of Job. Ah, pretty but mischievous creature ! 3. With other people (or with animals). It was Sir Isaac's favourite dog Diamond. When Job suffered his great losses he Should he beat the dog who knew no did not meet the enemies that hurt him. better? He never saw the robbers, nor could he This was all he said :- seize the lightning or the whirlwind. But Oh, Diamond, Diamond, you little often we stand face to face with the know the mischief you have done." persons who vex us, and then we have Sir Isaàc Newton was great because the chance to show them our patience or he discovered many new facts about the impatience. rainbow, and light, and the falling of Years ago a careful observer lived in stones and other bodies to the earth, Geneva. This man of science, whose and the movements of the planets about name was Abauzit, used to keep watch the sun. He was also great in his possesupon the changes of the weather, and sion of a noble temper. And it was the rising and falling of the quicksilver the morc noble because the offender in the barometer. For twenty-seven years was a dog. Men and women that he had made his notes on a paper, which are truly noble have hearts that are he attached to his weather-glass (baro great enough to feel respect for dumb meter). His old servant having left, animals, and to be forbearing with them Abauzit engaged another woman in her when they annoy only by accident. place. She made up her mind to give 4. In waiting the rooms å thoroughly good sweeping In his story of the Pilgrim's Progress and cleaning, and she removed all untidy John Bunyan tells how the traveller (or papers. The next morning Abauzit came pilgrim) saw many curious scenes in the down to look at his barometer. The old House of the Interprcter. In one room paper on which he marked his observa the Pilgrim saw two little children, each tions was no longer there. in his chair. The name of the elder “What have you done with the paper was Passion, and the name of the that was tied found the barometer?” he younger was PATIENCE. Passion seemed asked, anxiously. to be much discontented; but Patience Oh, sir, it was so dirty that I burned was very quiet. The Pilgrim asked :--- it, and in its stead I have put this ney "Why is Passion so unhappy?" white piece!” "Because," said the Interpreter, "the Alas, alas! Master has said they shall each have a Abauzit felt as if he could explode. bag of pretty gifts on New Year's Day. But he folded his arms and said :- Patience is willing to wait, but Passion “You have destroyed the work of is fretting and fuming.” twenty-seven years. I beg you never to Then someone came to Passion, and touch anything in this room again." brought him a bag of toys, and emptied A yet greater man was Sir Isaac them all out; and Passion clapped his Newton. He also had made many notes, hands, and seized the treasures, and in his and he used to keep piles of papers haste and greediness he banged them table. One evening he left his study for and ill-used them, till presently they, short time. A candle was alight; alas were all broken and useless, and the for the damage that candle was, to child was more miserable than before. dol Have you ever met little Passion ? When Sir Isaac Newton returned, the And have you ever met little Patience ? & on his ·24 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP a When mother has been obliged to delay cottage. The honeysuckle twined over the dinner, have you seen little Patience the porch and the garden was gay. But wait without grumbling? When the the old man never saw the glory of the gifts and the bon-bons were being flowers; he was blind. Blind ;-but not handed to the children at the festival, idle, not useless. If you had passed have you seen little Patience take his the open cottage-door on summer proper turn ? When the rain poured evening, you might have heard his voice and poured, and prevented the pleasant as he recited lines of a poem to a writer, excursion, have you seen little Patience who put on paper all that the old poet hunt up a book or a toy to amuse him said. The old poet was John Milton, self while waiting ? and he was composing his great poem And when little Patience grows into a of Paradise Lost. Noble was the old man he will know how to wait for poet's patience, as he sat there thinking greater things. The men and women out beautiful pictures and making them who wished the slaves in America to be into verses, instcad of complaining of made free had to work and to wait for the darkness that covered his eyes. many years. The men and women who Ortce he thought of a king in his palace, wished bread to be made cheaper in surrounded by many servants. To some England by taking off the tax on corn the king gave orders to go on this or had to work and to wait for many years. that message. Swiftly, readily, obedi- And there are men and women who are ently, they came and went. To others working for peace among all nations, so the king said nothing. the king said nothing. Yet they, too, that the drum may no longer beat for were willing They would hasten to the battle, and the shot be no longer obey as soon as the message came; and, hurled from the cannon to shed blood though they did no errand, they were and destroy homes. For this we must the king's good servants. And so John learn to wait. Milton wrote :- In the seventeenth century a greyhaired man lived in an English country " They also serve who only stand and wait.”

·LESSON IX PERSEVERANCE 1 But now, I > “ With The hawe and the tortoise. Perseverance is the "I am quite certain to win the prize," habit of trying again and again. Perscverance said the hare. “The tortoise has only in work and play. Perseverance in working travelled a yard or two. I will take a out a purpose, for one's self; for the city ; for trade ; for use and beauty ; for the spread of nap under the shade of this cluster of knowledge. ferns." The tortoise never stopped. In sun- “ You are a very low-class creature, shine and shadow ; up hill and down said the hare to the tortoise. “ You have hill; over rough places and smooth, he as many legs as I have, but you cannot stepped his slow steps. run anything like so fast as I do. In “Even if I lose the race," he said to deed, I doubt if you can run at all. You himself, “I shall have done my best." must have been very badly brought up, When the hare awoke, she rushed and I wonder that your parents did not madly onwards, only to find that the give you a better education.” tortoise had long since passed the bul- “I must confess," answered the torrush. toise, quietly," that I do not travel very What quality did the tortoise show? rapidly. You can run-and talk--very He showed PERSEVERANCE. And what much faster than I can. is perseverance? You will perhaps say wish to try a five-mile race with you." it is trying again and again; and so it is. me !” shricked the hare. But there is another word I should like "Surely you forget yourself in speaking to add to the meaning. Suppose you to me like that." began learning to ride the bicycle, and “I challenge you," said the tortoise; found it troublesome. You could not and he looked as if he meant what he manage your pedals properly; you said. would wobble from side to side; you "Oh, very well,” snapped the hare, would fall. And you might fail on "if you care to be so silly." Monday; and try again on Tuesday And," went on the tortoise, and Wednesday, and then give it up friend the fox. will act as umpire, to see in despair. Would that be perseverthat the race is waged fairly." ance? No; for you did not keep trying “Fairly ?” snorted the hare. “Well, until you had succeeded. Suppose, do you suppose I would again, you tried and tried until you cheat a miserable tortoise ?" succeeded in riding the bicycle, but The rivals toed the line, near the bul got tired of learning to work sums, or rush which the fox had fixed in the of learning shorthand; would you be ground as a winning-post. The course really a persevering boy or girl? No; Lay round the hill, and back again to for persevering people try again even at the bulrush. things which they do not like, so long as "Off !” yelled the fox. they believe it is their duty to do the The hare raced a mile in a few tasks. And so they always have the minutes. trying spirit in them ; it is their habit. C ? cour of course; 25 ·26 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP # PERSEVERANCE IS THE HABIT OF TRY became a teacher among the Hindus, ING AGAIN AND AGAIN. and laboured many a day and many a On the blackboard I draw marks like year on the hot plains of India, speaka man's footprints in the snow; then I ing to the people about the religion he draw another pair of footprints, and believed in. another, and another, and so on, right across the board. The footprints follow. You have heard of the tale-books of a straight line. This is the line of per Charles Dickens. When Dickens was Severance. a poor boy, he used to pass a place near Again I take the chalk, and draw foot Rochester, in Kent, called Gad's Hill. prints, but in a different manner. The On the top of the hill stood a pretty line of footprints goes.right and left ; in house, and out ; east and west ; now this way,, "Some day," he said, "I will be the now that ; on again, then doubling back. master of that house." This is not the march of perseverance. He composed Oliver Twist and other It is the walk of the unsteady, fickle interesting stories, and earned much man, who cannot make up his mind to money, and was at length able to buy carry out a work, a plan, or a study to the house on Gad's Hill; and it was the end. And you can tell these un there that he died in 1870. He had steady people even in their sports. Have gained his purpose. you not seen boys and girls who began to learn a game, and then left off because Do you remember the story of it was too difficult? We use the same Richard Whittington? Poor Dick was hands for throwing balls or wielding bats a country lad, and he had been told that as we do for holding pens, rulers, spades, the streets of London were paved with chisels, etc.; and we use the same mind; gold. He trudged up to the busy city; and we show the same character. but, amid the crowds of merchants and citizens and soldiers, Dick “Mind where you are going, Carey,” noticed, and there was no golden roadshouted some boys, as they watched a way, and when at last he found employcompanion climbing a tree. ment he was badly treated by his Young Carey had reached half-way master, and he ran away from the work- 'up. They could only just catch sight shop. Carrying his bundle of clothes of him through the masses of leaves. a stick across his shoulder, Dick Crash! wearily left London behind him, and Carey had fallen to the earth! He climbed Highgate Hill, and sat down was carried to the school-house, and put to rest. Then his ear caught the chime to bed, and the surgeon put his broken of the far-off bells of Bow Church in leg in bandages and splints. For weeks the City; and they seemed to ring a Carey lay in one room, and his thoughts happy song which said: “Turn back often turned to the tree, and hc again, Whittington, thrice Mayor of muttered to himself, “I will climb it." London.” It does not matter if (as And he did: As soon as he was able people say) this story is not true. We to leave the house and run about again, know that boys and girls, who have he went to the tree, and made his way, sound, brave hearts, do often sit on breathless and joyous, to the highest hills, in meadows, or at firesides, or at branch that would bear his weight. He school desks, and listen to the bells, had gained his purpose. I am not sure or the wind, or the kettle singing, or tha that it was a wise thing to do after bee humming, and they hear songs of having broken a leg; but it proved the good things they will do by and by. Carey's pluck., When he grew up, he But the song is not really in the bells, worked out a greater purpose. He the wind, the kettle, or the bee; it is in was unon ·PERSEVERANCE 27 # He was, their own hearts, in their own brave the torrent, and they struck against the purpose. So Whittington went back to new bridge, and weakened it, and at London (and this part of the story is length it fell in an awful ruin. true), did his honest daily work at a silk Edwards had agreed to keep the mercer's shop, rose to be a business bridge strong and sound for seven years man on his own account, was looked at least; and now all his work was swept upon as one of the most honourable away. He rose up in the midst of his citizens, and was three times chosen sorrow, and resolved to make a second Mayor of London. He died in 1425. bridge, consisting of one arch only, its span being 140 feet. Scarcely was it Christopher Columbus (who died in completed when it cracked and fell; and 1506) often sailed the seas with other all the people pitied the unfortunate sailors; but he had thoughts which they engineer. never cared for. He would look west Again he began to build. His friends wards across the vast blue surface of saw the courage in his bright cyes; he the Atlantic Ocean, and say to himself : had faith that he would succeed. Little “If I had ships and men, I would by little the stone fabric ascended in one voyage towards the region where the sun long high arch. Three great holes were sets, and I would reach the splendid left in the masonry, and the cngineer coasts and islands of India." said this plan would make the building of course, correct, though he did not more strongly resist wind and water. know that America lay between. In 1755 the task was ended, and over People mocked him when he told his the eddying Taff the Welshmen beheld thoughts; priests declared that such the Rainbow Arch, as they proudly called ideas were not to be found in the Bible; it. Crowds flocked to see it and wonder noblemen and princes would not help at its bcauty. And to this day the Rainhim. At last the king and queen of bow Arch curves over the stream, and Spain gave him three ships. For the blasts from the mountains have not seventy days he struggled to the west shaken it, nor the roaring waters crumon a strange sea. His sailors murmured bled its foundations. and threatened and rebelled. But Columbus held op to his purpose till; Charles Darwin (who died in 1882) one morning, he beheld the green shore made a voyage round the world in the and the palm trees of San Salvador in ship Beagle. His business was to study the West Indies. He had discovered animals, plants, stones, and rocks, for he the New World. was a naturalist. "Week by week he collected various kinds of dried plants, In the year 1746 a young engineer and seaweed, and shells, and the skins named William Edwards was engaged and bones of animals, and minerals both to make a bridge of stone over the river dull and bright, soft and hard, until his Taff in South Wales. He had never cabin became a museum. But poor Mr. made a bridge before, but he had Darwin suffered much from sea-sickness, learned to construct arches, and he was and frequently had to lie down, waiting bold enough to think he could build till the pain and heaviness had passed arches across the rolling waters of the away. On his return to England he still Taff. Before long the bridge was suffered, and still he worked in his finished, and its handsome arches, span garden; in observing trees and insects, ning the stream, were admired by all birds and worms; in writing books who passed that way. But, alas! the that told the facts which he had noticed. mountain rains caused the river to swell If you go into a large library, you will into a destroying flood. Trees, hay- perhaps see a row of Darwin's books, stacks, gates, etc., were whirled down written in the course of forty-five years. 7 ·28 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP But, usually, he could only give a very short part of each day to his writingfrom eight o'clock in the morning till half-past nine; and from half-past four in the afternoon till half-past five. The people of England gave him the honour of burial in Westminster Abbey ; and, if ever you pass his grave in the noble church, you should pause to remember the man who worked out his purpose in spite of much pain and sickness. I have told you of several purposes, and they were not equally good. Dickens's purpose was to buy a fine house; but that was only for himself. Whittington's purpose was to become a Mayor ; that was good, because he was thus able to serve his City by his wisdom as a magistrate. The purpose of Columbus was to open up new portions of the world ; this was useful to the trade and wealth of the nations. Edwards's purpose was to build a bridge which should afford a good road for traffic, and also make a beautiful thing for the eyes to behold. Darwin's purpose was to open up new kinds of knowledge, and thus help to widen the mind the reason-of mankind. In my next lesson ("Excelsior") I shall continue to speak of PERSE- VERANCE.

·LESSON X EXCELSIOR bis AIM. Rising higher. The aims towards which people Bernard heard the cry of a dying man strive ; money ; health; pleasure ; fame; “Excelsior"_and hastened with their power. dogs to his aid. When they reached him As evening came on, and the forests on he was dead. the giant hills grew darker and darker, "A traveller, by the faithful hound, a young man (I will call him the Climber) Half-buried in the snow was found, carried a flag through a village. On the Still grasping in his hand of ice flag was embroidered in gold thread the That banner with the strange device- Excelsior !” Latin word Excelsior, which means Higher. The poet Longfellow tells the The noble Climber had perished while story :- striving to rise higher. We honour him “The shades'of night were falling fast, as much as if he had really succeeded in As through an Alpine village passed A Youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice, People have AIMS; they try to rise A banner with the strange device--- higher towards something they very Excelsior !” much want. Cheerful lights shone from windows, but In 1897 and 1898 men travelled to he would not stay to beg a place by any Klondyke in North America. For fireside. His mind was set on rising months they scrambled over rocks and higher. He kept saying to himself through swamps, or rode on pack-horses "Excelsior," and, as he said it, he gazed across rocky and frozen ground at the upwards.where the ice of the great glacier rate of 15 or 20 miles daily, and much gleamed down the mountain side. tormented by the bites of mosquitoes. "Do not travel through that Pass," Many men were tired long before they said man ; "you may be swept came near Dawson City in the Klonaway by the dangerous torrent dyke, and turned back, hungry and The Climber did not pause. hopeless. What was their aim ? Their “O stay with me," said a fair maiden aim was to get gold, to get riches; for and he looked at her, and a tear stood in the Klondyke the soil yielded precious in his bright blue eye, but still he pressed nuggets and shining grains, which the onwards. patient diggers would seek for day after “Beware,” cried a peasant, “lest a day. Was this a noble aim? We cannot withered branch of a pine-tree, shaken call it noble, unless we know what a man by the wind, may fall upon you as you wished to do with his gold. He might journey through the forest. Beware, use it to pay workinen just wages; to also, lest the snowy mass of the ava buy books and pictures for himself lanche carry you away to death!” and his neighbours; to send poor And still the Climber kept his eyes children to a good school. Or he might directed to the top of the mountain. use it only for his own food, his own That was his aim. Early next morning clothes, his own furniture, his own the monks of the convent of Saint house and garden, his own pleasure, 12 an old 22 29 ·30 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP Another would lie for hours under the pine trees of the Black Forest, drawing in the sweet smell of the pines, and hoping it would give strength to his feeble lungs. A fifth would lie in a bath of mud; for in the Crimea warm mad rises from the cracks in the earth, and invalids lie in these baths in the hope of cure. All these five people had an aim. Their aim (I am sure you will tell me) was HEALTH. without any thought of other people. He might even hoard up the money, coin upon coin, gloating over it and counting it each night, or thinking with selfish joy of the stores he had laid up in the bank. He would be a miser; and no one in all 'the world likes a miser. Do you remember the story of the miser and the ape The miser kept an ape, not to pet it or have it for a lively companion, but only to teach it tricks and sell it for more money than he paid for it. One day, while the miser was away from home, the ape stood at the window, and saw a man throw a piece of money to & beggar. The ape must needs imitate this action, and, seizing handfuls of money from the miser's chest, flung the coins from the window into the street below. A noisy crowd gathered and picked up the gold and silver, and still the ape threw more and more. Presently the miser returned, and shrieked with grief at the loss of his precious money ; but none pitied him. “Ah," said a man who watched the scene, “it is foolish to waste the money as the ape is doing ; but it was just as foolish of his master to hoard it all up for himself.” Some people, then, aim at getting The teacher of a class of poor children in London once said ; Would you not like to go to the theatre and see a play?” Yes, they all agreed it would be delightful. But they were not able to pay for the more comfortable seats, and had to go carly in order to secure places in the front row of the gallery. At six o'clock in the evening they reached the theatre, and sat on the stone stairs. For an hour and a half they waited, talking and looking at pictures, and-yawning. On entering the gallery they had to linger yet another half hour, gazing at the people and at the curtain that hid the stage. At length the music began, the curtain rolled up, and a beautiful country house was seen, with youths and maidens dancing on the grass. This was what the children had aimed at, and waited: for. Their aim was PLEASURE. MONEY. Let me tell you of five persons who had an aim, but it was not money. "I am going to leave my office for six months," said a young clerk to his friend ; “the doctor says my chest is weak, and I must have rest and change.” Alas! before the six months closed he died. “I have taken my daughter up to the mountains," said a man in a train to his fellow traveller, "and left her there in the home at Davos Platz. The doctor says she needs the strong, dry air of the Alps, and it may save her from consumption. When I return I hope to find her well." A man, who was pale and worn with life in a great city, walked barefooted in the dewy grass every morning. The doctor said it would do him good. Money, health, pleasure, are three aims after which men climb. What shall we mention as the fourth ? At Ephesus (Ef-e-sus), in Asia Minor, stood the stately temple of Diana. Its roof was supported by 127 columns or pillars, each being the gift of a king. Here the people worshipped the goddess Diana; and here the priests collected immense treasures. One night the sky flashed with a red light, and all the people in the city woke and rushed into the streets. The temple was burning, and before long it was destroyed. The man who set fire to the building proudly told the people what he had done, and he said he wished that all men ·EXCELSIOR. 31. should remember his name-Eratostratus India---the land of elephants--and back (Eratos'-tratus). It was a very wicked westwards to Egypt, and then to Babylon. act, and he was a very reckless man; Everywhere he was master, lord and but he obtained his wish, and, as you conqueror; and once, in his pride, 'he see, his name is still remembered. Now, bade his own soldiers kneel before what was his aim.? It was FAME; he him as a god! His aim was to get wanted to become famous. fame, and something more--POWER. Think of the five climbers--one Money, health, pleasure, fame; what climbing the hill of riches, a second shall we think of next? climbing the hill of health, a third Look at the map. You notice the climbing the hill of pleasure, a fourth little country of Greece. From this climbing the hill of fame, a fifth climbing quarter of the world. once set out an the hill of power. Are these climbers army under the leadership of a young doing wrong ? No, not just because they king, Alexander. He crossed the sea to aim at these things. But do we think of Asia Minor (watch my finger on the any of them as we do of the young map); he fought battles here, and there, Climber with the banner? They none of and there; and marched across Persia to them scem so beautiful. LESSON XI EXCELSIOR-(concluded) . Self-improvement a noble aim. Exan les in thenes (De-mos'-then-ees). He made up the scholars of the evening school and the his mind to fight with his trouble, and aged student; the polished diamond, and the boy who learned a lesson from a rope; the master it. He would even make the music-learner; the recruit. Self-respect. trouble greater on purpose. In his Those who have improved themselves should mouth he placed little pebbles, and scek to improve others. then, standing in a lonely place by the “I SHALL never be able to do it ; sea, he would struggle to pronounce his never," said a young Greek, as he words as clearly as he could. He would wandered up and down on the sea-shore gaze at the blue ocean, and address it as near Athens. if it were a mob of Athenians. At " What is the matter?" asked an old other times he would run up a hill, and man, who had noticed his despairing as he went, he would cry, as plainly as face." possible, some such words as- “I tried to make a speech to the "By earth, people of Athens, but, when I stam- By all her fountains, mered, and got short of breath, the Streams, and floods." crowd laughed at me, and interrupted Or, in a sort of underground chamber, me with their shouts and jeers. I shall he would spend his days, and people never become an eloquent speaker." who passed would smile as they heard "Do not be a coward," replied the him, talking loudly to himself. He old man; "you might talk as nobly as would even stand before a mirror of the great Pericles (Per'-s-clees) if you polished metal, so that he might watch tried. You must train yourself-exer if his actions were graceful. When, at cise yourself." length, he stood in the open place, and The young Greek's name, was Demos made a speech to the citizens, they ใ ·32 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP listened to his charming voice so quietly that you might have heard a needle drop; and sometimes, when he said a merry thing, they burst into great laughter; and sometimes, when he said a sad thing, they bent their heads and wept. Demosthenes had made himself an orator. He had improved himself; his aim was SELF-IMPROVE- MENT. And not only had he made himself better. He was better able to please the people, and teach them, and make them think of their city, their country, and their duty. I have told you of the five aims of money, health, pleasure, fame, and power. Is not this sixth' aim a nobler one? Demosthenes makes one think of the Climber on the Alps, who felt he must ascend to the snowy peak, and as he could to the silver stars. when young, but had to put aside his books in order to go out and earn his living. Then, in 1863, his countrymen, the Poles, rose in rebellion against the Czar of Russia. Borgsik took part in the war, and was taken prisoner, and sent into exile in the snowy plains of Siberia. In 1895 he received a free pardon; and then, returning to Warsaw, began again the study which he had broken off so long ago, and, in 1897, succeeded in passing his examination as doctor of medicine. Excelsior ! as near Let us imagine we are visiting an evening school. These big boys and girls are no longer bound to attend the Government School, for they have passed the age when the law bids them study; but they still wish to learn ; their aim is self-improvement; they wish to go on climbing. In one room the pupils are writing ; in another playing a tune on hand-bells; in another colouring patterns in blue and gold ; in another they pretend to be kings, queens, knights, or merchants, and act a play; in another they march to the sound of music, and keep step, and swing their arms as if all were pulled by one string. All this they do of their own free will. No one orders them to climb. They hope to make themselves more clever, more useful. If, sometimes, they feel the hardness of the struggle, as Demosthenes did when the pebbles checked his words, they press on manfully, and will not let the banner droop. In 1897 a very old student named Borgsik attended the classes at the · University of Warsaw, in Russia. His age was seventy-five years, and still he was learning! He had begun his studies A man in South Africa picked up a small piece of stone; it was dirty and rough. “Make me beautiful," said the stone. "I shall have to hurt you, "said the man. Well, if it hurts me, I will bear it,” said the stone. So the man took it to a clever craftsman, who put it in a tight vice, and cut it with a sharp instrument. “Oh!" cried the stone. And he ground it till dust fell all about it. Ch!" cried"the stone. And he polished it very hard. “Oh!" cried the stone. And then he set it in a crown, and, on a sunny day, the queen wore the crown, and the stone--it was a diamondsparkled in long rays of crimson and green and yellow and silvery white; and all the people were glad to see it. The training was hard, but the improvement was glorious. A Spanish lad named Isidore used to feel like the diamond when he attended school, and the lessons were difficult, and the teacher stern and severe. One day he ran away from home, and wandered along a country road. Tired and miserable, he sat down by the side of an well, and watched the women of the village as they came to draw water. The buckets were let down into the deep well by means of a thick rope, and as this rope was pulled upwards, the weight of the water in the buckets made it ·EXCELSIOR 33 woman was scrape against the stone coping that The young seldier-a recruit-grew surrounded the top of the well. The weary of the drill; but he tried and rope had thus worn a groove in the tried, till at last last the drill-master hard stone. Isidore saw the groove, said and asked the what had 'You are a smart fellow." made it. I saw him in a train one day. He “It was worn so by the rope," said the sat on one side of the carriage; clean, woman; "each time the rope rubs against neat, upright, manly. On the other the coping it rubs away a little of the side of the carriage a young man was stone, and, by doing this time after crouched up by the window, asleep; time, the rope makes a groove for itself.” his hair uncombed, his chin unshaven, A rope could wear away stone by his mouth open, his skin dirty, his limbs persevering! Perhaps, then, a boy 'could awkward he had not been trained. overcome difficult lessons in the same One had lain idle at the bottom of way. He returned home, took his place the hill; the other had climbed. One in the school again, worked hard at his called a good-for-nothing. The lessons, and afterwards became a great other had earned his neighbours' rescholar, and was known as Saint Isidore. spect. Excelsior! Excelsior! But when the Climber had passed “You must sing it again,” said the through the pine-forest, and crossed the music teacher; and the poor girl sang glacier, and stood all alone, there were the exercise again. no neighbours to respect him for his "Again!” courage. No; but he knew he had Her voice rose and fell again; and done his part nobly. He respected the teacher shook his his head and himself. He felt SELF-RESPECT. His frowned. self-respect would not allow him to “You must practise this again to turn back and give up the task. Exmorrow. You are a long way from per- celsior ! fection." She hung her head in sorrow. The Those who have improved themselves next day, and the next; the next week, should then seek to improve others. and the next; the next month, and the A knock was heard at Mr. Banks's next; the next year, and the next, the door. A boy wished to see the master singer sang, and climbed, and carried of the house; and the maid was about the banner of music. One day she to send him away, when Mr. Banks stood before five thousand men and (who was a carver of statues) called women, and she sang till she seemed him in. to carry them up to the clouds, and “What do you want, my lad?” over the sea, and along rivers, and into "I want, sir, if you please, to be adgardens and old castles-all like a mitted as a pupil to learn drawing at the dream; and the people clapped and Academy, if you will speak for me." cheered, and loved her for her sweet The sculptor looked at the boy's song. She had her reward. Excelsior ! pencil-drawing of the Greek god Apollo. “It is not yet time for the Academy, "Hold your head up!" shouted the my little man. Go home'; make a better arill-master, “ Turn your feet out Apollo; this leg is not as it ought to be ; better. Keep your back straight. Look and this eye is out of place; and come right in front of you. Keep your again in a month." shoulders steady. Don't bend your Next month the boy came again, knees. Don't sway from side to side smiling. He had improved. And again the next month; and the good sculptor ..

·34
SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP
encouraged him. The lad worked with two together breathe the sweet air, and
a good will, and became a great painter. look down upon the valley and the lake,
His name was Mulready.
and the blue river and the cottages.
It is right to climb the hill. It is a Two? But, oh, if all the world could
happy thing to help a neighbour to climb; climb together up the hill of the Good
for then two feel joy instead of one; and Life!

·LESSON XII COURAGE C@ur, and COUT ness. Hope, and its emblem, the star. Hope is a and you, out on the hills, hope for the kind of courage. The meaning of courage. rainbow. And when people hope, they Courage to fight. Courage in exploring. Courage of the Sons and Daughters of Labour. press on, and persevere; for hope gives The mother's courage. then COURAGE. So we may see that Hope is a kind of Courage. In ancient times, before the compass Let us first look closely at the word was known, if a vessel were caught in a COURAGE. Some of you, perhaps, learn great storm, and the sky were black with French. If I take away the syllable age, clouds, the sailors and the passengers what will remain ? The syllable cour. were in fear of losing the way to the Suppose, now, I write on the blackharbour. Day after day, perhaps, neither board this syllable, with the addition of the sun nor the moon threw a ray of the letter E. Here we have the word light. The captain could not find his means heart. You whereabouts. All was gloom and sadremember the famous English king who But at length, one night, the wielded the heavy battle-axe against the clouds divided, and a well-known star Saracens in the Holy Land. His very shone out; and then other stars appeared, name made the people fear; and when: and the captain had a guide to steer by. a Saracen's horsc started nervously, his The star had brought to every heart a rider would say: “What! dost thou feeling of Hope. And so we often choose think thou seest King Richard behind the star as a sign or emblem of hope. that bush?” This brave Richard was You remember how we sang together the known as Cæur-de-Lion, or Lion-heart, other day for he had the heart or courage of a “Star of Hope, gleam on the billow, lion. You know the African mothers Bid my dark forebodings fee; have a curious idea about the wonderful Soothe my restless heaving pillow, power of the lion's heart; and when the Far, far at sea. father has slain a lion in the chase he Or let us suppose that you yourself are brings the heart of the fierce beast to in the country, and the rain descends, the mother, and she cooks it, and gives and the heavens are darkened, and you some to her boys to eat. As they eat, are alone, and you have to face the she thinks the courage of the king of tempest, and you have far to travel. And the desert enters into the breast of her then, if the clouds retire, and the sun sons. shines upon them as they go, what will What shall we say Courage is? We You see? A rainbow, in A rainbow, in an arch of an arch of will say that COURAGE IS STRENGTH OF colours across the sky. And now you HEART. The man or woman who shows will be glad, and pursue your road; and courage is courageous. And how do your unhappiness is changed to Hope. courageous people act? They fight; The people in the ship hope for the star ; | they face danger; they save the lives of 7 ·36 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP >> . others-all this is true ; but I wonder if any one kind of courage is as good as any other? Let us look at the various kinds of courage. Let us put them in classes, as boys and girls are placed in classes at schools. I. I have here a picture to show you -a double picture. On the one side you see a group of soldiers in red coats; you admire their smart helmets, their white straps, their polished boots, their rifles, their upright position. They stand for the army. On the other side you notice a man in dark blue uniform. Six medals are fastened on his left breast. Gilded epaulettes dangle on his shoulders. Gold braid adorns his hat. He is an admiral. He stands for the navy. What is the business of these soldiers and this sailor? To fight; to defend their country; perhaps to attack other countries; to kill. Ah ! to kill. I do not like to blame these brave fellows. They have their duty to do, and they do it. But to kill ! To-day I will not stop to tell you all I think of that. We will go on. What kind of courage do these men exhibit? The courage to fight. These are Englishmen. But do not other nations also show courage ? How often people forget that! And how wrong it is to forget. We ought to respect the courage of other nations. You boys have learned the military salute. If I asked you to rise and salute all the brave men of the world, I should say: “Salute the Americans ; salute the French; salute the Germans salute the Italians; salute the Russians; salute the Arabs; salute the Japanese, and many more. Yes, and the brave men of olden timeş---the Greeks, the Romans. You know the names of some of the heroes ? Leonidas, the King of Sparta, who held the mountain pass with but three hundred men against the Persians; or the Roman general Fabricius, who did not fear when a curtain was drawn aside suddenly, and, for the first time in his life, he beheld an elephant and its waving trunk ! And have you not learned the story of the Defence of the Bridge? You remember how Horatius and his two companions stood upon the wooden bridge that crossed the Tiber, and that might lead the enemy into the city of Rome. "The Three stood calm and silent And looked upon the foes, And a great shout of laughter From all the vanguard rose." And after the laughter 'came the stern conflict, and the great Tuscan captains fell ; and the bridge was sawn asunder, and two of the defenders flew back in time: and Horatius was left alone; and he plunged into the yellow Tiber, and swam to the River-gate- “And now, with shouts and clapping, And noise of weeping loud, He enters through the River-gate, Borne by the joyous crowd.” 1 I think the days will come when nations shall keep peace, and war will be at an end. But Horatius had no thoughts of such a peace. It was his duty to fight for his dear city; and we will honour this noble Roman. 2. Now we will pass to another kind of courage. Lately you have heard of the Norwegian traveller, Nansen, and his attempt to reach the North Pole. What sort of courage has he shown? The courage to search, to go into unknown lands, to explore. You can perhaps tell me of Sir John Franklin. He sought for a passage-the North-west Passage--through the icebergs and icefloes of the Arctic towards Asia. Once he tried ; twice; and the third time he never returned. With two ships, the Erebus and Terror, he sailed in May, 1845. During the next winter the vessels were gripped fast amid the icemountains; and the long night stayed for months; and the Northern lights flashed across the heavens. The next summer loosened the floes, and the ships proceeded. Again the winter came, and in June, 1847, Franklin died. At the base of his monument in 1 Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome.

·COURAGE 37 were 9 could you Wallrloo Place, London-do not pass hands grasping the long ladles which thatway without looking at it-you will they dip into the stream ; and careless. see,vorked in bronze, the scene of his ness, or an accident, might mean swift burl; the fur-clad sailors stand around; death! But at home, about the table, thenion Jack lies across the coffin ; sit their little children, waiting for the anne ice-hills rise behind. And after mother to feed them; and the fathers that a hundred and six men left the must work for the bread of the family. vessels and journeyed southwards, weary These are the Sons of Labour, and their and hunger bitten, but always brave, courage is the courage of Labour. until, one by one, they dropped and died not let me ask youdo not ever laugh in the great white plains of snow. Lady at the rough hands and the soiled Franklin sent one expedition after clothes of the Sons of Labour. I would another in search of her husband, and sooner see the Sons of Labour than see she would not rest until the facts of his angels. But these puddlers are not all. death known. On Franklin's There is a great army. You and I empty tomb in Westminster Abbey a might stand, like kings and queens, and verse is carved, beginningfancy we saw all the Sons of Labour “Not here ! the white North has thy bones. march by-the miner with his pick, who has toiled many hours in the pit; the You could tell me of more, fisherman, who has tossed upon rough not? Of Columbus, of Vasco da Gama, water all the night round about the of Magellan, of Drake, of Cook, of sand-banks where the herrings crowd; Livingstone. If we had their portraits the fireman who watched and waited for hung round this room, we might salute the sound of the alarm bell and the them also, as we saluted the Americans, glare in the sky; the policeman--did the French, and the rest. And there is you not, perhaps, wake one night and something in Franklin's courage which hear his footfall sound soft but firm on makes one think more highly of it than the snow and the loud-voiced costerof the courage of Horatius. Can you monger, who goes sturdily up and down think of this better quality? Franklin the street, or, stands patiently at the had no human foes; his only enemy corner in rain or shine, and the people was the cruel winter; he shed no blood; pass and pass and pass. I cannot count his courage was innocent. all these courageous workmen. But I 3. Once, when I told a boy of Frank have forgotten one worker who works lin, I saw his eye sparkle, and a red spot more than they all, with so little rest, 'came in his cheek. I knew what he with so much care, and so quietly all the thought. He said to himself: "How time! Can you guess? The painter ? I should like to go out exploring like No. The watchmaker? No. The Franklin!" But come; let us examine a printer? No. These are all good men, third class of courage. Look at the picture but-ah! to be sure; you have said which I uncover before you. You are sur right ; it is the Mother. prised; I perceive that you can scarcely clothes, she planned them ; your food, make out its meaning. Follow my fin she prepared it; your limbs--they are ger. Here you see the mouth of a great straight and sound because, when you blast-furnace-in Durham, perhaps, or were babies, she folded you cautiously in Pennsylvania, or at Essen, in Prussia. in her arms, she led you tenderly as you A dazzling light blazes out; a million walked, she guarded you from dangerous sparks fly; the red stream of molten places. She had courage. When you iion rushes along the channel, and then, were tiresome, when you were stupid, to the right and left, into lesser channels. when you were sick, she bore it all, and On each side are the brave “ puddlers"; would not give up her task. For, you their eyes eager, their feet apart, their see, hope was in her heart too. She Look at your ·38 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP expected that some day you would thank' | add a net word to the name I used just her. And to keep on like that year We must admire the courage after year--that is real courage. I must the Sons and Daughters of Labour. now, of LESSON XIII COURAGE-(concluded) he Courage in helping our fellow men. Courage parents or teachers may have told you for the sake of what we believe to be right. how some thousands of the quarrymen Good-work makes us braver. Encouraging our neighbour. struck work in 1897 because they considered they were unjustly treated. 4. We have seen the courage of the Some people said they were brave men soldier in fighting; the courage of the to strike; others blamed them. But traveller in exploring; the courage of what I have to relate is a quarryman's the workman in his daily labour. But deed which all men will admire. think a moment of a soldier, sword or Imagine a cliff, a precipice ; and from rifle in hand, charging up a hill held by its top a rope hangs. To this rope a the enemy. He may do that for the man has fastened himself, hitching it sake of his country; he may think that, round one leg, and holding it by one as he strikes his blow, he is saving the hand. With the free hand he grasps an little cottage, the orchard, the village, axe, with which he loosens the slate. the folks at home. But he may fight This is the courage of labour. Suddenly for a reason not nearly so good, not a picce of stone, weighing about one nearly so noble. Can you think of such hundredweight, falls from above. It a reason? It may be only to win fame strikes the hand holding the rope! The --people will repeat his name from hand is dreadfully injured; the workmouth to mouth-or to win honours; man's face turns white; his strength is he may be made an officer, a general; failing; he is slipping. And below! his statue may be erected in a park or a If he falls, he will fall two hunsquare. Or think of the traveller; he dred feet. But at this terrible moment, may pierce the depths of the forest, or Ellis Roberts sees his companion in journey among savages, or scale moun peril. Ellis Roberts lowers himself tains, simply to find gold, or some other down the rock at great risk. He seizes kind of riches, and not because he the loose end of the rope, twists it round wishes to help the people he meets, or the fainting workman, clutches it himntake one nation friendly with another. self, and supports his friend. A crowd Or think of the sons and daughters of of quarrymen have hastened to the spot, labour; they may, perhaps, seek after and they slowly draw the rope upwards. money in order to spend it in too much The injured workman is taken to the drinking at the ale-house, or in betting surgeon, who is obliged to remove (amat horse-races, or in gaudy and vulgar putate) three of his poor bruised dress. fingers. But his life was saved. Some I want to pass a step upwards. We people delight to repeat the name of will look at a higher kind of courage. Alexander the Great, or Napoleon Bona- Let me tell you of something that hap- parte. For my part, I am pleased to pened in 1896. You have heard of the utter the name of Ellis Roberts. slate quarries in North Wales. Your How shall we describe his courage ?

·COURAGE 39 Do you think he rescued his comrade their strife. The people shouted : for the sake of fame, or to gain riches? « Back! old man on! gladiators." No; he did it for his neighbour's sake. And the gladiators, encouraged by the His was courage in helping a fellow man. crowd, smote the monk to the earth, and Girls, the last story was chiefly for the stones were flung at him till he died. boys, though I could see you were listen Then they all looked upon his dead ing. The next is chiefly for you, though body, and a great sense of shame filled no doubt the boys will listen with atten their hearts, and it is said that from tion.' On a Swiss mountain there stood henceforward no more battles of the a cottage. All around it the snow was gladiators took place in the arcna at piled in dense masses. On a bed in one Rome. You see the monk displayed of its rooms a man lay in pain and courage, not for some companion, not. weariness. He was an exile: he had for a person whom he admired, but in fled from Italy; in Italy he was counted order to save the lives of captives whom a traitor, and his life was threatened. hc had never before seen. His offence was this: he desired to 5. I have one more step to take, and make, his country free from a bad go I think it leads to the highest of all vernment; he was, a patriot; his name kinds of courage. The courage which I was Mazzini. Now, his friends in Eng have described in these stories was exerland heard that he was ill, and almost cised only for the sake of persons. Let solitary; and one courageous lady re us see if we can pass beyond persons. solved to go to his help, and nurse him I will begin with a very simple case. back to health: To Switzerland she Many years ago there lived in London a went, and then she found her way to good man named Jonas Hanway. There the valley at the foot of the mountain ; is a picture of him, in which he is walkhnd then, with a guide and with alpen ing along a thoroughfare on a rainy day, stock in hand, she began the toilsome and folks on each side of the road are climb over deep snow and rough stones. stopping to smile at him, and point the Should she turn back ? . No. Should mocking finger. Why do they laugh at she reşt? No; Mazzini needed help. Joħas Hanway? Because he carries an When near the cottage, she sank ex umbrella. He was the first Londoner hausted. The guide carried her to the to do such a thing, and he wished to door. Mazzini was astonished to hear persuade other people to follow his that an Englishwoman had come to his example. It was thirty years before he assistance: She soon recovered, and she succeeded, and then umbrellas had come aithfully nursed the brave Italiana into common use. Certainly Hanway prave woman helped a brave man-until was a brave fellow, even though no one : was well, ever struck or injured him. Now, you see Ellis Roberts rescued a brave in bearing ridicule--that is to say, fellow-workman; and the Englishwoman mockery. Some men flinch more at gave aid to a patriot whom she admired. people's laughter than at a threatened Let me tell you next the story of the old blow, or an uplifted weapon. Did monk. In the year 404 the great Hanway show courage for the sake of amphitheatre of Rome was crowded by any particular person? No. He did it people who were watching the gladiators for the sake of all the citizens; he did it fight-one band of wretched captives for the general good; he did it for the forced to attack another band for the common welfare; he showed courage amusement of the onlookers: Suddenly for the sake of what he believed to be an old man; a monk, who was bare right. In the same s spirit that great footed and bare-headed, sprang into Englishman, Richard Cobden, persuaded the open space (the arena), and the nation to take off the tax on corn. called upon the gladiators to cease Many people spoke against him, but he D -- He was ·40 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP see persevered in the good cause of making for the sake of that which he believed to the people's bread cheaper. Another be right. brave man was William Lloyd Garrison, Many hundreds of years after the who went on for years speaking and death of Paul a man in Germany was writing against slavery in the United travelling for twelve days in a coveres States; and his life was even in danger waggon. He had many friends with through the anger of the slave-owners. him to keep him company and protect These men displayed courage for the him. All along the road people swarmed sake of what they believed to be right. out of houses and fields to One night, a long time ago, several him, and cheer him, and encourage men were letting a basket out of a him; for he was going to meet ano window. This window overlooked the emperor, and princes, and many power-, open ground outside a city, for the house ful nobles. Each evening he stopped to which it belonged was built upon the at some friendly house, or at an inn; city walls. In the basket a man sat and at the supper table he would talk crouching. When the basket, slowly cheerfully, and merrily play the flute. lowered by a rope, had reached the But, though he could be merry with his earth, the man stepped out and fled in flute, he was serious in his heart. This the darkness. His name was Paul. He man was Martin Luther. He arrived had become a preacher of the new at the city of Worms, and appeared Christian religion. He taught that, before the great assembly (Diet); hè instead of the old plan of keep stood alone among a crowd of brilliant ing Sabbaths and fasting from meals, captains and priests, and on the throne and other such customs, all the law sat the emperor. A pile of books lay consisted in carrying out the rule, on the table. “Are those your books??? Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy Luther was asked. “Yes,” he said self. This was the cause he worked *the books are mine." In these books: for ; and for this teaching he drew upon he had written against the Pope of himself the anger of many Jews. His Rome and the Roman Catholic teachlife was in danger at this city of Damas- ing. On the second day he made a cus, and the governor was about to long speech to the Dict, and explaince arrest him as a brawler, a troublesome his opinions about the Pope and about person. After his escape in the basket, the Bible, and he finished by saying he wandered for more than twenty years that he would not take back the words in many lands. Five "times the Jews he had spoken. Yet he was but a simple seized him, and punished him with monk in a brown robe, and they who thirty-nine lashes. Three times he was took the other side were mighty and beaten with Roman rods. Once he was famous. This was how Martin Luther stoned. Three times he suffered ship showed courage for what he believed to wreck, and on one occasion he was be right. tossed upon the waves, holding on to a Just two things more I would like to broken spar for twenty-four hours before say. Why is one boy, Harry, afraid to he reached a place of safety. Several plunge into the river? Why is another times he was nearly drowned in moun boy, Walter, not afraid to enter the tain streams; he was attacked by rob stream? Because Walter can swim, bers and by enemies. Often he was and Harry cannot. It is of no use for hungry, often thirsty, often cold and ill Harry to stand by the water and say to clad. When an old man he lay in himself: “I must be brave; I will be prison. He may have died there, or brave." He must learn courage by may have been slain by a soldier's sword, learning to swim. He must be able to at the order of the Emperor of Rome. do things before he can act with courage. 'This was how Paul proved his courage Now, you see, when you learn your ·COURAGE 41 lessons at school, when you learn to row, or climb, or ride a bicycle, or do any other useful exercise, you are becoming more and more able ; and in that way you are likely to become braver. So the boy or girl who wishes to be brave must be willing to work. How selfish you think the child who puts his arm round his dish of strawberries, and warns off all his companions from interfering with his feast. He has good things, and will not share them. courage a good thing? And can we share our courage ? You think not? But if you, a strong boy, are crossing a narrow bridge, and the torrent rushes loudly below, and if your little brother trembles, what would you do ? You would beckon him on ; you would speak cheerfully and kindly; you would share your courage with him ; through you he would become braver. You would encourage him. And so, if we take for motto the words, “Be of good courage,” we will also remember our duty to encourage our neighbour. our Is not ·NAH, NOW RALLI MAJU PUBLIS LIBRARY ESTD. 1902 is LESSON XIV SELF-RELIANCE Own of you » Reliance on crutches, cork belts, or the mother's to the riddle. Now this is worth talking hand. Self-reliance is trust in our about.. And, first, we will be our own power. Self-reliance in waiting upon ourselves. Self-reliance in learning. dictionaries, and supply the meaning of this phrase "self-reliance." It is SELF- WHILE I speak you can do two things - HELP; or, we may say: SELF-RELIANCE IS listen and look. I am showing you on TRUST IN OUR OWN POWER. the blackboard a picture-riddle. There We looked just now at a book of are three pictures. The first is that of a birds. One said : “ How cripple; he leans heavily and painfully prettily this swallow feeds her young upon his crutch. In the second you Also I saw a pretty picture this mornobserve a lad swimming; how gaily he ing when a mother dressed her little splashes through the water; he feels like boy--she put on his shoes and kissed Lord Byron swimming the Hellespont him; and his jacket, and kissed him ; between Europe and Asia ; but stay! and his muffler, and kissed him; and you will notice that under his arms he his cap with the red feather, and has a ring of corks to keep his head up. kissed him; and his gloves, and kissed Turn to the third picture; this bonny him; and, last of all, she looked at him little boy is learning to walk; he from top to toe, and said he was the clings to his guardian-angel; I mean loveliest little king on earth! But that he clings to his mother. I am think; would you wish, or would you glad the cripple has a crutch to sup think it natural, that the young swalport him. I am glad the boy is lows should always be fed by the parent, in no peril of drowning. I am glad or the boy always dressed by his the child has a firm hand to clutch mother? No; you wish the swallows for safety. But, after all, I must shake to fly from the cradle-nest; they must my head. There is something amiss ; flash likc lightning across the river, and there is something imperfect in all three catch their own food among the insects cases. Can you read this riddle, and that haunt the stream. And the boy? tell me what is wanting? The cripple, Some day, whert he is about sixteen the swimmer, the tottering child, are all years of age, we may see him, portmandepending, not upon themselves, but teau in hand, starid at the open door ; upon some outside power--a crutch, a and his mother's face is white, and she belt, of corks, a mother's hand. We want has just bidden him good-bye, but she this cripple to recover, and step out does not mean to cry till he is gone, bravely without support. We want this And his throat feels as if it would burst; lad to fling his cotks away and cleave but he will not cry till he reaches the the water like a fish." We want this train, and perhaps sits in a carriage by baby to find strength in his own feet, himself. He must pass out into the and go about the world by himself. We world and earn his livelihood; and it is want them all to rely upon themselves, to right that he should. This is the brave show SELF-RELIANCE. That'is the answer mother, and the self-reliant son.

·SELF-RELIANCE 43 We will look at different kinds of self air. But henceforth he was less indolent, reliances and more self-reliant. 1. Self-reliance in waiting upon ourselves. As much as we can, let us brush our You remember the famous story of own coats, untie our own knots, open the man who was shipwrecked, and cast our own doors, find our own road, and upon an island off South America-cold, earn our own living. But always, if a wet, hungry, solitary, without tools or friend offers to help you, and you see it weapons. Yes, it was Robinson Crusoe. would hurt his feelings if you refused, Before he left his island he had made let him run with your message, or fetch himself a comfortable home, and was your book, or go and inquire about your surrounded by furniture, stores, and pet -train. You will let him do this, not animals. All his comfort was due to the because you are lazy, but because you work of his own hands-first a raft, then like to show yourself grateful for his a hut, then a wall of defence, a chair, a kindness. table, a lamp, a lathe, a cornfield, a set of 2. Self-reliance in learning. pottery, a sailing-boat, and, last, a-faith I knew a boy who vas learning to ful Friday trained to obedience and love. read, and when he came to a strange If you had been shipwrecked, would word he would stop to think ; and if he you have been as self-reliant as Crusoc, saw the teacher about to help him, he and made as cosy a house, and taught would cry out eagerly," Don't tell me." the parrot to speak as well as he did ? For he was a boy of fine mettle, and Perhaps you would. But, if you please, liked to puzzle things out for himself. little Robinson Crusoe, I want you to In olden times a young Greek named begin self-reliance at home, before you Cleanthes (Cle-an'-thes) used to appear go to sea to be shipwrecked. You do in the public games as a boxer. He not quite know what I mean? Let me relied on his own fists, and gained the tell you of my young friend Herbert applause of the crowd by the smart way He loved to have everything done for in which he knocked his rivals down. A him-other people had to fold his night new yearning came into his heart. How dress, put his slippers away, hang his he would like to go to Athens, and learn coat up, replace his books and paint the wise lessons, the philosophy, of the box. One morning, just before break old teacher Zeno! The honest youth fast, he sang at the top of his voice : trudged to the city of Athens, a patched coat upon his back, and but three “Rule Britannia ! Britannia, rule the waves ! drachmas (sixpences) in his pocket. Britons never, never, never shall be slaves." Every day he presented himself at the "Do you think, Herbert,” said his door of Zeno's school, paid the small mother, « that Britons never should be coin which was asked as fee, and took slaves ?" his seat eagerly among the pupils. None "Yes, mother." listened to the old philosopher with such "Am I & Briton ? interest as Cleanthes. The other scholars * Yes, mother." eyed him jealously. How could the “Ought I to be a slave ?" hungry-looking youth with the shabby "No," cried Herbert; and he looked coat spare money to pay the fees ? They fierce, as if ready to defy the buccaneers murmured that he was a thief. A cry or pirates who should dare to carry off of accusation arose, and Cleanthes was his mother into slavery. led before the judges. “Then, Herbert, why do you make a Gentlemen," said Cleanthes, “I am slave of me? Every morning I have to accused of having obtained money by fold "your nightdress, put away your wrong means. Permit me to send for slippers two witnesses on my behalf." Herbert's face had lost its soldierly The first witness was a gardener. He ?

·44 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP eyes ached. declared that at early morn Cleanthes ing to his envious brother, but the book helped him draw water for use in his was jealously locked up in a cupboard garden, and for this service a small wage with a latticed door. Sebastian used to was paid. The second witness was a rise from bed at night, twist and pull the widow. Her husband's strong hand was book through the openings of the lattice, no longer able to grind her corn in the and, by the dim light of a candle, copy hand-mill, and she was much pressed and copy and copy till his fingers and with the care of her children, and Cle- In six weeks he had comanthes crushed her meal, receiving pay pleted the copy, and had a book of his ment in return. Out of these scanty own to play from. This self-reliant little earnings Cleanthes saved the admission. man-then but ten years old-grew up money to Zeno's lectures. to be a famous musician-Sebastian The judges looked with respect on the Bach. self-reliant young learner, and then, after Now, which shall it be? Would you whispering, they offered him a gift of rather do your own work, or have an money. officer to stand over you—your father, “No," said the teacher Zeno, “let mother, or teacher--to bid you do your him persevere without gifts," task? But stay! I have thought of a Neither did Cleanthes desire this help. strict officer, one whom you respect, His own brave right hand would work whom you will obey, even though you and earn. are self-reliant. The stern officer will Cleanthes was a Greek in ancient rouse you from bed in the cold morning, days. Let me tell you of a brave little and see that you dress neatly, and send' German of our modern time. He loved you to school in good time, and make music with all his soul, and was always you follow your lessons with steady eye, happy in learning and practising new steady hand, steady brain. Who is this pieces. All his friends wondered. His officer ? brother alone looked sullen, because he It is Yourself. was envious. Little Sebastian particularly A famous officer that-Captain Self/ wished to study a book of music belong- LESSON XV SELF-RELIANCE-(concluded). Self-reliance in setting to work. Self-reliance our friends and neighbours early toin amusement. A wonderful chain, in which morrow morning and invite them to people are the links. come and help us reap it.” Ah, terror 3. Self-reliance in setting to work. of terrors ! near the farmer's foot, though The sun shone upon a broad field of unseen by him, lay a tiny home which wheat. Thick and heavy hung the ears the reaping of the corn would for ever on the bending stalks. When the soft destroy. It was a lark's nest, and several breeze, of autumn came from the sea the little larks trembled for fear when they corn rustled and seemed to whisper : thought of the reapers who would come "Reap. me, reaper, reap me!” . The with heavy tread and bright-flashing farmer strolled down from the white sickles and bring ruin to the nest. They farmhouse to the field and said to his chirped the news to their mother on her son: " I think this corn is ripe enough. return from a journey. She took it very My son, I wish you to call round upon cheerfully, "My pets," she said, “ if ·SELF-RELIANCE 45 the owner of the field depends upon melted iron and sent the air roaring friends and neighbours, I am pretty sure through, but they failed to produce steel. the corn will not be cut to-morrow." Then they shrugged their shoulders and Nor was it. The sun came, and the said: This idea is bad." So Bessemer breeze came, and the farmer and his judged that it would be better to call in son came, but no friends and neigh Captain Self to reap the field. He bours. “ This is very disappointing," bought land at Sheffield ; he built ironcomplained the farmer; "and I think, works; he was ready to make steel for my son, you had better go to your uncles all the world, and in a short time all the and cousins and beg them to attend here world said: "Bessemer can make steel to-morrow at sunrise, each with his reap better and cheaper than anybody else.” ing-hook.” The little larks heard, and Reaping the yellow corn, fashioning they reported again to their mother, and the splendid steel-neither of these again she listened with a gay heart. The things is my young friend William asked sun came again, and the breeze came, to do. Yesterday he was set to sweep and the farmer and his son came, but no the snow from the garden-path, and then uncles and cousins. “My son," cried to add several long columns of figures in the father, we must try a new plan. his father's office. Just for a moment Get ready a couple of good sickles, and he wished he could shout like the chiefwe will reap the wheat ourselves.” When tains in the castles of the story-books, the mother-lark heard of the farmer's new “What ho! guards without !” and the plan, she spoke in a serious tone.: "My obliging guards would appear and sweep children, we must cscape across the the snow and add the figures. But the hedge at once. Our dwelling is doomed. next moment he whistled to Captain Self, the corn will certainly be cut, for this and the work was done with a smile. man is going to rely upon his own right 4. Self-reliance in amusement. hand." And when the farmer's sickle "Ah," you say, " but this is quite laid the wheat stalks low, the sun looked enough of work; it is time to play." down upon an empty lark's nest. Captain Very good ; let the gong sound, or the Self was an excellent reaper. bell ring; work shall cease. But does On March 15th, 1898, a great in self-reliance cease? ventor died in London-Sir Henry I know a brother and a sister. Their Bessemer. Years ago, when the melted names are No! I shall give them iron flowed out of the furnace, the names which shall conceal them. The huddlers would stand, half-naked, and girl shall be Rachel; the boy shall be ir the liquid metal with the end of long Jasper. When Rachel has finished her pds until lumps of seventy or eighty school-work and her house-work she pounds in weight were formed. In this drops into a chair, and looks about her, way the air reached all parts of the iron, and she sighs a sigh that brings her and burned out the carbon, and the iron mother in from the next room. I must was transformed into steel for the making try and picture this sigh on the black of knives or chains or ships. Bessemer board, thus :- thought of a better method. He would sigh-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h! bring the air to the iron before it left the “What is the matter, Rachel ?” furnace; he would drive through the “ I don't know what to do!” molten metal an upward blast of air, Meanwhile little Jasper's tasks are which would swiftly and surely remove done, and the clock points to play-hour. the carbon. Bessemer read a paper He fetches out his bricks, and piles up about it to a meeting of scientific men. glorious towers such as the fairies build "Yes," they said, "this is good." He in Wonderland. Then he finds his paint. explained it to steel-makers. "Yes." box and begs for an old engraving, and they said, this is good"; and they he paints the people red (faces and all), ·46' SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP and the trees blue, and the houses yellow, farmer ploughs his fields, and depends and he shows it to his mother, and she upan the tilet- for a kindly roof to ward pins it up over the mantel-piece and off the tempest. And when I look out declares that it is as good as the paint on the world and see the soldiers pass, ings in the National Gallery. And then and the weavers crowd to the factory, he borrows scissors and cardboard and and the merchants travel to their offices, cuts furniture-tables, chairs, couches, and the shepherds tending the flocks, kitcheners; and an engine that will take and the woodcutters felling the trees, and you to the seaside, and a balloon that the miners preparing to descend the will float you to the moon—and he only gloomy shaft, I see a wondrous chaine sighs when somebody whispers the word, and all the people are the links ; and att Bed-time." least two links must be strong--you When Jasper reaches manhood, and and I. cach day's work is performed, he will Why should a link be SELF-RELIANT? know how to turn to his carving, his 1. Because it gains strength, and shows microscope, his chess-board, his music, its strength, and proves its strength. and a hundred other things that will Everybody likes to be strong. But how make the hours go happily. He will am I to know how strong you are except know how to use his leisure. by the weight you liftyourself, the problem in arithmetic which you solve yourself, Self, self, self, self. How often I have the perseverance with which you yourself used the word! And must SELF-RELIANT climb the hill? people always be thinking only about 2. Because it secures more pleasure themselves? than if it were helped. You were pleased I have something in this box which I when you first learned to feed yourseletakan wish you to see. It is a steel chain. Its to fasten your own buttons, to rule your hundred glittering links clasp one another own lines, to find your own way to the in strong union. Giant Goliath might school, to ride your own bicycle, or, wrench at it and not break it. When her perhaps to row your own boat. You pulls each link cries, “I will resist." will be ashamed to let other people's Each one says, “I will do my part in the hands carn your living. work of the chain." None will expect 3. Because its reward is more sure. his fellow to do all the pulling. And If you expect your urfcle or cousin or Goliath shall go away with flushed brow neighbour to assist you, your uncle may and short breath and wounded palms; fall sick, your cousin may conceive ill and the chain shall be unbroken. For will against you, your neighbour may you helped, and I helped. You? I? to the South Seas! If you depend uj Yes; we are all links in the chain. We a sixpence with a hole in it, or a lucky are all self-reliant links in the chain. The stone-but there! you smile; you are self-reliant captain steers his vessel to far aware of the folly of such belicfs. Ceylon, and brings back a cargo of tea 4. Because it will lessen the burden which cheers a million self-reliant people of the world. What is the burden? in their daily labours. They depend. All the links that have become helpless, "upon him for tea; he depends upon or never learned to help themselves--the them for custom. The self-reliant builder sick, the blind, the dumb, the ill-taught, builds a farmhouse, and depends upon and the rest. Your hands are for yourthe farmer for corn. The self-reliant self, and for them."

·LESSON XVI PRUDENCE are The little hamster's providence, or prudence. Just now. I said the hamster fed upon Prudence is foresight and forethought. Pru his provisions--that is, his peas and dence in the care of health, personal and public. Prudence in guarding against want beans. I cannot quite understand what and danger. goes on in the little hamster's mind; but he seems to act as if he knows winter is IMAGINE that you and I could become as coming. He sees beforehand the white small as Oberon, "king of the fairies. snow and the glittering frost, and the Let us journey to the fields of Russia or bare woods and fields, and the icy season Germany, and pause at this bank, covered when he will no longer be able to fill his with grass and shaded by bushes. We pouch with seeds from fields and gardens. observe a small hole, almost hidden by Suppose he could talk Latin and English, leaves. We will enter, and creep down he would say to himself: “Pro, before; the damp, carthy tunnel. After travel video, I see; I see before me; and I will ling three or four feet, we find ourselves provide linseed, wheat-seed, and the rest; in a chamber, or burrow, lined with straw. these are my provisions, and the wisdom With this chamber several rooms which enables my pair of sharp eyes to connected. We peep into one after the look so far ahead is my providence-or, other, In one we discover a heap of to say it a little shorter, my prudence. grains of wheat, all cleared from their In other words, if you please, I am a husks or skins; in another we find seeds prudent young hamster.” of rye; and elsewhere we come upon So Professor Hamster, of the Underpiles of peas, beans, flax-seed, etc. Hush! ground College, has taught us the meanhere comes the master of the establish ing of the word Prudence, and we will ment. It resembles a rat. Its coat is set it down thus: PRUDENCE IS FOREreddish-grey above and brown below, SIGHT AND FORETHOUGHT. In what ways, and scattered over with white and yellow then, shall we show our foresight and spots. Inside his checks he has large forethought? bags or pouches, and out of these he 1. Prudence in the care of health. drops into his store-rooms a fresh supply I heard a mother say, the other day: of peas and other seeds, which he has " Do not eat too fast." She saw a little stolen from the fields of the hard-working boy, and a plate of dinner being rapidly peasants. If we could wait here till the emptied ; and Beyond that she saw, in autumn, we should see the hamster (for her mind's eye, a bed with a little boy in so the little animal is named) close up it, and a table beside it, ornamented the tunnel, and quietly take his case, with a medicine-bottle, and a doctor feeding from day to day upon the pro coming in at the door, asking : “Well, visions which he has laid up, and and is Tommy's digestion any better tosleeping when the keen frost chills the day?" Not, indeed, that fast eating is air of his underground dwelling. We sure to be at once followed by sickness. will escape before he closes his entrance, But every time the stomach is worked and take again our human shape. too hard it is weakened, and so its 47 ·48 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP strength wears out the sooner. When city; all these are the public. Our carethe housewife suspects that the water is lessness may hurt people far outside our not pure she boils it, in order to destroy home-circle. Have you not sometimes the unseen germs of disease; for, in the noticed the traffic stopped in the road, water that you think shines so clear in and little mountains of gravel and clay the crystal cup, she sees the beginning thrown up, and in the grimy cutting, of typhoid fever. When you went to deep down, strong men ply the pick-axe the assembly the other evening, you were and spade? and all because the persons annoyed because your mother insisted in some household have carelessly choked that you should take a warm wrap with the public drain, and a hundred neighyou. You said the air was warm, and bours are put to inconvenience and run you would not need an extra covering. the risk of disease. Do you *not re But, when you came out of the bright collect how I lately said we were all links saloon, you found the atmosphere had in a chain? What I do touches you, changed. Before you had time to shiver and what you do touches a man or at the attack of the cold air, your mother woman whom perhaps you never saw or had protected you by throwing the wrap heard of. That is why we all should about your shoulders; and the enemy, care for the public health. One day a bronchitis, passed you by. You were party of gentlemen assembled in London reading Uncle Tom's Cabin yesterday in in order to visit one of the Queen's the twilight, and the print was small. Ministers. They had come from all the "Do not try your eyes," said father, and more important towns in the north, you sadly put down the book just at the south, east, and west of England, in point when Eliza was crossing the ice order to ask the Government to guard with the child in her arms. Very dis- against a danger to the people's food. appointing, was it not? But, then, They said that oysters and other shell- Prudence remembers that the straining fish were often dredged up from the seaof the eyes will lessen their power; and, coasts and from the mouths of rivers, while glasses are a great boon, we need where ahe mud they lay in was foul and not be in a hurry to wear them. poisonous. And they asked, Ought not So you will be careful in your eating, fishermen to be forbidden to sell shellyour drinking, your clothing, your read fish taken from places that might breed ing, and so forth. But we have only sickness and death? This, you see, was mentioned one reason why-namely, that prudence for the sake of the public you may keep your health and strength. health. There is another reason. You should 2. Prudence in guarding against want do all this for the sake of other people and danger, also, If you fall ill, the people about Some years ago a space of land was you will suffer. One will nurse you clcared of forest-trees near several through night and day; another must Indian villages on the banks of the run at midnight for the doctor; a third River St. Lawrence. Now, if each may have to stay at home from business family had planted potatoes and maizeto assist; a fourth may be obliged to seed on half-an-acre of ground, they give up a holiday on the breezy hills or would have had enough to support them by the joyous sea; a fifth-well, let us for six months in each year. But that stop at four; it is quite enough for you would have meant forethought and to worry and distress four of your friends. waiting, and the Indians were not So you should be prudent for the sake of strong enough to think and wait; for your family. But there are other people prudent people are stronger than the beyond the house you live in---the men impatient people. You say the Indians and women who pass up and down the were idle i Not at all. They waded street and fill the crowded houses of the into the rivers to catch the nimble ·PRUDENCE 49 . salmon that leaped among the rapids. was an engineer, and he always noticed They rose at early morn to visit the the state of the bridges which he crossed. forest, and roamed mile after mile amid He crossed the bridge again. He felt the tall dark pine-trees in search of certain there was a weakness in the game to kill and carry home. They structure, and he wrote to the leading wanted a reward which they could grasp people, who had the oversight of the at once. And when they failed in hunt bridge, and warned them that it needed ing, as they often did, their families had repair. They did nothing. A few years to suffer want. afterwards a troop of soldiers marched The loaf that your mother places upon over the suspension-bridge; the chains the white table-cloth each morning tells broke, the men were hurled into the of forethought. In a hundred lands river below, and many lives were lost. the sower goes forth to sow in the George Stephenson had foreseen such a autumn or the spring, and upon the black danger, but he was not heeded. and brown earth the Sons of Labour George Stephenson was a strong, cast the seed; and in the next August brave man. If you are prudent as he or September the corn will stand thick, was, you will not think it brave to spring and millions of sickles will cut down the into a train when it is moving. You laden ears, or reaping-machines will lay will show your strength by holding the golden straw low upon the ground. yourself back and saying: “I will wait In the bleak winter men think of the for the next." You will not-as many harvest that will not come for many boys do-carry a revolver about for fun, months. and flourish it, and pretend to take aim “ Fall gently and still, good corn, with it, and fidget with it until it finally Lie warm in thy carthy bed ; goes off by accident, and a companion And stand so yellow some morn, -perhaps a sister-is laid dead at your For bcast and man must be fed." feet, and you cry, with bitter tears, that -Carlyle. you did not know it was loaded. If The young man thinks beforehand, and you have a friend who understands a saves money to give him an arm-chair revolver, you may learn of him how it and comfort in his old age. Working works, so that, if ever you should be men walk into the little room where the called upon to carry one, you may know treasurer of their trade union sits, and how to handle it and avoid injuring they lay on the table their copper and yourself or others. For the same their silver, so that a fund may be stored reason you will learn swimming before up to sustain them in sickness, or build you are twenty years old, for you will asylums for the aged toilers. And, even learn more easily now than later. When or holidays, wise people will take fore the moment of danger comes, and you thought. Thousands of weavers in fall into sea or river, you will be self- Lancashire pay small sums week after reliant, and strike for the shore, or keep week into their clubs ; and in the sum yourself afloat till aid arrives. Or, it mer they draw out their savings, and may be, that not you yourself, but a gaily take the train to the woodland or friend, or even a stranger, struggles the sands of the sea. against death in the water. Prudence seems to look through a plunge in, and you may save a precious telescope, and things that are far off life. then seem near and distinct. You have Yet remember that it is better to al heard of the great Englishman, George foresee a peril and prevent it than Stephenson. Once, when travelling in to rescue a nan from it when it falls France, he passed over a suspension upon him. Which do you think is the bridge, which swung on its steel chains greater work--the work of the lifehigh over the River Dordogne. He boat or the work of the lighthouse? >> You may ·50 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELFHELP I think the work of the lighthouse.bogt rushes across the surf and hastens But the rowers in the lifeboat are to deliver fainting souls from the wreck. brave? Yes, indeed ; let us give them But the lighthouse shines across the dark honour. And they face a deadlier risk tumbling waters like a noble star, and than do the keepers of the lighthouse? says: "Pass on in safety, sons of the Indeed they do. Then how can the sea ; your wives and children are waiting work of the lighthouse be greater? This to greet you. Pass on, ships of the sea is why: the lifeboat saves from danger, to-night there shall be no wreck." but the lighthouse prevents it. The life- LESSON XVII PRUDENCE-(concluded) Prudence in speech. Prudence in choosing and peaceable, he is surprised; he hesicompanions. Prudence in building up our tates; he is like a man beating the air, habits. Prudent people are a kind of statesmen and stateswomen. and feels nothing hard for his fist to encounter; and his passion begins to 3. Prudence in Speech. lessen. “A soft answer turns away The words we speak are like arrows wrath." shot from a bow. Would a wise archer How miserable it must be to walk shut his eyes and bend his bow, and let with crutches !” Is that what you think? his shafts fly at random, not caring what Very well. But would you consider it they struck or whom they struck? Wise right to say it in the presence of a compeople will be prudent in the use of panion who was lame? His pale face words. - might flush; his eyes become dimmed If you .meet a staggering drunkard, I with tears. Your arrows would have think it will be wise for you not to talk struck his little 'heart. Neither should to him. Perhaps you believe that, if you chatter about your Christmas preyou took him kindly by the hand and sents, or your delightful purchases at the begged him to behave soberly, you toy shop, before a young friend whose would do him good. But this man's parents are poor, and whose heart would brain is inflamed, and his mind is con ache at the thought that he was shut ou fused and bewildered. Your words do from all these pleasures. Perhaps, in not fall upon his, ear with a clear, true deed, after showing yourself to be wise meaning. He might misunderstand you, by your silence, you might say in your and do you harm. So pass him by in heart: “I am sorry I should need to silence. It is not your place to teach hold my tongue about my gifts and poshim, and it is not your place to reproach sessions lest my friend's feelings should him. be hurt. But the trouble can soon be There is a man who is like the mended if, with my parents' permission, drunkard. Just as a man's blood may I share some of my treasures with him.". be heated by, alcohol, so a man's blood Then you will both speak freely, and may be heated by anger. Say to him as there will be music in your laughten little as possible. And if you must needs One other point I will mention, and speak, let your voice be gentle. He that is tale-telling. Would you like me utters harsh, noisy sounds, and he to write on the blackboard in two expects harsh, noisy sounds in return. columns (1) Things I ought to tell." ; When, therefore, your tones are quiet (2) " Things I ought not to tell ** I am ·PRUDENCE 51 “Oh, not yours: afraid I cannot do this. I can only just smiled, and said, as he bobbed a polite refer to one kind of offence which is not bow : “My dear sir, pray do not be worth telling about. For example, a uneasy ; I will take care of you." scholar making a grimace behind the sir," replied the prudent earthen pot, "I teacher's back. As the scholar has am much obliged to you; but pray keep already punished himself by making his as far off as you can. I do not tremble face look stupid and ugly, there is no for fear of the stream ; but I dread to need for you to utter a word. On the come too close to you, for it would end other hand, if you see a small child in my ruin and death.' bullied, or if you see wilful injury done Who are these brass pots ? There is to books, windows, gardens, fire-alarms, the rude pot, who blurts out the thoughtarticles in museums, etc., you will usually less word to one who is poorer or less do right in reporting what you have wit showy than himself; the untruthful pot, nessed. But there is a still better way who tells a falsehood to his mother, and of acting. It would be better for you to turns to you with a laugh, as if expectgo up to the person who is doing the ing you to say, “Well done"; there is mischief, or is going to do it, and warn the unkind pot, who ill-uses younger him against the wrong deed. But you children, plays tricks with a blind man, must judge for yourself when to speak or acts the tyrant over a dog or cat or and what to say. If I could tell you worm. These are not companions to everything in which you should be care eat bread with, or walk with, or make ful, the prudence would be mine, and friends with. 5. In building up our habits. 4. In choosing companions. Think of the habit of walking. You You would consider it very hard if know-even though you do not recollect all your companions were chosen for it-there was a time when you could not you. If, for instance, I were to say to walk, Like a lizard or a tortoise, you you: “Here is John A., and here is crawled on all fours. Little by little you Mary B. and Wilfrid C. and Rosina 1)., learned the use of your feet, until you and you must only associate with these could step easily and withouť taking any --you would ask: "May I not choose thought about it; and now, upright and for myself ?" Very well: but how will gay, you can walk the earth like kings you choose? Do you know what the and queens! Other habits are habits of word companion means? The centre of cleanliness, of saying "Please" and the word is pan, and it stands for the " Thank you," of reading, of writing, Latin panis, or "bread"; and as.com and so on. Now, in olden times when means "together," the word signifies a Jewish father wished his child to learn "one who eats bread with another." lessons, he would say: “ Bind them What sort of persons would you wish to continually upon thine heart ; tie them eat bread with ----that is to say, not to sit about thy neck”-so that the good habit at grand banquets with, but to meet at would become fastened and rivetted. your home, and to talk with pleasantly Bad habits, also, may be tied about and kindly across the table ? our neck. ' Ernest is asked to go on an You have heard of the two pots in the errand, and he dawdles; and the next river? An earthen pot and a brass pot, time he dawdles again; and again he which stood upon the bank of a river, dawdles and dawdles; and when he is a were both carried away by the swirling man people say: "What'a dawdler that food, and they were tossed hither and man is! It is of no use to ask him to thither upon the wide waters. The do anything that needs prontot doing." earthen pot trembled lest he should be Grace talks loudly, even when the room shattered by a blow from the brass pot. is quiet and she stands quite near you, Polished and glittering, the brazen pot and you say: "Hush! I am not deaf!"

·52 SELF-CONTROL., SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP was man or But she does it again, and again and are learning to love pictures and stories again, until, when she is a woman, her of great Greeks and Romans and friends say: "How disagreeably Mrs. Englishmen and Frenchmen; that is a M. shouts !" Lily neglects to put her beautiful window that lets in the light. workbox in its place, and she whispers And so each of us may ask himself: to herself that this once will not matter; “Shall I build a cage for myself, .or and then she leaves a button-hook on a shall I build a palace ?" table; a cape is hung over a chair; One of the most prudent men who slippers are flung upon a couch ; and ever lived was Benjamin Franklin, one the habit of untidiness grows, and, when of the founders of the United States. she becomes Mrs. Q., her house is never He began to learn prudence when he in order, and the neighbours say: "Mrs. was a small boy. On his sixth birthday Q.'s parlour is like an old curiosity his brothers and sisters gave him some shop." halfpence, and he ran towards the toy- You think that the battles of Napoleon shop to lay out his money. On his way were important things in the world ; and he met a boy who was playing a whistle. you think that Queen Elizabeth's address Pleased with the sound of the whistle, to the English soldiers at Tilbury Fort, little Benjamin exchanged his whole when the Spanish Armada was coming, pocketful of money for the toy, which an important thing. The little was only a cheap article, and had not things you do to-day are also important. even a sweet note, He ran home, and They will make you into a tormented all the family with the noise woman. They will make you into a he made. “Where did you get that strong, free man, or a man in a cage. whistle?" they asked, and he explained. John Bunyan, in his story of the They laughed, and said he had given Pilgrim's Progress, tells how he saw a ten times too much for it, and they man in an iron cage. The man seemed named the various toys which he might very sad; he sat with his eyes looking have purchased--the jack-in-the-box, the down to the ground, his hands folded horse-and-cart, the marbles, and all the together, and he sighed as if he would rest. He was vexed, and cried; but he break his heart. He had built the cage remembered the lesson. In after years, himself; he had placed himself in prison. when he saw a man foolishly giving Little by little he had fallen into bad away his money or his time for what was habits, and at last could not break them, of no real value, Franklin used to say to and' he was obliged to say: "I am now himself: “Do not give too much for a man of despair, and am shut up in this the whistle." iron cage; I cannot get out; oh, now I And Franklin was a noble statesman, cannot. and when he died in April, 1790, all It is a glad thing to be a boy or a girl. the world gave him praise and honour. You have not had time yet to build your You see a statesman is one who rules a own iron cage. But you are beginning country, or helps to rule it, prudently to build. You are building in school, and wisely. So prudent people are a in the playing-field, at home, in the kind of statesmen. kind of statesmen. If you are prudent, street. You did a copy neatly; that you, too, are little statesmen. And now was a good brick. You amused a sick You 'amused a sick I think it is time to close our talk. friend, that was a well-chiselled stone. Good morning, statesmen ! Good You answered a question earnestly and morning, stateswomen! truthfully; that was a strong beam. You 22 ·LESSON XVIII ORDER The strong foundation and the weak foundation (or basis). Order is our basis. Order gives us life, health, and comfort. Order is the rule of the sun, and order is the rule of the child. “This will be a good place,” said John. "The ground is flat; the sand is easy to dig; the river runs close by, so that I can easily fetch water or catch fish." On the sandy ground near the river John began to build his house. Now and then he looked up and smiled at his friend Thomas, whom he could see on the other side of the river. Thomas had chosen a spot on the steep bank, fifty or sixty feet above the water. On a ledge of rock he had marked out a piece of ground on which to build his house. Yes, John smiled. He had put up his four walls, and was ready to make the roof, and Thomas was still preparing the foundations. John soon finished his pretty cottage, and he had laid out a garden, and would sit at ease beside the rippling stream, and look lazily up at the giant mountains, and then towards slow Thomas, and again he would smile. At length Thomas's labour came to an end. His cottage was neat and cheerful, and at night you could see the light in the window shining from the top of the cliff. The rainy season came on. Large ragged clouds hung over the hills, and torrents of rain fell, and little streams of water splashed down the slopes, and made the river swell and swell and swell; and the river became brown and noisy, and it roared over the boulders, and flung down trees and swept them along the valley, and John's house was carried away, walls and all, and roof and all, and garden and all. Thomas sat in his cottage, listening to the rushing of the wind and the rattle of the hailstones. His house stood firm. It had a strong foundation ; it had a strong basis. John's house rested on sand, and sand is weak and unsteady; it is worthless for a basis. Houses need a strong basis; and so do you. Yes, I mean you. A number of boys and girls used to meet in a club. In this club they read books and sang; they played games; they marched and drilled to the sound of the piano, and sometimes they held quiet meetings, when a visitor would hold a cheerful talk with them, or tell them an interesting story. At such meetings they would begin with silence, so that you could hear a pin drop. Then the Conductor of the club would say: “Let us repeat our motto." They all stood, and said together : " Order is our basis; improvement our aim; and friendship our principle." Qutside, in the noisy street, rough men might pass, and say rude and evil words. A drunkard might stagger by the door. Lads would perhaps come together in a crowd to watch two boys fighting. But in the club-room there was peace, for order was the basis. The club was built on the rock of order, on the firm basis of order. Now I would like to talk to you about order. What is ORDER ? "Oh, it is sitting very still when the teacher is speaking Well, to be sure, that is order. But are only boys and girls to keep order? 53 ·But, all the time, it was not you alone 54 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP And only in school? Let me take you, and now the river will rise and flood the a journey while we talk. I want you to banks, and men and women will have go with me to Egypt, that famous Afri- food. Let us go and tell the people, can land through which the river Nile and make them glad.". flows, the land where the huge pyramids So you see the sun keeps his time and point upwards to the sky, and where the order. Year after year his way is the Sphinx, with woman's head and lion's same, and spring comes, and summer, paws, looks out across the desert. The and autumn, and winter, always in the people of Egypt were a nation that tould same order. Thus also the moon keeps. build, and plough, and weave, and write, its time; and the stars move (or seem long before there were any such nations to move, as the earth rolls on its course) as the French, Germans, or English. sure and steadfast. And so we may say: We will go back to that early age, among "Order is heaven's first law." those old Egyptians. These people In the broad sky there is order, and used to build noble temples, and the this order gives us our seed-time and way to the temple would lie along a path harvest, and the corn-harvest gives us with tall pillars on each side, and in the life. Order gives us life. Order is our temple one could see a room that was basis. thought to be very holy, for it was looked If you press your hand upon your upon as the chamber of the sun-god. I right side, it will cover the place of the will draw a few lines to show you the liver. Have you ever heard people say path, or avenue, and the holy chamber “My liver is out of order”? What puts at the end :- it into dis-order ? Below the liver is a small bag, known as the gall-bladder, or bile-bladder. From the liver a liquid West. H.C. called bile passes into the bag, and from the bag it oozes, in drops, into the pipe or tube below the stomach. The gall or Once a year, and only once a year, bile mixes with the food, and helps to on June 20th (the longest day of the digest it. So long as the bile flows in year), the sun shone along the avenue steady drops, all is well. But sometimes and into the holy chamber (H. C.). its scarcely flows at all; and then the It did this as it set in the west. And person feels ill, and he says, "My liver the priests who saw the light shine into is out of order." Besides the liver, you the holy chamber of the temple would know that the body contains other go out and say to the people : organs--the stomach to receive the food, “The Nile is going to rise." the heart to drive the blood, the lungs to Every year the river Nile rises and over take in the air, and so on. flows its banks in June, for in June it is has its work to do. So long as it does swollen by the mountain-rains. And its work, the body is in order, and we thus every year the river waters the feel well. And so order gives us health. fields, and the people can sow seed and Perhaps you have sometimes thought grow crops of corn, and thus win the it a troublesome thing when the teacher food that gives them life. asked the boys and girls in the class to The priests had watched the sun. keep order. They knew it rose and set in a different Oh, how tiresome!” you have said. place each day. Day by day it seemed to move further, until on the 20th June that had to keep order; it was the duty it peeped through the temple door. also of the sun, and the moon; and if Then they said to one another. The the parts of your own body had not year has passed ; the sun has come done their orderly work, you would be round again; he has kept his time; I lying pale and faint on the bed, and Each organ ·ORDER 55 room easily, and read with attention and draw maps with a hand that does not shake. Order gives us comfort. Suppose I could show you pictures of people made comfortable by order, I would show you your mother sitting anxiously by your side. Without order we should enjoy neither life nor health. Suppose that, just for once, the teacher were to say: “This morning we will have a change ; we will have a gay time; we will not be dull and quiet, but will all romp and do as we please." Then the children would raise a loud cheer, and some would throw the chairs and desks down, and some would haul down the maps and carry them about like flags, and some would spill the ink and make a black river on the floor, and some tear up the school-books, and some would chalk over their neighbours' coats, and some would fight At last I think some of the wiser children would go to the teacher and say: “This disorder makes us unhappy; we would be so glad if you would restore order." Now I can tell you a secret. I know that boys and girls like order better than disorder, when once they have learned what order gives them. With order they can sit in peace, or move about the People quietly waiting their turns to take tickets at a railway bookingoffice. People waiting to enter a theatre. People passing in crowds up and down stairs, each person keeping to the right. People walking in procession in ranks and parties. People taking their seats at a concert or circus. People putting books on shelves, and goods in boxes and drawers; and hanging caps and coats and scarves, and many other things, on proper pegs and hooks. Now, is not that wonderful ? You, when you hang your hat on its proper peg, and the sun, when it rises in its proper place, are both alike; you are both keeping order. ORDER is the rule of the sun; and ORDER is the rule of the child. LESSON XIX ORDER-(concluded) unseen Order gives us safety, intelligence and reason, morning the vessel smote with a mighty science, and beauty. We must all help to thud upon rocks. Under a put the world in order. black sky, in a strange sea, and among It was a pitch-dark night. The huge the deadly rocks, the big ship trembled, British troopship, the IVarren Hastings, and began to take in water. was cutting its way through the waters Every man fall in on deck” was the of the Indian Ocean. The people on order, and soon the soldiers had placed board the ship numbered 995--officers, themselves in ranks and companies. seamen, hundreds of soldiers, and They stood still, while the seamen women and children. Onward through looked about to see if it would be the waves and through the blackness possible to land the people on the rocks. of the night steamed the Warren Strong rope ladders were let down from Hastings. the fore-part of the ship. It was At twenty minutes past two in the thought better that the men should go ·56 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP Can you more first, and scramble to the rooky beach, us look at this curious row of and receive the sick persons and the letters: women and children. DHHMROIEEETFNHCRLRTA. Presently the Warren Hastings shook and bumped against the rocks again; Can you tell what it means? then it shifted and slanted, and the guess the language? It means nothing lower deck was getting under water. All The language is neither Chinese, nor the people were told to take refuge on Russian, nor French, nor Icelandic. the upper deck. At twenty minutes The letters are all in disorder. They past four the men left off descending the carry no message to our mind. Now, if rope ladders. The vessel was clearly in you please, I will pick out these same danger. The women, children, and letters, and place them in such a way sick must pass down at once. The that they will have a meaning for you., strong men, who could have smitten Look ! down the rest with their fists and saved themselves first, stood aside. Not one FATHER, MOTHER, CHILDREN. strong man complained ; not one mur Ah, now you understand. The letters mured, as the women went by, and the are in order, and they flash a meaning children went by, and the sick were to your eye and your mind. carried by. At twenty-five minutes to Now, you know, there are people in five the sea was washing over the upper the world whose poor minds are in disdeck. order. They do not see things as they Every man was bidden to take off his really are. They do not understand boots, so that he might move things rightly. They are mad: Their easily in the water; and all rifles were to intelligence is so weak that we say they be left behind. Swiftly, silently, one by have lost their reason." But you and one, the men went down the ladders, I can put letters in order, and things in plunged through the tumbling surf, and order, and think about them, and talk grasped at the stones, and then at the about them, and learn more and more ; hands held out to assist. and the more orderly we are, the better At five minutes to five the Warren we learn. And so our reason and our Hastings listed over still more. All who intelligence are built on order. could swin were ordered to jump into the water. The sea threw itself heavily A father once took his little son along against the ship, and the ladders, and the sea-shore. The tide had rippled swimmers, and rocks. Nine hundred down the beach, and left the seaweed and ninety-three souls were saved; the and shells shining among the pebbles two that perished being a cook and an and about the sand. Little Walter officer's servant, both Hindus. In the looked at the shells with great joy, and wild Indian Ocean this happened, on he kept calling :- January 14th, 1897; and the coast was “Oh, father, here's a beautiful yellow the coast of the Island of Réunion, east one-ha! I have found one all white. of Madagascar. : All in the terror of --ho, ho ! here is one like a Chinaman's wreck and darkness this happened ; and hat f-just look at that pearly one khi! if the troops had taken fright, and do you see this ? it twists and turns like pushed and struggled, perhaps very few a screw !” would have been rescued from death in Walter filled his pockets, and his that far-off sea. But Commander Hol father's pockets, with hundreds of pretty land's men understood order. By order shells. As they were walking home they were saved. Order gives us safety. wards the boy said Father, may we go into that house What else will order give us ? Let 1 by the water? There is a board over 17 28 ·ORDER 57 Over 19 » But every the door, and on it I'see a word I can black, green, violet, yellow, pink, etc., all not read; but I know the letters, the paper. It was the strangest mess M-U-S-E-U-M." you ever say. His mother kissed him “That is a museum," replied the and said it was lovely ; but other people father. Let us go in." laughed, for the colours told them When they had entered, they found nothing; all was disorder, themselves in a long, quiet room. A But when Bertie's mother took him to few people were gazing into large glass a great building he cried out, as he cases that stood on tables. The father pointed downwards: lifted Walter up to look at one after the “How pretty these tiles are, mother! other. , Walter was much delighted to The tiles of the floor were painted in see that the cases contained shells, most different colours, so that each made a of them better and cleaner than any he fair pattern, round, square, egg-shaped, had ever picked up himself. The shells or like leaves and flowers. were not thrown in heaps, nor mixed up colour was in its orderly place, and that as they were in Walter's pockets. made a handsome design. And when They lay in lines--yellow ones here, Bertie looked up he saw many-coloured purple ones there, white ones in a third patterns in the windows-"stained.” place, and so on. The shells with twists windows, his mother called them and and turns were in one group; shells like when the sun's rays passed through the periwinkles were side by side; the shells glass they lit up the green and purple with two lids (valves) were kept in their and orange so charmingly that Bertie own cases. All were arranged in classes stood still and wondered, and said --the oyster-class, the mussel-class, the nothing. And next he went with his razor-class, the scallop-class, the car mother into a hall where pictures were class, the cowrie-class, etc. And they hung. He saw the two sleeping chilhad tickets fixed in front of them, with dren who lay on the ground, while the Latin names in thick black letters : robin redbreast covered them with Pecten, Patella, Venus, Cypræa, and so leaves the Babes in the Wood”. and other pictures. Bertie kept on “In this way, Walter," said his father, saying:- "we may learn the names and shapes of “Isn't it pretty, mother? the shells much more quickly than if we His mother kept on saying - only saw them lying among the seaweed “How beautiful." and shingle. Here they are all in order, With what trouble, what pains, what and here we may learn the science of care, the artists had laid on the colours ; shells--that is, the orderly knowledge of each colour, even the smallest spot of shells. People call it conchology (kongs red or white, just in its orderly place, in kol-o-je).". the lady's dress, or the lion's mane, or So order helps to build up science. the rose-bud, or the sword. Order We put plants in orderly classes, and makes things beautiful. Order gives us then we get the science of botany. We beauty. put gases and metals and other substances in order, and get the science of Thus order gives us life, health, comchemistry, and so on. fort, safety, intelligence, science, and beauty. A mother once gave her six-year-old You might almost think order was a son a box of paints, and she gave him a magic fairy that went about the world, sheet of paper to paint on. Bertie doing all kinds of wonderful deeds, and mixed the colours very eagerly, and changing ugly things into handsome. rubbed the brush very hard on the paints, Order lays the table neatly, and makes and made large dabs of blue, brown, red, father, mother, and children smile as on.

·.
Sam
58
A
"MAMO PWELIS LIBRARY
SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP
they sit down to meals. Order *dresses and makes machines work correctly, and
boys and girls and men and women in master and man live happily together.
such a way that it is pleasant to the eyes It is true that the world is not in the
to behold them. Order keeps the furni order it should be. There is disorder
ture polished, and the windows bright, where the people are sad, and poor, and
and the garden cheerful. Order makes ragged, and ready to steal and do many
the streets of the city clean. Order evil deeds. We must all of us help to
guides the crowds in the roads so that put the world in order.
they do not jostle or annoy. Order Yes, you boys must help to bring
brings our letters to the door, runs the order into the world. You girls also.
train into the station at the right minute,
ESTD. 1902
IAWI,
NOW RAL
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·WAJU PUBLIC LIBRARY ESTD. 1902 BAJU, HOVBAD LESSON XX MODESTY " Why boasting seems hateful. The charm of Ought the Ass to say the Horse is modesty. We should refrain from giving our handsome? Well, he may say it or not, selves grand names. Modesty in talking of what we can do. Modest people know when just as he pleases. others are better than then selves. They Very well ; but why. ought not the know what they can do, and what they can Horse to call himself handsome ? not do. Because, you say, that would hc vain, “Out of the way, common fellow ! Out proud, conceited, boastful. Yes, so it of the way, you low-class person ! would ; but why does this boasting seem As thus he shouted, the War Horse hateful to you and to me? came thundering down the hillside. You do not know. Let us think a His tail and mane flew in the wind. moment. How does the horse know he Richly adorned was his saddle. All his is handsome ? Because he thinks harness glittered. He champed the bit of so? Well, a toad might think itself his bridle, and tossed his handsome head. beautiful. No, the horse knows he is The low-class person was an Ass, who handsome because other horses, or carried a heavy burden along the moun people, tell him how fine he appears. tain path. Quietly he stepped out of They gaze at him, they admire him, they the way, making no reply. The War turn to one another, and exclaim: “How Horse galloped proudly on. noble a creature !” And who, then, “He thinks a great deal of himself,” ought to say whether we are fine and muttered the Ass. glorious-ourselves or our neighbours ? Not long afterwards a battle took Our neighbours. And if we call ourplace; the War Horse was shot in the selves fine, handsome, glorious, we are eye; he was no longer fit to act as a doing what ought only to be done by charger : the glittering harness was taken other people. We are doing what it is off; he was sold to a carrier, and, all the not our business to do. We are proud, week long, he bore loads along the vain, conceited; we are really low-class country road. One day the Ass met him. persons and common fellows. People "Ah, my friend," said the Ass, " is it who make no boast of what they are, or you? I always thought your pride what they can do, are said to be would have a fall." MODEST, The Horse passed on without a word, Do you see the lovely rose ? It is Now, which do you think has the fresh and red because the dew-drops fell finer look, an Ass or a War Horse ? (I on it last night, and so we praise the am not asking you which is the more work of the dew-drop; and yet the dew useful.) The horse, certainly. And if never made a sound itself. Do you see the Horse said to the Ass, “I am the sweet green of the meadow It is handsomer than you," would it be true ? green because,* behind those bushes, Yes, it would be true. But ought the runs a quiet stream whose moisture rises horse to say so? No, he ought not. all round. 59 ·Yet you and I say be the greatest man in America"? No: 0 60 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-HELP " Dews that nourish fairest flowers Mamma,” she said softly, “it is Fall unheard in silent hours ; Streams which keep the meadows green your own little daughter that loves you, Often flow themselves unscen." and would like to kiss you." "You may come in," said her mother. Do you' smell the violet ? And then, in 1898, when the crowds cannot see the flower which has so shouted and received her as their queen, sweet an odour; it modestly hides' among and she bowed to the people, no one the grass and moss. Do you hear the called her vain. It was the people who trill of the lark ! But look upwards, made and called her queen, and she and, though you know it hovers in the modestly bowed. air, you cannot catch sight of its little form. As we should be modest, and refrain “ Violets hidden on the ground from giving ourselves proud names, so Throw their balmy odours round; also we should be modest in talking of Viewless in the vaulted sky, what we can do. Of course, we do. Larks pour forth their melody." not think ill of the big words of little The rose is charming; but you and I children. will say that-not the rose. The stream "I could drive fifty horses at once," sparkles brightly; but you and I say shouts a five-year-old Ronald. that-not the stream. The violets have “Yes, yes, my dear, you could do a delicious fragrance ; but you wonderful things." . tbat-not the violets. The larks carol "I could kill a lion with my fist." delightfully; but you and I say that • Yes, Ronald, you are a splendid not the larks. And so the rose, the conqueror of lions." stream, the violets and the larks are "I could build a house with a hundred modest. rooms in it.” “Yes, darling, and when it is built We ask boys and girls, also, to be you will ask us all to come and have tea modest in their manners. with you in the largest room." In September, 1898, the people of Little Ronald is a boaster, but we only Holland rejoiced greatly, with music smile; it is pretty in a small child. But and banners and marchings, and orange if a man or woman boasts, they are ribbons and rosettes. The young princess childish. If you boast, you are childish; Wilhelmina had just reached the age and you must not be childish; you are of eighteen, and she was enthroned as fast becoming men and women, and soon queen. Her mother had taught her and you will step from your door out into trained her all the years before. Queen the great world. Do yoų suppose Sir as she was, young Wilhelmina needed to Christopher Wren bawled out: “I am. learn just as much as-perhaps more going to build the grandest church in than-other girls. One day, at the time | England"? No; but he did build it; she was about fourteen years old, young and there stands St. Paul's. Do you sup- Wilhelmina knocked loudly at the door pose George Washington kept fidgetting of her mother's room. his friends by saying: "I am going to “Who is there?" “It is the Queen of Holland," called but he did rise to be the greatest man ; Wilhelmina, in a loud, commanding he gained the mastery over the British voice. foes; he was made President of the “Then," said her mother, "she cannot United States; and the city of Washingcome in.” ton bears his name. Did the girl in The queen could not come in ! The your school who knows French so well queen saw she had made à mistake. chatter about how much she was going The queen altered her conceited voice, to learn? No; yet she can converse 27 11 ·MODESTY 61 means with the lady from Paris. ' And you, who not think any of them could have shown perhaps talked of the many Frenchbooks a more manly and modest spirit. you meant to read and translate to your aunt, can scarcely tell the simplest And modest people will not profess words; and when you see pain, to do what they know they cannot do. written in French, you fancy it means You know an owl can see very well in “toothache"-and it really the dark; its great eyes dilate, and it “ bread.” can spy frogs, mice, rats, etc. But as the morning dawns the light becomes And then, too, modest people are too strong for the owl's eyes; the bird ready to own that other people can do gets dazzled, and eagerly retreats to a things as well or better than themselves. cave, or a barn, or a hollow tree, Now In olden times there was an election (says Krilov, a Russian tale-teller) an day in Sparta, in the land of the Greeks. owl once offered to show the way for a Three hundred officers were to be chosen blind ass. The owl perched on the to rule the city. More than three hundred ass's back, and all went well during the men offered themselves. Among the hours of night. The sun arose. If the candidates was a good man named owl had been wise, he would have said Pædaretus (Pee-dar-cé-tus). Crowds that he was no longer able to direct his gathered in the streets, and there was friend. He was too proud to tell the much excitement. At length the names truth. And yet he could now see no were read out. The name of Pædaretus better than the ass. was not heard. “Take care,” he exclaimed in a tone so sorry," said one of his of confidence, “do not go to the right, friends, " that you were not elected. or else we shall tumble into a pool. The people ought to have known what Yes, that is correct. Stop a moment. a wise oflicer of state you would Ha! I sec. Now bear more to the left. make." That will do “I am glad," replied Pædaretus, “that Just then the owl and the ass fell in Sparta there are three hundred men together over a steep precipice. better than I am." Why could he not have honestly said Perhaps they were not better. I do that he was unable to help? “I am LESSON XXI MODESTY-(concluded) People may be both brave and modest. Masters come to summon you to Rome. The should be modest. Men in high places can enemies are gathering, and our city is in best carry on their work when they have a modest spirit. The noblest people have danger; and the elders of the Senate modesty, and all who have modesty are noble. have bidden us fetch you, in order that you may be captain of the host, and A MAN was following a plough drawn by lead the people against the foe. For two oxen, His dress was plain; his none can lead like you." little cottage was humble. Steadily he "I will come," said the ploughman. carved deep furrows in the soil. A The ploughman's name was Cinband of Romans approached, trudging cinnatus" (Sin-sin-na-tus). When he heavily on the clods of the field. reached Rome all men were glad. He Sir," cred the leader, assembled the warriors, and commanded we have ·62 SELF-CONTROL, SELF-RESPECT SELF-HELP that each man should prepare food enough to last five days, and take with him twelve rods or staves of wood. Then the Romans marched towards the hills, ready to do all the ploughman wished. At length they came to a valley where the enemies lay in a camp. By night the Romans fixed the staves in the ground, like railings, and thus they made a fence which passed all round the valley, and shut in the enemy as in a trap. When Cincinnatus gave the word, they raised the war-cry, and rushed furiously upon the invaders, and won an easy victory. With shouts and songs they returned home. With shouts and songs the city folk greeted the masterful ploughman who had saved Rome; and they talked of giving him rewards and honours. But Cincinnatus, having acted as captain of the host for sixteen days, had no desire for such payment; and he went back to his cottage and his plough. This happened in the year 458 before Christ. Now, it might be that a little Roman boy would boast loudly about his cleverness in learning to shoot with bow and arrow, or his wonderful skill in throwing quoits, or the fine voice in which he could recite a poem. His father would tell him to be modest. “Oh," the boy might exclaim, “but that is a weak and silly thing, to be modest. “No," the father would reply ; " look at Cincinnatus, and how he went back to his plough. He was a very modest man. And have you ever heard of a braver Roman?” You may be quite sure that if Cincinnatus had strutted about the streets of Rome, talking of his valiant actions, the people would not have held nearly such a high opinion of his greatness. So you see a man may be strong and bold, and lead the people as a mighty captain, and still be modest. You remember Grace Darling? You have heard how she aided her father to row a boat in a rough sea towards the rocks where a ship lay wrecked? And you know how she helped in saving precious lives? You have read the story often, and you have seen her in pictures, with the gloomy sky above, and the storm beating in her face. Yet afterwards, when people praised her, she said she did not think she had done anything remarkable. There, again, was bravery, and modesty. Let us think of the great teacher, Jesus. More than once the simple folk who followed him 'sought to make him a king. One day they marched in procession with him to Jerusalem; and they scattered palm leaves on the road, and even laid their garments down for his ass to pass over. But, a few days afterwards, he had supper with his friends, and he rose from the table, and took a basin of water and a towel, and washed the feet of his companions. Yet they looked up to him as their Master. "And so," said he,"if I am your master, and have washed your feet as if I were a servant to you all, you ought also to wash one another's fect." They were to be willing to serve one another. They were to be ready to do quiet work, which was not at all splendid to look at. They were to be modest, like their modest teacher. And which would find it harder to be modest, the master or the learner (disciple)? Certainly the master, for he stands higher than the learner, and it is not so easy for hiin to stoop to the lowly place. I will tell you of a master who tried hard to keep himself modest. Once, in Persia, therc was a good shepherd named Dara. He had been chosen head man of the village, and he ruled the villagers so justly that the king, raised him to be chief governor of a wide province of Persia. In this high office also Dara did his duty, and was honest in all his dealings. But a strange tale was whispered about. It was said that Dara got money by unfair means, and by cheating the people whom he ruled, and that he hoarded the gold in a chest, and always carried the chest with him ·MODESTY 63 27 wherever he went. The King of Persia was told of Dara's misconduct, and he paid a visit to the city where the .governor dwelt. Dara, with a troop of archers, met the king at the gate, and saluted him. Near by there stood his camel, bearing the big chest. The king knitted his brows in anger. “Ha !” he said, “I see the sign of your guilt. Open that chest, and let me see the treasures which you have robbed from the people under your care." Quickly the box was opened. Inside tlfe king beheld nothing but an old, ragged shepherd's-coat. The enviqus men who had told evil tales of Dara looked foolish, and they blushed for shame. “What," asked the king, "is the meaning of this coat?" My lord,” Dara replied, "this coat helped me to govern the people justly and kindly. 1 feared that I might become proud, and vain, and harsh ; and so I kept the old coat, which I wore as a shepherd : and it made me think how mean a man I once had been, and how I had to hold sway over men is poor as I once was myself. It made me more true to my duty, more wise in my work, more humble in my manners. I feared, if I became haughty, I should lose my way." The king was pleased, and added two more provinces to Dara's land. Shall I tell you, last of all, of a person who was still higher in rank than Dara, or even the-King of Persia ? I will rclate a story of the famous Cæsar Augustus, the Emperor of Rome. Perhaps, indeed, it is only a fable. I found it in a book of poems by Robert Browning, but the way he relates the story is not easy for you to understand, and so I will give it to you in my own words: A senator (one of the members of the council or Senate) walked through the streets of Rome, and, as he went, he looked to the right and to the left, and admired the handsome buildings. “What a fine temple do. I see; and it was built by the Emperor. Here I observe baths for the citizens to bathe in without payment. Yonder is a long line of arches, on the top of which runs a canal bearing water to the houses of a million citizens; and this aqueduct was also the gift of the Emperor. This firm, straight road was made by his order. The river Tiber' he has clcared of mud and made deep for the ships that cross the sea. And the glorious shows and games that the Emperor provides for the amusement of the Romans! Ah! a great man, a very great man Just then the senator saw a beggar sitting on some steps. "Poor beggar," murmured the senator himself, "how far he is beneath me. The Emperor is like a god above me; but then I am like a god above this beggar." He took money from his purse, and stooped to give alms to the unhappy man on the steps. The beggar's cloak was of rough homespun cloth, and it was muffed about his face. But when the senator looked close he knew the man, and started back in astonishment ! The beggar was the Emperor, Cæsar Augustus. And now the senator remembered that (so he had heard) one day in every year the Emperor put on the garments of the poor, and sat by the wayside, and asked for money of the passers-by, and ate the food of the common folk. This made him feel that he was but a man like his subjects. It made him feel more humble, more modest, more neighbourly. “ Truly,” said the senator, as he hastened away, "if the Emperor learns to be lowly in heart, why should not I ?” Perhaps you will think it very proper to do as an Emperor did. So we will agree to follow the Emperor Augustus, and not put on vain airs, and not chatter about our own cleverness, our own glory. Queen Wilhelmina seemed fairest and pleasantest when she spoke with respect ·. prompt Nahun 64 SELF-CONTROL, SELF RESPECT, SELF-HELP carry on and gentleness to her mother. She was be modest. Jesus washed his dismodest in her manners. Pædaretus was ciples' feet, for masters can be modest. glad "there were three hundred men in Dara kept his shepherd's-coat, and the Sparta better than himself, for modest Emperor sat as a beggar on the steps ; men can see the worth of other people. for men in high places can best The owl pretended he could see the way their work when they have a modest when he really could not. Vain bird ! spirit. Now, this is a beautiful thing to He did not know that wise people learn, and all the noblest people learn it. modestly say they cannot do a thing Yes, and all the people who learn it are beyond their power. Cincinnatus went noble. back to his plough, for brave men can O PODIO ESTD. 1902 mure LA 1100AU ·BAJO PUBLIC LIDILART. 1640 ** ESTD. 1902 JOURAN *** TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS LESSON XXII. TRUTHFULNESSIN ACT MEANS FIXED AND FIRM. The clock is true or false to the sun. Conse deceivers ; they cheat. If we follow the quences of untruth in clocks. True means untruthful clocks, what will happen ? If fixed and firm. We may be truthful or untruthful without uttering a word. Our acts clocks and people do not show us the inay be truthful or untruthful. . Truthfulness truth, what will happen? I asked the gives beauty to the face. question of some children, and a girl answered: "Everything will go wrong." WHAT riddle, what puzzle is this? You Trains do not run to time, meals are not will think I am a man of mysteries ! ready, shops are not opened, the audi- What can be the meaning of this diagram ence sits waiting and the pantomime which I have just pinned upon our black does not begin, our letters are late, it is board ? In the upper part of the sketch of no use to read newspapers, we cannot you behoid the sun, throwing out its believe our teachers, I do not trust you, brilliant rays. Below are four clocks, you do not trust memand over all this and all these clocks, you will notice, tell sad confusion the royal sun would shine different times. One says twenty minutes down and rebuke us. For truth is light, to nine; a second, a quarter-past three; and falsehood is darkness. a third, half-past eight; a fourth, twelve Do you know what true means ? TRUE o'clock exactly. We will suppose, if you please, that the last clock tells the right When you exercise in your gymnastic time. And how do we regulate our class, you often leap at a cross-bar of clocks? Who is their master and ruler ? wood, perhaps you swing round it, Their ruler is the sun. When, each day, perhaps you hang from it by your hands, we see the sun highest in his journey or even by your feet. The bar is fixed across the wide sky, that is the moment and firm. You can rely upon it. But if of noon, or mid-day. At that moment you thought the bar would slip from its the sün, like a king, seems to say: It socket, or bend, or break, you would not is noon, and all my faithful clocks and trust it, for it would play you false, and watches will tell the people that I have you would be flung to the ground bruised, reached the highest point in my path breathless, and crippled. to-day.” And then the loyal clocks Now, I will ask you a very simple strike twelve; but the rebels and the question : “What is a truthful man?' disobedient say: "twenty to nine," "a Robert instantly replies: “A man who quarter past three," "half-past eight." speaks the truth.” You see, the rebels and the disobedient Speaks the truth? Is he only truthful cannot agree among themselves. Now, when he is speaking ? Could he be false the clock that strikes twelve is true to without saying a word? Let us think. the sun; the others are false; they are Years ago ships would sometimes pass 65 ·66 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS in the black and gloomy night near the flaw. He would raise his stick, and cliffs of Cornwall. All around heaved smash the false earthenware to pieces, the dark sea. The crew would strain crying : "That won't do for Josiah their eyes. Presently they saw a moving Wedgwood !” Yes; the vase upon the light. They supposed it was a lantern mantel may be guilty of falsehood. on another ship, and they sailed on, I bought a ticket at the railway station, believing that the water was deep and and the booking-clerk gave me a shilling safe. change. If the shilling could have spoken, And ere long a crashing sound and a it would have shrieked out : Don't great trembling and swaying of the ship touch me! don't take me! Though 1 told of a perilous rock, and the vessel shine like silver, I am an untruth ! would go to wreck, and the despairing For afterwards I rang the piece upon the sailors would be swept away in the white table, and the sound that it uttered was foam of the breakers. dull and heavy and full of shame. The The Cornishmen who lit the false money was bad. signal were “wreckers.” They had tied This gentleman that you see hurrying a lantern to a horse's neck, and led the along with a portmanteau has just come animal along the beach, so as to make it from abroad. In his portmanteau he look like the light of a passing ship. has concealed a number of cigars upon Without a word they told a falschood. which he ought to have paid the tax or They hoped next morning to find wreck “duty," and the tax should have gone age strewn upon the shore for their into the treasury of the country. He plunder. They were untrue in act. did not say: "I have no articles liable A poor mother enters a baker's shop, to duty." The cigars escaped the eye of and she asks for a quartern loaf. The the customs officer. This gentleman's baker smiles, and observes that the rain luggage--but, but----is he indeed a gentleseems passing off. “Yes," says the man? mother ; but she does not smile. She Can pictures tell truth? Most ceris thinking of her hungry children at taiply they can. When a likeness is drawn home. Will this loaf last till she can well, or when the landscape shows us the buy more bread? And she walks out cottage and the river and the cows in the with a loaf that weighs only three pounds meadow just as they really are, we say : and a half. The scales are false; the * " That is true to nature." 'An honest weights are false; the man is false; and Chinaman once painted the portrait of the children are so hungry. an English traveller, and the traveller Alady passes by, and the children say: grumbled at the ugliness of the face. "Look how her necklace of diamonds The artist replied in his broken English: shines !” These stones are not diamonds; "No hab got handsome face; how can they are cunningly cut glass; they are hab handsome picture?”. To be sure, shams; they are."paste"; they are false. how could he “hab it, unless the Could a vase--a vase that stands upon picture told a falsehood? the mantel and gleams with red and blue Can our dress deceive people? and yellow flowers---utter a falsehood ? What! even our coat, our mantle, our You laugh at the idea. But let me tell cap, our bonnet ? If you do not think you of old Josiah Wedgwood. He was so, let me remind you of Asop's fable a famous Staffordshire potter. He would of the jackdaw and the peacocks. This walk round the workshop, and examine jackdaw envied the peacocks their the vessels of china which his people feathers, and, when he found some of had moulded and baked and painted. their cast-off plumage, he fixed the Sometimes he would scize upon a cup or bright feathers into his tail and strutted a vase, look into it closely, and discover to and fro with mighty pride, and at a stain, a crack, an uneven surface, a first the world (I mean the ducks, ·............ TRUTHFULNESS IN ACT 67 "I am property." hung up SO geese, and pigeons in the farm-yard) pieces of silver. He is not a true exclaimed: "Is this a peacock that I apostle. It is a lie for Judas to sit at see before me?" But when they the table. Yes, and you can see the looked more closely, they discovered the falsehood in his face. cheat, and pecked at him, and mocked Falsehood generally writes itself on him, and drove him away into loneliness the face. and exile. And when a fine-looking Boys and girlsmor shall I this time lady sweeps by in her sealskin jacket, the say girls” first? for perhaps they will very jacket may tell a falsehood. It listen with extra attention to what I am seems to say: this lady's about to say. It is a very fine thing to But suppose she has not have a handsome face. I admire handpaid, and does not mean to pay for it? some faces. "If I had all your portraits It is very delightful to visit Miss in my room, I would look over Florence and Master Edgar. They are them, and say: “Now, these are the polite at the table-.." Please, handsome ones ; first, Miss”. -Halt Thank you,” “Will you kindly pass for one minute! I will come back to the cake?” “May I trouble you?” “I those portraits presently. hope your cold is much better," "We I have seen a celebrated picture of shall be so glad to see you again." | the Christ-child in his mother Mary's Magnificent : But when the company arms; and three kings knelt and offered have left, what a change !-"I want the child gold and precious spices; and this," "1 shan't do any such thing, all round the head of the babe was a ** Fetch it yourself," "I can't help it iſ sparkling halo of light. What a handyour head docs ache." The sweet some child! and how dignified he looks manners were false. They were only with the sparkling halo! 'company manners." Now, I am looking at you; and I see Now that we are speaking of people at the table, let us look for a few But when a man, a woman, a boy, a moments at this noble picture. It is girl, acts truly and lives truly, the face the picture of the “Last Supper." olt becomes beautiful with its look of truth, the long table sit Jesus and the Twelve and it could not be more beautiful if a Apostles, with the simple meal spread halo shone round the head. The faces before them the plates, the .cups, thu that look truthful are handsone faces. little loaves. The apostles are looking And now I may come back to your cagerly upon the master, and some portraits, and those shall be most handstretch their hands towards him in their some which look the most truthful. love and friendship. But there is one But why should I choose this one or who keeps still. In his heart he is that ? For me may all be handsome. plotting to sell his master for thirty no halo. www. COTO. 19:2 ·LESSON XXIII CANDOUR The Roman “ candidates." Candid, and candour. Candour ineans frankness. Frank people need not be rude people. Candid people like to be treated with candour, We should require no oath to bind us to speak the truth. Truthfulness is like transparent glass. PLEASE think that you and I stand among a crowd of people in ancient Rome, and in the middle space we see two men clothed in white. Even the onlookers from afar 'can easily observe these snowy forms. Who are these two men? They are candidates--that is, white and shining ones. On their garments there is no spot, no stain. They seem to say: "I am pure; I am honest.” But they do not actually say such words. We Romans have to judge as to their character, These men wish to take some noble office-such as that of consuls or magistrates; and their characters must be shining and truthful and white. The officers and leaders of the people ought to be candid ; they must be men of CANDOUR. So candid means white, and it means honest. But there is another beautiful word which gives us its meaning, and we may very likely find it by looking down a list of boys' names : Arthur, Bertie, Charles, David, Edward, Frank Frank is the word I want. It is a splendid name, and if there is a boy here who bears it, let him smile to think of his proud title. Frank mcans free. In olden times there was a nation of Franks, and these Free Men gave a name to: France, the land of the free. But the Germans are also free; the English and the Americans are free free to climb Alps, to penetrate forests, to cross the rolling seas, to explore, to work, to speak, to vote. And the freedom to vote is called the franchise ; some day you boys will have this voting freedom, and, perhaps you girls! But there is a better freedom, a better franchise, a better frankness--when our character is free from falsehood and cunning and blot. And this brings us back to the white and unstained characters of the candidates. The candid people are the honest, openfaced, and open-minded. CANDOUR MEANS FRANKNESS. A girl came to me once, and showed me an open book. It was a volume which she had borrowed from the school library. A leaf was torn right across. *I am sorry," she said, “that I have brought the book back like this; it was torn by accident at home." “ And I also am sorry," I replied, "for the librarian will have the trouble of mending the torn leaf; but I will not find fault with you; I am much obliged to you for telling me of the mishap." The girl was frank. She told the unpleasant truth without being asked. A gentleman sat quietly reading. Presently he was startled by a crash. A boy entered the room. “I beg your pardon, Mr. S.," exclaimed the boy, “but I have just broken a window." "How unfortunate ! and how did it occur?" asked Mr. S. “Why," replied the lad, “I saw the cat going to pounce upon a bird, and I threw a stone to stop it. The stone missed and struck the window."! The boy was a gentleman, and he was a gentleman because he was frank. Your friend brings you his sketch of an African lion, and you see at once that there is something wrong. The lion 68 ·CANDOUR 69 ? squints most horribly! The friend asks your opinion; and what will you say If you say, “The lion squints most horribly," you would hurt his feelings. If you say, * The lion is the most beauti- Tul creature I ever saw," you would be telling a falsehood. Perhaps, then, you had better say: “I like his mane; the tail is good ; the legs are fine ; but I do not admire his eyes." Your remark would be candid, and your friend would very likely take it in good part. Frank people need not be rude people. Suppose a visitor calls when you are very busy at some important task. Hc talks for a few minutes, and then notices that your face looks slightly puzzled and troubled. "Perhaps," he says, “I have come at the wrong time?” What will you reply? You might say: "Not at all; I shall be delighted if you remain all the afternoon." But it would be untrue. So look into your friend's face, and give him a frank smile, and say: "I should be pleased to see you some other time, but just now I am indeed very much engaged." If your visitor is candid like yourself, he will be glad that you treat him so openly. Candid people like to be treated with candour. Will people always praise you for being frank? Yes? No? You are doubtful. Let me tell you of the New York shopboy. He had not long served in a draper's store, and had so far satisfied the master very well by his attention to his duties. One day a lady came in to buy silk. Her fancy was taken by some material he showed her, glossy and strong; and she agrecd to purchase a considerable piece. As he was folding the silk up he noticed a flaw, a blemish or bad place in the weaving. “Madam," said the shop-boy, "I am afraid there is a flaw in the silk." She looked, and then, finding nothing else to suit her, left without buying. The employer had heard what passed, and he was indignant. He thought the boy was very unbusiness-like, and he immediately wrote a letter to the lad's father. " Your son, « will never make a merchant.” . The father read the letter with surprise and sorrow. Had his son committed a disgraceful act? He hastened to the slop, and anxiously asked :- Why will my son not make a merchant?" Because he is not smart. A lady was about to buy silk, when your son actually informed her, without being asked, that the goods were damaged! I lost the bargain. Customers must look after themselves. It is not my place to point out defects in my goods. “Is that all his fault?” inquired the father. “Yes, he is very well in other respects. Then," said the father," I thank you for telling me of the matter. I would not for the world allow him to stay another day in your store. Come, my son.” In great astonishment the draper watched them depart. So, you see, onc person praised the boy for his frankness, and another blamed. It is quite possible niany tradesmen might be of the same opinion as this draper, and consider it is not their business to open the eyes of their customers to see any defects in their silk, or carthenware, or furniture. Perhaps we might wonder why, any tradesman should act in this deceitful way; for surely it is not because they are altogether evil-hearted men. But to-day I do not wish to study how to teach these tradesmen justdealing. It must be enough for us to be certain of one thing--that it is dishonest to hide from customers any flaw in the goods displayed for sale. All of us are not tradesmen who sell silk or earthenware or furniture. But from day to day we are all of us called upon to pass our words, our speech, from one to the other. Shall they be open, frank, and honest words, or sly, uncandid, cunning words? You remember that frank means free. Now imagine that you have seen an accident in the street, perhaps a child run over. The question arises, Was the driver to blame? You are required to attend the Court of Justice to state all that you saw, You are a witness. Let us also imagine that, for " he said, ·70 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS A some cause or other, you dislike the said: “As to you, Petrarch, your word driver who stands at the bar. You know is sufficient." Now, it is a very splendid the driver was not to blame. But will thing to be a great poet; but it is better you say so before the stern judge and the still to be honest in all our speech. lawyers and the twelve men in the jury Here are three squares of glass, and box? An officer approaches you, and we will test, or try, them. Let me take' offers you a Bible. In England it is the some object--a cup, for example--and custom to kiss the book and swear a place it behind each glass in turn, and promise or oath to tell the truth. l'eople observe with what clearness we can say that the oath binds you. But if you behold the cup. behold the cup. And I have a fancy to only say the truth because the oath binds speak of these glasses as if they were you, you are not speaking frankly, you living men or women. are not speaking freely, you are not The first. You can view the cup stating the facts out of a desire to do with perfect distinctness. The sheet of justice. Ought you to tell the truth in glass is quite transparent. He shows us the witness-box? Yes. And out of the cup just as it truly is. He is frank the witness-box? Yes. And in the and joyous and crystal-bright. We can street? Yes. And in the home? tes. trust him. And when you have taken no oath? The second. We have some ditficulty Most certainly. For a lady or gentle here. Look carcfully. Yes, there is the man (and you are little ladies and gentle cup; but its outline is faint. This dull men, are you not ?) needs no oath to bind glass tells the truth with hesitation. lie her or him to speak the honest word. dous not ofer it at once and freely. He Of her own free will, and because it is a is not so candid as he should be. But, beautiful thing to do, a lady's lips utter after all, he shrinks from falschood; and, truth. as time goes on, we hope bis surface In olden times there was a Greek will become clearer and purer, and let philosopher named Xenocrates (Zon-rk the light through more kindly. ru-les). He was called to give evidence The third. Al me! Where is the at a trial, and he advanced towards the cup? Something there is behind the altar where the oatlr was taken by the glass, but its shape is so twisted, so witnesses. The judges rose from their distorted, that, if I had not known seats. "No, Xenocrates," they declared, beforehand, I could never have supposed He will take your word without an a cup stood there. This glass makes oath. We have trust in your character." me sad. He is covered with shame. For he was a simple, loyal inan, who Shall I break hin? No; perhaps in always said his yes or no sincerely, and time he also will open himself lo the faithfully told all that he knew. sweet light of day. But let us turn That is the story of a noble Greck. aside from him. We cannot believe Many centuries afterwards a like incident him. And we look once more at the is related of a famous Italian poet--- candid glass, and it seems to give joy to Petrarch. He also was summoned to the our eyes, for it is transparent and frue. solemn court, and the people thronged And through it we may see, not only a in to watch the trial. Several witnesses cup, but men and women and children, swore their oaths upon the open pages and trecs and gardens and lakes and tall of a holy book; but when the poet came mountains, or the midnight sky full of forward the judge closed the volume, and twinkling stars.

·LESSON XXIV TRUTHFULNESS IN SPEECH (2) 66 The Why do people tell untruths ? (1) For the sake and you shall tell me the reason in each of selfish amusement--therefore "Be kind" ; case why the falsehood was told. to get gain--therefore, “Beware of greed”; (3) in order to 1. First Example. This shall be one appear grand-therefore, " Do not be vain " ; (4) out of fear that you can tell me as readily as I therefore, “ Be brave”; (5) to please the relate it to you. A certain shepherd-boy great and wealthy--therefore, “ Be candid." kept his sheep upon a grassy common. IF you saw a man smashing beautiful One day he atnused himself by calling vases, and tearing up fine pictures, and out, in terror-stricken tones : rooting up charming flowers, and seeking wolf! the wolf !” The labourers in the to hurt his dearest friends, you would fields near by, and the villagers in the say he was mad. And why is he mad? cottages, heard the cry of alarm, and Because he acts without reason. Above rushed out with knives and cudgels, only all, you know he is mad because he to find the lad laughing heartily at his cannot tell Right from Wrong. own deceit. Not long afterwards he did I am going to speak of a class of it again, and again he enjoyed the sight people of whom it is not pleasant to of the scared folk running to his aid. speak at all. I shall speak of them But at last the wolf came in real earnest with a kind of shudder, as I might ---bis grey-bristled coat quivering with shudder at the sight of a serpent's the hunger-passion, and his eyes flashing glittering scales under the leaves near in eagerness after his prey; and he my path. These people are liars. I leaped upon the boy, and the lad was telling you the other day how a man screamed " Wolf ! wolf !” but the might act a lie, and be false without villagers smiled, and villagers smiled, and no one came to uttering i word ; but to day I want you the rescue. to think of persons who tell the lie with Why did the boy falsely raise the cry their lips. Would you call a liar mad? of alarm ? He did it for the sake of Does he say deceitful words without any amusement; he did it for sport. But cause? Does he tell lies for no real whose amusement ? His own or other reason? No, that is not the case. Of people's? His own; he had no care for course, the madman who crushed the the feelings of other people ; he was so vases and spoiled the pictures and the selfish that, so long as he had his fun, flowers may also utter falsehoods, but he he took no thought for his neighbours. is just as willing to tell the truth; for That was his reason. And if we could, truth and falsehood are alike to him. by some magic, change this boy's heart, In his poor wild brain the thoughts are we would teach him to be kind and all confused. But most liars are not thoughtful towards others. And so we mad. They have reasons for what they will write down this simple little rule, Be do. And so we are going to answer the kind : for the kind lips tell no falsestrange question, WHY DO PEOPLE TELL hoods. UNTRUTHS? 1 boy asked me once if it was right Suppose I give you some examples, to tell untruths on the first of April. 71 ·72 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS that is, April Fools' Day. He calls out yellow gold hë would let the black to a passer-by: “Sir, you have dropped word fall from his mouth, and blot out your purse"; and then, on the person his manhood. Blot out his manhood; turning round, he bursts into laughter, the shop-keeper does it when he sells and cries : « ' April fool!” Well, some bad wåres for the sake of profit; or the boy's do it so good-naturedly, and look merchant and man of business who so merry, that it makes the deceived deceives other men so that he may beperson also laugh; and such boys are as come rich and dwell in a splendid manready to be laughed at themselves as to sion; or the speaker who stands in a jest at others; and in that case, perhaps, church or a house of parliament and there is no harm done. But you will says things he does not believe, so that notice that very few grown-up people people may give him honour and salute play at April-fool. It is not now a sport him as he passes by. for men and women ; and you boys and So our second rule should be, B'curare girls are right in wishing that, as soon as of Greed. possible, you should be manly and womanly. 3. Third Examples Once upon a time--a very strange timc, indeed, since 2. Second Example. A carpenter this event never truly happened -an ape dropped his axe into a' river and was swept off a ship during a storm in prayed to the gods for help, and Mer the Mediterranean Sea. He was seen cury, with the winged feet, suddenly by a kind-hearted fish--a dolphin ---who, appeared--(but you know this is only mistaking him for a man, swam towards a fable). The god dived into the rush him, and invited him to clamber on his ing stream, and brought out a glittering back. The dolphin made his way golden axe. “That is not mine," said towards a barbour on the coast of the carpenter. Again Mercury plunged Greece called the l'iraus (Pu-reé-us), and found a silver axe; and this also near which stood the city of Athens. the carpenter refused. A third time "Do you belong to Athens?" asked Mercury searched, and then produced the dolphin. Yes," answered the ape, a poor-looking iron axe with a wooden an Athenian." “Of course, handle ; and this the workman eagerly then, you know the Piræus ?" inquired claimed. And then and there the smil- ; the dolphin. "Oh, exceedingly well," ing god gave the honest carpenter the said said the ape; "he is my particular silver and the gold axes also. The story friend, and I often dine with him." soon spread abroad, and a dishonest The dolphin was indignant at the neighbour of the carpenter resolved to falsehood, and sank into the depths try the same cxperiment. He dropped of the the pretended an axe into the river, and sat down and Athenian came to a sad end. wept aloud--or pretended to. Kind Why did the ape tell a lie? In order Mercury heard, and came and offered to make himself appear grand and imhis assistance; and he dived and fetched portant. He was so vain that he did up an axe of gold. not like to admit his ignorance of the “ Is this your axe?" Piræus, which he supposed to be a “Yes, yes." person of noble family.. We are really Then Mercury's eyes seemed to blaze wasting our time when we put on airs with contempt and disdain, and he and say we are friends with rich persons ; turned away and left the liar for the best kind of people will think no ashamed better of us because we tell them we Why did the second man tell a lie? know a banker, or a member of In order to get gain. He was greedy, Parliament, or a duchess. Our third he was covetous. For the sake of rule, then, will run, Do not be rain. i Iܐ ani . Sca, and SO ·TRUTHFULNESS IN SPEECH 73 4. Fourth Example. This example ocean water lay all about the throne ; shall be taken from the Bible. Among and Canute smiled in disdain, and rose the disciples of Jesus there was one and splashed his way out of the wet. who had a habit of boasting ; he would He had no wish to be named King of do this, he would do that; if enemies the Sea, when he had no power to rule showed themselves and threatened the the masterful waves. Master's life, he would draw the sword Why did the courtiers tell a lie? To and make a valiant fight! I daresay the please the great and wealthy; perhaps Master or the other disciples would because they feared the king ; perhaps. sometimes tell this boastful Peter that because they hoped to gain money or he resembled a crowing cock, strutting office from him. But we should speak and staring and screaming. Well, Jesus to the rich just as we should to the poor. was arrested by the Jewish police, and We should be candid. led to the High-priest for trial. The My last example is sad. I am almost chamber where Jesus stood looked out ashamed to tell it to you; but falsehood upon a wide courtyard where, in the always should appear a thing of shamc. early morn, a number of men gathered It is about the great poet of Portugalround a fire to warm themselves, and Luis de Camoens. As a young man, l'eter was among them. l'irst one and Camoens fought bravely against the then another and another person looked Moors. Once he boarded a Moorish at Peter, and said he was, one of the ship, and in the struggle he lost an followers of the good carpenter who had сус. He travelled to India, and at ridden into Jerusalem as a king. Three Goa--one-eyed as he was--he had times over he tremblingly said : “No, I sharp enough sight to see how cruelly am not. And when the cock creur the Portuguese settlers treated the native upon the wall the sound scemed to Hindoos. He exclaimed against such strike upon his conscience, and, look wickedness, but he was arrested, and, as ing up, he caught the eye of Jesus, à punishment, banished to far China. which gazed at him as if to reproach Tossed in a storin, the ship was flung him; and Peter went out and wept upon rocks and wrecked, and Camoens bitterly. only just escaped ; and as he reached Why did Peter tell a lie? Because the shore he clasped in his hands the he was afraid. The boaster had shown papers on which his finest poem was himself to be a coward. The man or written ; it was called the Lusiad. After child who wishes to be truthful must be sixteen years the poet returned to brate. Lisbon. He was penniless; his old Indian servant, Antonio, begged for him 5. Fifth Example. Canute, the mighty in the street. A grandee (nobleman) Dane who conquered England before visited Camoens in his wretched room, the time of the Norman conquest, was and asked him to write verses. The told by his courtiers that he was lord of poor poet pointed to the faithful the land and the sea. He was an honest, Antonio, who asked for fourpence to straightforward man, and this crawling purchase coals; for the day was cold. and flattering speech did not please him. The grandee departed without giving He had no love for folk who smirked any help. Camoens was carried to an and grinned before him, and told him almshouse, and there he died, and over untruths in order to please his fancy. his grave they placed a stone, which said "Place my throne on the beach," he to the passer-by : "Here lies Luis de ordered ; and he sat there out upon the Camoens; he excelled all the poets of sand and pebbles, and bade the sea be his time ; he lived poor and miserable ; still; and the ripples of the tide rolled and he died so, 1629.”. up and then back, and up again till the e Thus the stone told the world how a F 2 ·74 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS great poet had been' neglected. But afterwards people felt uneasy when they read these words; and they took away the old stone and raised another, on which was an account of the wonderful work of Camoens, praising him as a great Portuguese, and saying nothing about his unhappy death. The second stone was not candid. I think it would have shown a better spirit if people had left the first stone untouched ; and then, every time men read it, they might have said: “This great poet lived poor and miserable, and he died so. We must not let that happen again ; and if a man paints delightful pictures for us, or makes sweet music, or writes good verses, or if in any way he serves his country, we must see to it that he does not live or die poor and miserable." So, then, the people whose lips are not soiled by lies are too kind to tell falsehoods in sport; they are too honest to tell falsehoods for gain ; they are too sensible to tell falsehoods for vain show; they are too brave to tell falsehoods lest they should suffer pain ; they are too candid to tell falsehoods to please the powerful, or to hide their mistakes. The liar often has the mark upon his face. He has the ugly look by which wise men know him. The truthful man bears the light upon his face. The poet Crabbe said of an honest man:- Truth, simple truth, was written on his face."

·LESSON XXV KEEPING PROMISES CC 2 -- A promise is something which makes us look means ? Before. Mitto means ? -1 forward and expect. We ought 10 (1) think send. before making a promise ; (2) keep a proniisc “ Promitto” means?-I send forrcally, and not in pretence; (3) keep our ward. And “promissum" or "promise promise to the humblest person ; (4) keep our means ?-Something sent forward ; somepromise in spite of difficulty. Foolish and thing which makes us look forward and bad promises. expect. A man who makes a promise is IF I fling a stone into the air, 1 expect it like one who shoots an arrow, and says, to drop again. If I clap my hands, I “Where that arrow falls I will go and expect to hear a sound. If I place my take my stand." He has sent a messenger hand near the fire, I expect to feel in front of him. He has promised "I will warmth. If I SOW a sced in good do this," "I will do that”—and we ground, I expect to see a plant--a bean expect these things to be fulfilled. We stalk, perhaps--with its flowers of blazing ought to take care where we shoot our scarlet. If I purchase a concert-ticket for arrows. We ought to think before we the seat No. 44, I expect to find chair bend the bow. We ought- No. 44 ready for me when I go to the 1. To think before making a promise. performance. If the railway time-table ! A crawling tortoise felt tired of living so marks a train for departure at half-past lowly and humbly, and wished to attain ten, I expect it to leave at that hour, so a higher place in the world ; and he gave that I may meet my friends at the time notice that, if any bird would take him arranged. up in the air and show him the glories of If I take in a stray dog from the street, the earth, he would reveal a store of and give him shelter, and lay food for precious stones in a dark cavern. Perhim in a certain corner day after day for haps he had heard other tortoises talk of a week or two, he will learn to come to the cave of diamonds and rubies, and the corner ; he expects his little meal trusted he should be able to find it. there; the poor creature would be full l'erhaps he supposed the friendly birds of dumb sorrow if I suddenly left off would not wish for any of his sparkling providing for him. gems. He did not think carefully. An If your uncle says to you, “ Tomorrow cagle heard the tortoise's offer, gripped afternoon at two o'clock I will call for him in his talons, and soared upwards you and take you to the circus, and you above the blue mountains and among the shall see the lady on the tight-rope, and golden clouds; and the tortoise saw the the dancing elephant, and the pig draw cities and kingdoms of the earth. ing the chariot, and a hundred-and-one And now, where are the diamonds ?” wonders,” you will eagerly expect him ; asked the eagle. you will watch at the window, and if he The tortoise hesitated, stammered, does not come, you will say, bitterly and begged pardon. Enraged and disapperhaps angrily, “My uncle has not kept pointed, the eagle let the tortoise fall his PROMISE." Now, young Latin scholar, upon a rock, and then devoured him. let me admire your learning. “Pro" 2. We ought to keep a promise really, 75 ·76 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS and not in pretence. A certain Greek would give her the money to buy a new knelt before the altar in the temple of bowl. On opening his purse he found he Mercury, and asked to be kept in safety had no money with him. Howeyer, he during his journey, promising that he promised that if she would come to that would thank the god by giving him half spot at the same hour the next day, he of whatever he gained on his travels. As would be there with the money. She he passed on his road he found a bag of dried her eyes, and went home singing. dates and almonds. Heate the fruits and Next day as it drew near the appointed nuts with great relish, and then, on time, a letter was handed to him from a reaching a temple of Mercury in the next friend at Bath, desiring to meet him city, he laid before the altar the stones of while he stayed a few hours in that city, the dates and the shells of the almonds, They had not seen each other for many saying: “Here are the outsides of the years, There was no time to be almonds and the insides of the dates, lost- But ah! the child in the and that makes the half which I promised lane With much regret he gave to give you!" up all thought of meeting his friend. But, you sie, the mean man had led True to his word as a gentleman, he met Mercury to expect dates and almonds, the little maid, and gave her the pro. and not stones and shells. The mican man mised coin. This gentleman was Sir did not go straight to the mark which his William Napier, a well-known historian. promise had made. He shuffled to one for you know that ladies and gentle. side of it. He evaded it. This wriggling men-I mean you-keep their pledge to and sneaking away from our pledge is the baby brother, to the sick comcalled evasion. panion, to the bent old man with the When the gate of the meadow is left patched coat. open, and the sheep run out and are lost, 4. We ouglit to keep our promise in John's father asks :- spite of difficulty. In.olden time's a “Did you leave the gate open, strange custom was followed among the John?" Arabs. On a certain day of the week Oh, father, I always shut gates after all who pleaded before the chieftain me," is John's evasive reply, would find their requests kindly listened leave the gate open, to, and perhaps answered ; but whosoever John ?” his father asks again. asked a favour on the following day niust “Oh, father, I saw Harry Brown near die. A poor Arab nained Tai, not knowthe gate this morning." ing or forgetful of the rule, flung himself This is evasion. le suspect at once before the chieftain on the forbidden that John caused the loss of the shecp. day, and begged help for his pining and 3. We ought to keep our promise to starving family. A look of horror passed the humblest person. A gentleman was over the faces of the people who stood walking along a country lane when he ly. Poor Tai was doomed! When he heard the sound of sobbing. A little knew his fate he said :- girl was in great distress. She was “Sir, let me first go and bid my wife gazing woefully at the broken pieces of and children farewell, and then I will an earthenware bowl which she had return to die." dropped, and which had contained her The prince smiled in mockery. He father's dinner. She feared her mother said Tai would never come back to be would beat her. slain. And then the noble-hearted Cherk “You can mend it, can't you?" she came forward and said he would be surety asked wistfully, looking up with her tear for Tai, and if the poor peasant did not dimmed eyes at the good-natured gentle return by sunset he-Cherik-would man, suffer in his stead. Hesaid he had no skill to do that, but he And Tai flew off; and the hours + 6. Did you ·KEEPING PROMISES 77 Wels war passed, and the executioner had pre makes him loyal to his promise. And pared. his axe; and the people waited in only an Englishman? Not at all ; for sad silence; and the sun was sinking Americans, Italians, Australians, Ger. red and large in the west ; and then Tai mans, Frenchmen, and all the rest, do was seen afar, breathless, dusty, faint, honour to their country by being truthbut running, running, running--- And ful. The truthful man is a good citizen. the peoplc raised a cry of joy for Cherik; and, presently, also for Tai, for the chief Lastly, I will remind you of bad protain said he dared not sacrifice the life mises, of foolish promises, which ought of a man whose great heart would not never to be made, and which it is better let him save himself at the expense of his not to keep. You remember how King friend. You see, Tai had lingered with Herod held a splendid feast ; and noblehis dear ones, until they said it was too men and captains sat in his marble banlate to returr, for no man could travel queting hall, and the gold and silver the distance in so short a time before dishes glittered, and the music sounded the sun went down. soft strains, and a dancing-girl came in Tai kept his promise for the sake of and swung and waltzed about the palace one who had been generous towards him. floor, and all the company applauded, But now let us see why Regulus kept his and the king cried in his excitement : word. “ Bravo ! well danced; ask whatever Regulus was a prisoner in the African you will and it shall be given you, even city of Carthage, for there. to the half of my kingdom.” She whis: between Carthage and the people of pered with her mother, and then, with a ancient Rome. The rulers of Carthage curtsey, she said : “Give me here John said to him :- the Baptist's head in a dish." All the "We will permit you to journey to company were shocked. Why should Rome, so that you may speak to the the poor preacher die to please a canccitizens and the senate; and if you per ing-girl? Yet the king had promised, suade them to make peace with us, all and, though he was grieved, yet, for the will be well; but, if not, will you prorfise sake of his royal promise, he would not to return to Carthage ?" say her nay; and he beckoned to an Regulus promised. The ship that officer, and the officer went out, sword bore him across the blue Mediterranean in hand, to John's dark cell ; and John sped safely to Rome. His wife Marcia had to die. Herod's promise was foolish. and his two sons embraced him. He He had better not have kept it. spoke to the city fathers in the senate, and bade them continue the war. Then So, then, we should not undertake to he turned to the ship. The people do a thing without feeling sure we can shouted to him to stay, and his wife and carry it out ; we should keep our promise his sons wept. He re-entered the ship, really, and without evasion; we should and it carried him back to Carthage, be loyal to our word, even when pledged and there they put him to the torture, to the humblest person ; we should be and there he died. true to our promise for a friend's sake, Was it for a friend's sake? Perhaps ; for our country's sake. The truthful man if you like to call Rome his friend. He is a good citizen. kept his word for the honour of his I will give you for a motto one of country. He would not let the men of the maxims, or rules, of George Wash- Carthage say that Romans did not keep ington, first President of the United their word. He died for the honour of States : Undertake not what you can- Rome. There is a saying that “an not perform, but be careful to keep your Englishman's word is his bond”--that – that promise." is, it binds him and keeps him true, and 11 ·LESSON XXVI CAREFUL EYES, EARS, AND TONGUES Careful observation of the world about us is “And that the gun is short ? helpful to oneself and one's neighbours. Good “I observed the place where the people must also be observant and quickwitted people. The duty of careful reporting. muzzle 'scratched a tree against which Exaggeration. he leaned it." “And that the dog is small?” A LITTLE wooden hut stands in the “By his wee footsteps." midst of a great pine-forest of America. "And his bobtail ? " The place is very lonely. Presently a "I discovered the imprint of his Red Indian trudges through the trees, stumpy tail in the dust where he sat enters the hut, utters a cry, and comes while his master was after my venison." out with a scared look upon his face. And the Red Indian hurried on in A thieſ has been here! A thief has pursuit of a man whom he had never stolen my dried venison !" beheld, but concerning whom his keen The Red Indian looks carefully eyes had taught him useful facts. He around, and then strides away in search had observed; he had OBSERVED CAKEof the man who has robbed him of his FULLY. But is it only Red Indians dried deer's flesh. Presently he meets who may possess thu habit of CAREFUL a party of white men who are travelling OBSERVATION? We all should. Boys through the forest. and girls also ? Certainly, boys and "Have you," he asks cagerly, "have girls also. The world we live in is not you seen a little old white man with like a prison, of which the four walls a short gun, followed by a small dog and the grated window and the furniwith a bob-tail?" ture are over the sanic. The world “Yes, we have; he passed along changes from day to day, and the people yonder track." change, and we change our place in the « The rascal has stolen my venison." world, and the scenes are constantly “How is it you were not able to seize Lazy people do not take the pains him as soon as you caught sight of him?" to watch, to notice, to observe, to re- “I have never seen the thief." member. They do not observe the big “How do you know he is a little stone in their path, and they trip over it; they do not see the approaching “Because he made a pile of stones to rain-cloud, and get drenched; they do stand upon while he was reaching my not remember that to-day is Thursday meat." and the shops will be shut in the even- “ How do you know he is an old ing, and they go on a long errand to the man?» draper's store only to find it closed; " Because I noticed the marks of his they do not perceive that mother is pale short steps on the dead leaves which and tired, and they shout and romp and strew the ground in the woods." give her needless pain. “And that he is white like ourselves ?" “Oh, it is so much trouble to be Hé turns out his toes as he walks always observing !” which an Indian never docs." Is it, indeed, such a trouble? Why. 78 new'. man?” 77 >> 66 ·CAREFUL EYES, EARS, AND TONGUES 79 I have seen children play at the game of Observation, and they thought it charming. I recollect how a party of boys and girls amused themselves one Christmas by going into a room and gazing at the articles on the table for a minute ; and then, in another room, they wrote out what they remembered. They thought it fun; they laughed and smiled; and they applauded loudly when Amy Edwards came out at the head of them all with this wonderful list :-“Ball, sugar, penny, apple, lemon, brush, çard, jam, gloves, cake, bottle, lamp, plate, saucer, kaleidoscope [she could not spell this properly, so she put k’scope), pencil, box, beads, soap, nut-crackers, basket, sweets, matches, tongs, knittingneedles, ball of wool, scrap book, watch, needle-case." This was only an amusement; but I do not see why we should not amuse ourselves in this way all our lives. Let me tell you of little Peter, who, at the age of seven, had already become practised in the art of obscrvation. One evening he was walking with two or three companions of his own age. The moon shone with its bright, full, silver globe ; and thin clouds flew over the sky ; for the wind blew briskly. The children exclaimed that the moon was moving fast, and it did appear so. But Peter said no ; it was the clouds that moved. They laughed, and said he was wrong. Peter took them near a large tree, and bade them look at the moon through the outspread branches. They saw the moon in the fork of two boughs, and it remained there, while the clouds hurried by like a flock of snowy sheep. The children confessed that leter was right. And he always loved to observe; above everything he loved to observe the sun, the moon, the twinkling planets and stars; and he rose to be a wise astronomer. The full name of this learned French astronomer was Peter Gassendi. The Indian observed for his own sake; Amy Edwards also observed for her own amusement, though it amused her companions too; and little Gassendi observed so shrewdly that he was able to teach a useful fact to his young friends. You sec, then, that our careful observation is not only helpful to ourselves, but also to our neighbours, Miss Florence Nightingale (you have often heard of this noble lady) could never have done so much service to the sick and wounded soldiers in the Crimean War if she had not exercised great care in choosing food and medicine, in fastening bandages, in arranging the beds, in a thousand little things. And she wished to teach other people to be careful and observant. But what a task she sometimes found it ! Once she said to a woman who helped her about the house: “ Please fetch me the large, new, red book, bound in cloth, which lies on the table by the window." The woman presently brought Miss Nightingale five small, old, brown books bound in cardboard from a shelf near the fireplace! You can casily think of annoyance which is caused to other people by carelessness in listening, carelessness in looking. Annoyance! Ah, sometimes a much thing may happen; danger perhaps ; perhaps even death. ship had just been launched on its trialtrip. The people cheered as it cleaved the green water of the harbour. The flag fluttered, the music played, the steam puffed proudly. But in the machinery a tap had been closed which ought to have been left open. The man in charge did not notice the error. The steam was pent-up till it burst its way out; and several lives were lost in the explosion; and the merry scene changed to one of gloom and tears. Perhaps (I do not know the man in charge of the machinery was kind-hearted, and too merciful to hurt a sparrow or a worm. But it is not enough to be kind; we must also kerp our wits active, and our eyes alert, and our cars quick to catch the passing word; and good people must be observant people. And when they have carefully observed they must carefully tell what they have seen. In the story of the Israelites Worse A new ·80 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS TIOY. you remember how Twelve Spies were she knows nothing, and you have to sent in advance to survey the land in make it clear to her. Direct her carewhich the tribes hoped to settle. They fully. A careless direction may send her carried back rich bunches of grapes and wandering to the right instead of the figs and pomegranates ; but ten of these left, past the farm instead of past the men brought an evil report. In the new church, and her weary steps will totter strange country they had seen strong and her heart grow sick with the long towers and armed warriors, and they let journey. their fancy overcome them, and in terror Look at the picture on the blackboard. they cried : “ The people are strong, and You see a small heap of earth, and by it the people are giants !” The Israelites stands a Roman soldier with a spade; believed the false report, and trembled he and his comrades are digging ; they with fear, and shrank back from their are ordered to raise a wall of earth all purpose ; and all their camp was filled round their camp in order to protect with weeping and complaint. whole them from the enemy by night. Now I nation may be troubled by a false report. take the chalk and make the heap larger; Sometimes I have taken children to we will suppose the soldiers have been see the noble Houses of Parliament at busy piling up the soil. They call this Westminster, where Sir Robert Peel used mound an agger. Again I add to it, to speak, and John Bright and William and the agir grows and swells. I am Ewart Gladstone. I always point up to Oxaggerating it, or increasing it. My the gallery and say: "There sit the re chalk has been engaged in EXAGGERAporters; and when the members of the House of Commons make speeches the Once, when the soldiers were riding by reporters listen with the greatest care and at a review, a boy slipped and fell, and his write out the swift words in their note coat was covered with white dust. That books, in order that the newspapers may was all; the boy scrambled up and print them and carry them over the wide laughed. What tale, do you think, was world." And suppose à reporter were repeated from mouth to mouth until it careless and mistook what was said: the reached his home and frightened his printed lines would read wrongly, and pour parents? Why that Edwin had the public would misunderstand, and rolled under the horses' feet and got his perhaps find fault with a Member of arm broken! The little 'mishap was Parliament for saying what he had not exaggerated into a large and serious one. really said. So, if you please, 1eporters, Do not exaggerate. If the rain falls be careful. For you boys and girls who gently, do not say it pours torrents. If sit listening to me--you are reporters you cut your finger slightly, do not say every day of your lives. You report to you received an awful yash. If your your companions, your teachers, your schoolfellow makes a small mistake in parents, your brothers and sisters. And conversation, do not say she is telling when you carry the true report to your untruths. If your playmates sometimes school or your home, you are like the poke a little fun at you, do not say they great artists who gaze with such won are cruel and hard-hearted. drous keenness at things in the sky and Your eye, your ear, your tongue, are on the earth, and trace them with pencil your three little servants. Look after and brush into beautiful pictures. your servants, and keep them honest and Sometimes you will be asked to explain loyal, so that the eye shall see clearly, things to other people. An old lady may and the EAR shall hear precisely, and the meet you and ask you the road to the brave little TONGUE shall take the true hospital, or to the village. You know message. the way very well, but bear in mind that ·LESSON XXVII KNOWLEDGE 1 Things which people love. The love of know reason---this clear mind-so that we can ledge. The rich gift of a bright mind. see and learn, and know, and love, and knowledge a kind of riches. Examples of men who lovedl knowledge. People who are think, and wonder. learner yet not kind are like dead men How bright that boy's face is,” whisadorned with jewels. pered a lady to me, as she pointed towards a lad who sat smiling among the chil- You can tell me of many things which drenat a festival. So it was; but I knew the people love. The mother loves ?--her boy was poor, and I had seen his mother child. The miser loves ?--his money. weep because she could not buy him The glutton loves ?--food, and more and good clothes. But he had the rich gift more food. The idler loves ?-sleep, and of a bright mind; he could gaze at the the folding of the hands. The soldier world about him, and learn from it, and loves ?--the rush and roar of the fight. reason about it. The astronomer loves ?--the sight of the In olden times there was a man named glorious stars. l'us, but suppose he Stilpo who loved learning and the getting not only loves the stars ; suppose he of wisdom, and so he was called Stilpo turns with delight to trees and flowers the philosopher. The city in which he and examines how they grow; suppose , dwelt was besieged and captured by the he watches animals and studies how they army of the great general Demetrius behave ; u. bends over books and turns (De-mé-trius). With rage and shouting page after page and forgets how the hours the soldiers broke in and burned and go by, until the light of the sun fades plundered. Demetrius was anxious to and he must needs fetch the lampin protect Stilpo from harm and loss, and all these different directions he still loves : as he rode through the streets, he met one thing, and that is KNOWLEDGE. He him, and eagerly asked if his goods had loves to know. been saved from the violence of the Suppose that I love money, and place soldiers. soldiers. Stilpo smiled. Stilpo smiled. “No one has my gold pieces and my gleaming silver robbed me," he said, “ for I found no in a safe or a strong box ; can the thing I soldier who wanted to steal my knowlove be taken from me? Yes, the burglar ledge." You see he counted his knowmay come and break, open the lock and ledge to be a kind of riches, and, though rob me of my precious treasure. And sup the enemies might loot his house and pose I have learned and learned and take his furniture, they could not snatch learned until my mind is stored with his thoughts and his memory. knowledge, as if it were a chest crammed with valuable articles ; can the thing I When we were talking the other day love be taken from me? Not easily; about Self-reliance, I gave you the story certainly not by robbers ; though it of the young Cleanthes, who, by night might be taken from me if I lost my and in the early morning, drew water and reason, my wit and sense. You and I ground corn in a handmill in order to will be glad that we have this beautiful earn a few coppers and pay for admis- SI ·82 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS .. sion to Zeno's lectures. When Zeno died, small openings of which he might catch Cleanthes took his place and taught the the voice of the grey-haired Rabbi. He young men of Athens about the heavens slept, and the snow fell, and the flakes and the earth and the right rules of con- piled themselves upon the half-frozen duct. · Still he was poor, even when a limbs of the poor scholar. In the mornteacher. One day he attended the ing the school assembled, and they public games, and watched the athletes noticed the darkness of the room ; for run and wrestle. A brisk breeze was Hillel had turned uneasily in his sleep, blowing, and blew aside his mantle, and and lay upon the skylight. They looked the people saw his bare skin, for he had up and saw the strange figure, and some no under-tunic. The good philosopher of them climbed to the roof and then must be cold, they whispered ; and a brought Hillel down, and warmed his tunic was bought and presented to him. trembling body at the fire. The Rabbi No one despised him, however, when the said that a youth who loved learning as poor teacher passed through the streets Hillel did ought to attend the class free. the citizens saluted him with respect. His Then the poor lad was happy, and in knowledge and wisdom made him great. due time he became very learned in the law, and was himself a famous Master, or Now, these were Greeks, and the Rabbi. Presently I will tell you an- Greeks have given us many noble things other little story from the life of Hillel. -Homer's tale of the siege of Troy, and his story of the travels and adven Long centuries after the time of Hillel tures of Ulysses ; and grandly carved a young man lived in Paris. His clothes statues and stately temples, and the sadly needed mending. He wrote a clever measuring of lines and angles letter to one of his friends, and said : which at school you call Euclid, or geo “As soon as I get money, I will buy metry. But there was another nation first Greek books, and then clothes who loved knowledge of a different kind; for he loved to bend over the old I mean the Jews. I will tell you of poor volumes in which he could read the Hillel. His parents were dead; he had wisdom of the teachers of Athens. no friends who could do much for him. The name of this young student was He saved a few pence, so that he might Erasmus, of whom you will be sure to yo, morning by morning, to the school hear often again. of the old Rabbi. Hillel sat among the young men and listened eagerly to the I will speak next of a famous man Rabbi as he spoke of Moses with the who lies buried in Westminster Abbey tables of stone, and the golden ark in Charles Darwin. He also was fond the temple, and the work of the white of knowledge--not so much the knowrobed priests, and the burning of beasts ledge of the Greek books, or of the law upon the altar, and the rules which kupt which Hillel loved. Darwin looked at people quiet on the Sabbath day-all worms and beetles, at bees and ants, at this, you know, was the Jewish Law. But pigeons and pheasants, at moles and one sad day Hillel lost his employment. pigs, and horses and giraffes, at fruit- The doorkeeper would not admit him trees, fir-trees and flowers, and the bones to the school without the fee, and poor of monkeys, apes, and men. He loved Hillel had scarce a crust to eat. to learn the manner in which plants “To-morrow," said Hillel to himself, grew, and animals grew, and the way in "I will hear the Rabbi's lesson on the which men had grown from wild crea- Law." tures of the forest to be good English- At night he climbed upon the flat men, good Germans, good Frenchmen, roof of the little college, and laid him good Italians, good Hindoos. When a self down by the skylight, through the young man, he held the office of ·KNOWLEDGE 83 naturalist (student of plants and animals) school or college in order that we may on her Majesty's ship Beagle, which help ourselves and help other people. sailed round the world. He collected many rare objects, and placed them in A man went to the Jewish Rabbi his cabin; but ofttimes the rocking of Shammai, and asked him, with a smile, to the sailing ship made him so sick that repeat the whole Law while standing he was compelled to lie down for hours. on one foot! Now, the Law consisted of He lived forty-five years after this voy many commandments and rules, and it age, and his life was full of pain, and yet would take weeks and months to explain full of work. He found out many facts, it all, and no teacher could stand so long and wrote his knowledge in many books. on one foot. Shammai raised his stick, “My life goes on like clockwork," he and drove the man angrily away. Then used to say. Every day he worked at the man visited Rabbi Hillel, and put two particular times- from eight till the same request to him. Hillel thought half-past nine in the morning, and from for a moment, and then he answered : half-past four till half-past five in the "Ithat thou wouldst not like done to afternoon. The rest of the day he was thyself, do not do to thy neighbour ; this in his garden, or in the woods, or amus is the whole law, and its application is, ing himself with his friends or children Go and do this." The "application -nearly always suffering, yet always law means the way in which we ourselves ready to watch what went on in the are to carry it out, instead of simply world, and to learn. talking about it. You will agree that Hillel would be able All the men I have told you about to repeat those words in a very short time. were teachers, They had wise thoughts If we have learned much about the concerning man and man's life and sun and moon, and natural history, and man's work. They did not stay in the figures of geometry, and arithmetic, gloomy caves, or in libraries, but they and electricity, and manufacturing, but went out and told their fellow-men what at the end of it all we are selfish in heart they thought of the world and of our and unjust to our neighbour, then we place and duty in the world. The are like dead men with rings upon their knowledge that we take into our heads hands and gold embroidery on their by reading and schooling is like the oil limbs, and crowns upon their heads. in the lamp; the oil is of no use till the They are covered with rich things, yet wick is lighted, and then it gives bright- they cannot use them for the good of ness on all sides. And so we learn at the world, » of a LESSON XXVIII KNOWLEDGE—(concluded) Knowledge gained not only from books, but from observation of the world about us. All our life we should be learning. War is the enerny of knowledge. Knowledge gives us skill and strength; gives pleasure to ourselves and others; and it gives us power to help our neighbours. HERE upon the blackboard I will pin another of my puzzle-pictures. In the centre you see a boy's head, and his head is surrounded by a circle of various objects, and from all these objects rays of light appear to stream into the boy's brain. Now the rays are rays of knowledge, and the picture means that he draws his knowledge from the different objects in the circle. Let us ·84 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS -- arc note what they are. First we observe have sometimes met people who have a fish, a butterfly, an eagle, a snake, a read very many books and yet are rather horse ; from these he learns Natural stupid, and care very little about being History: A tóee, a sunflower; from useful to the world. There are even these he learns Botany. A cliff washed people who are book-gluttons"; they, by the waves, a hill overlooking the read, read, read, and read too much, rippling brook in the valley; from these just as there are people who eat, eat, he learns Geology. A sparkling group of eat, and eat too much. These bookstars; from these he learns Astronomy. gluttons do not truly learn anything ; A cottage, a temple, a palace; from they only swallow heaps of words. these he learns Architecture. A pic How long should we keep on getting ture, a statue, a wrought-iron gate; from knowledge ? Till we have passed the these he learns Art. A shelf of books : seventh standard, or taken a prize in the from these he learns poetry, history, sixth form, or received a college-certifistories. And there many more cate in a gilt frame? things in the circle of knowledge. Do I must tell you of the aged man who you see, then, that boys and girls should went to school. A cardinal once passee gain knowledge from all the world along the streets of Rome, and met an around them; from books, but not old bent man, who trudged slowly along only from books? I spoke the other in the snow; for it sometimes Snow's day about watching and observing the even in sunny Italy. world in which we live. I ask you to "Where are you going?" asked the keep open your bright eyes to pick up cardinal. knowledge from the green grass, from “I am going to the school of sculpthe fluttering moth, the leaping squirrel, ture to study,' answered the old man. the broken stone, the walls and arch This old learner was Michael Angelo, ways of buildings. one of the most famous sculptors of the From archways, I said. There was world-he that carved the statue of once a young Welshman who did that. I David, the statue of Moses, and many His name was William Edwards, and he' other noble pieces. He could teach the was born in Glamorganshire in 1719..' world ; but he was ready to be taught. He learned to build stone-walls for Of another old scholar I have a story. fences round fields. As he grow This was Sir William Herschel, the skill he became a house-builder. He astronomer. Year after year in his long longed to be able to construct an arch. lite he studied the splendid sky, and An arch is a most beautiful thing, span. never got tired. At the sight of a new ning over our heads like a rainbow, with star or a new comet he was delighted. its strong keystone in the middle. He would show it to his friends. It was Young Edwards often strolled up to a pleasure to him to call people to look the ruined castle near his home, and upwards, away from things mean and there stood gazing at the arched gate small and worthless to the great fireway of the ivy-covered tower; and he i globes of heaven. Above all, he liked to learned the secret. An order was given show them to his sister Caroline, who to him to build a mill across a strcam, helped him in all his work. In 1819 he and it must needs have a strong arch; was past eighty years of age, and you and Edwards planned it and made it, might think he would no longer be interand the people saw it and wondered at ested, or he would feel he had learned its fine appearance. In later years he enough. No, he still was eager to see became a famous arch-maker, for he was more. In that year he sent a note to his a builder of bridges. sister one day, saying: "Lina, there is a Do not think, then, that you can be great comet. I want you to assist me. come wise simply by reading books. If you can come soon after one o'clock, in I ·KNOWLEDGE 85 we shall have time to prepare maps and Aberdeen militia, and one day was drilltelescopes. I saw its situation last night. ing with his comrades on an open space It has a long tail.” Think of the old near the sea. All of a sudden he left astronomer peeping through the telescope the ranks, and rushed like a madman and wondering at the majestic comet, over the sand-hills, here, there, forward, whose long, shining tail hung across the backward, zig-zag, up, down! A corporal dark blue of the sky. For old men can and several men were sent in pursuit. wonder as well as children. At length they seized Thomas, and The boy who tries hard to learn all he was marched in disgrace across the about the wheels and levers and valves of parade-ground towards the barracks, a steam-engine; the girl who struggles to where he would be punished by confineunderstand her French book; the man ment in a cell. The party was met by who finds out some new way of weaving, an officer and some ladies. What had or smelting metal, or driving cars the prisoner done? asked the ladies. all these people are like soldiers who Then he confessed that he had caught conquer new countries. They carry on sight of a rare butterfly such as he had a great war against all that is idle or long desired to see, and in his eagerness stupid. Soldiers in this war are nobler to add it to his box of specimens (for he than soldiers who brandish sabres or hurl was very fond of natural history) he forshells into towns and villages. At least, got the discipline of the soldier, and so I think ; but all people do not think dashed over the sand-hills in the vain so. Men who learn are building up; attempt to capture it. The ladies begged but men who fight with bayonet or that the young militiaman might be let maxim-gun are throwing down. off, and he was at once released. He In olden times the city of Syracuse, thought science was more important than on the coast of Sicily, was besieged by war! I must tell you Edwards was by the Roman ships. The Romans gained trade shoemaker ; but in his leisure the mastery, and entered the town. hours he collected a set of 916 sorts of famous sage named Archimedes (Ar-ke insects, which he stored in a garret. mcé-decs) was kneeling on the floor draw Alas, the rats found his butterflies and ing circles and lines in chalk, and think beetles, and devoured all his treasures ing out a problem in geometry. He except the wings and the pins ! Brave heard not the noise in the streets, ſor le Thomas; he did not despair, but persewas so intent upon his task. A Ronan vered in making another collection, soldier entered, and called upon Archi which he completed in four years. I medes to follow him as al prisoner. wish, indeed, that all our fighting-men “Do not interrupt me; keep off my could ‘lay down their arms," and discircle,” cried the scholar; "wait till cover knowledge that would be useful I have done." and joyous, instcad of studying how to: The soldier, who understood only how slay and break and scatter and destroy. to kill people, raised his sword, and Why, then, should we care to get smote Archimedes a deadly blow, and knowledge ? the scholar's blood was spilt upon the 1. Because knowledge gives us skill pattern which he had drawn upon the skill to do tasks, skill to help ourselves, floor. The man of the sword slew the skill to make watches, or pianos, or man of learning. War is the enemy of carpets, or houses, or roads, or railways, knowledge. or telegraphs, or other useful things. We *But that is a sad story. Let me tell love to be strong in hand and eye; it is you a brighter one before I leave off better than being giants. this talk. It is about a Scot, Thomas 2. Because it gives pleasure both to Edwards, who was born in 1814. In the ourselves and to other people. I have year 1831 young Edwards joined the seen hundreds of children learn to write, а ·86 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS cane. and many of them wrote well, and many copiously. The people stood round in badly. I do not believe one of the bad terror and dismay. A woman pushed writers cared for his bad writing ; it gave her way through the crowd, and she him no pleasure. But the good writers bound a strip of linen very tightly round took a joy in their bold, clear letters ; the fcaper's leg above the wound, so as : they would hold their heads back, and to stay the flow of blood until the doctor look proudly at their excellent copies ; Her knowledge helped her to and other people found pleasure in look save a fellow-creature's life. ing also. How brightly glow the eyes of the girl who plays her pianoforte piece These are rich people—the people with skill; there is a smile upon her who have won the knowledge to perform face; and the people that sit 'round good work, who have learned how to listen gladly, and thank her; and she please their neighbours by their wise forgets all the hard toil of the learning. words or neatness and readiness and 3. Because it gives us power to help artistic skill, and who have gained the others. A reaper in the harvest-field full power to help their ſellow-men. upon his sharp sickle, and his leg bled ·LESSON XXIX SEARCHING FOR TRUTH Cave She Vas Things people search after. The search after shall play tennis ; I shall have picnics in truth about the earth; about the heavens. Greenwood Forest; I shall take long A LADY' was being helped into a railway spins on my bicycle ; I shall go to the carriage. Her face was pale; her head concert; I shall have feasts of lobster." drooped wearily; her fingers were thin; This young min was in search of she sighed when her frienils bad scated enjoyment. her, as comfortably as they coul, by the A fourth person was ontering tlie same window. She looked out at the bustling train, and he was talking quietly to a crowels on the platform ---the porters, the companion. guards, the soldiers, the children, the "They say this rus several nurse's, thu: old lady with tieltly bundles ; hundred feet into the Blackstone Hill, but she novor smiled. She was in search and that in the floor of this cave have of something. I looked up at the name been found the bones of hyienas and board attached to the carriage, and I saw bears along with the bones of men. the train was going to a place at the Seite You see it is thousands and thousands side ---a place of yellow sands, and of of years since the hyena and bear lived clills and we's, and bright gardens, and in this country, and so it will prove that tall, dark pine trees. Then I knew what man lived on this carth a very long time this lily Wits in search of. ago-long before the period wher many searching for health. She hoped when people suppose the world began. 1 the sea-breeze: bilet in her face it would shall examine the cave very carefully Dyring fresiness to her blood, and hope day after day until I can find out all the to her sudbit. ficts, " les, sir," said a man who was about This man was in SEIROIL OF TRUTH. to step into the silmu Train, 1 shilli talk about men who have searched make a good bargain of it. The plot of for different kinds of truth. land I have bought lies near the cliſis. On this liund, sir, I shall build 1 botel Some scarch for truth about the corth with live hundred roonis in it. There al' licy (n. Such was David Livingwill be a most splendid view from the stone, who was born near Glasgow in windows, across the bay, including the 1813. His father kept a small shop, lighthouse and the stagulls' island. I and will poor. David, at the age of ten, shall de a fine business, sir. I shall was sent to work in a cotton-spinning make a prolit of lifiy per cent., sir." factory, a great ugly building with This man was in search of whalti. hundreds of windows and with tall “Ha, ha!" laughed young Harry, who smoking chimneys. l'rom six in the had just taken his seat, and was biddling i morning till cight in the evening the lad good-bye to his cousin Gordon ; "you toiled in the dreary cotton-mill. Yet he won't know me when I come back, my had a great passion--a great love--for face will be so brown). I shall bathe learning the attended a night school every morning ; 1 shall go boating ; 1 from cight till ten o'clock. Often he is I expect to 87 ·88 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS а Was was read and read till his mother snatched from one of the topmost little windows, the book from his hand and bade him he would continue his search for truth. go to bed. Afterwards he became a He felt more and more sure the teachers student at Glasgow University, though at the colleges were mistaken when they he had little money, and his food was said the earth stood still and the sun often only oatmeal. He studied and rolled round it day by day and month by studied till he became a doctor-Dr. month. No; it was otherwise. The Livingstone. In940 he went as big radiant sun kept its place, and the preacher to the Cape of friud Hope. earth and the moon and the other The rest of his life he travelled in planets wheeled round it in immense Africa, meeting lions (once a lion left circles. It was a deep joy to him to the marks of its teeth on the Doctor's think of all this, and he forgot his weariarm), talking kindly to brown Kaffirs ness and coldness as he dreamed of it. and Arabs, to black negroes, sorrowing But he almost feared to tell the people when he saw people in slavery, and try what he had found. For the priests of ing to persuade people to put a stop to the Church might fall upon him in the wickedness of buying, selling, and anger and put a curse upon him for ill-treating African natives. He teaching such new ideas. But he exeager to find out the secrets of the Dark plained his discoveries in a book, and Continent-the secrets of its streams, its the printer brought the book to him as great waterfalls, its broad blue lakes, its he lay on his death-bed. This was in forests, its mountains, and the beginning 1543 ; and the watcher's name of the vast River Nile. He wished to Kopernik, or Copernicus. His map of know more, more; not to get gain for the sun and planets (very much as we himself, but that white men might now learn it at school) shows us what is understand Africa, and make colonies in called the Copernican system. it, and make the Africans more peace In Italy, about twenty years after the able and more wise. It is true that death of the watcher at the steeple- Europeans have often donc evil to the window (1564), a baby was born who natives of the Dark Continent; but was one day to bear a famous name. Livingstone never showed them the bad When he grew to boyhood and manexample. He never lifted his arm to hood, he felt a strong desire to learn shoot or injure a fellow-man. And things useful and wonderful. Many when he had searched the land for many people about him looked at him with years, he fell ill, and laid down and died frowning and jealousy, for they did not in a little hut in May, 1873; and the care to see a young man so ready to disblack men, who loved him, carried his cover new facts. When he was sure a body, wrapped in bark, to the distant thing was true, he would go and tell it seashore; and now he rests in West openly to everybody, and his franknes's minster Abbey. offended the priests, for they wished the people to learn only from the Church. Some search for truth about the Once, indeed, young Galileo did learn heavens. Many years ago, night after from a church--from the lamps in the night, a man used to sit at a garret cathedral of Pisa. One evening an window and watch the sky and the glit- attendant was lighting the lamps that tering stars. All around the streets hung by chains from the roof, and, as he were quiet ; the citizens were asleep. passed along, he left them swinging from This watcher alone kept awake, and, as side to side. Galileo looked keenly and he gazed, he drew maps and diagrams, steadily. Surely these lamps took no and wrote many notes in his books. longer to swing a wide swing than a Sometimes he would mount the narrow short one. He felt his pulse, and stairs of the high cathedral tower, and, counted the beats-yes, it was true, that ·SEARCHING FOR TRUTH 89 sun great bronze lamp took four beats to go from right to left; and, now that it swings a less distance, it still takes four beats! Galileo goes home, and hangs a weight at the end of a cord, and swings it in long curves and short curves ; they all occupy the same number of pulses, or throbs. Galileo feels as glad as if he had lit upon a casket of precious jewels. He has found a new truth, which is afterwards turned to good use in making the pendulums of clocks. Later on this learned Italian put glasses into a tube, and looked upwards to sun, moon, and stars. He had made the first telescope. And, as the breast of David Livingstone swelled with joy when he beheld a new river, a new lake, a new range of mountains in Africa, so Galileo experienced delight at the new scenes which his little telescope uncovered to his eyes. The Milky Way spreads its band of white mist across the night sky ; Galileo's telescope told him tuat it was made of countless brilliant stars. The blazes with golden flame; Galileo's telescope showed him dark spots in the midst of the brightness. The planet Jupiter rolls around the sun ; Galileo's telescope unveiled to him four tiny moons revolving round Jupiter (since then a fifth moon bas been noticech). The planet Saturn appears to the naked eye as a simple silver ball; Galileo's telescope proved to him that Saturn was girdled with a belt, or band. And, like Copernicus, he de. clared that the earth wheeled round the sun. Would you not think that all the people would join in Galileo's wonder, and feel happy with him in his new knowledge? Would you not think the folk would tell one another in the market-place: “Galileo has seen strange and beautiful things in the sky; let us be thankful to him for telling us what he has seen"? Alas, no ! Most people called him wicked for teaching ideas about the heavens which the priests of the Church could not find in their holy books. Galileo was put in prison for a year; he became blind; he died in disgrace in the year 1642. He was a noble soul; you and I will love to think of him, because he loved to think of true things. Like Copernicus and Galileo was young James Ferguson. His father was a Scotch labourer, and James was the youngest child. While the elder boys learned to read, little James listened, and picked up his letters and words, and he used to ask an old dame the meanings of the words his brothers repeated. One day the father found, to his astonishment, that James could read; and he thought the boy deserved to be taught more, and he showed him how to write. James was set to work as a shepherdboy. The sheep gave very little trouble, and he had many leisure hours, during which he made models of windmills and spinning-wheels. His chief pleasure was to wait till the red sunset faded out of the sky, and over the rugged Scotch mountains gleamed the army of the stars. Wrapped in a blanket, and with a lighted candle at his side, James sat in the meadow like a small ghost ! He held up a thread on which beads were strung, and he would turn to a group of stars, such as the seven in the Great Bear, and move a bead until it covered up one star, and another bead until it covered another star. “The distance between the two stars,” he would murmur to himself, “appears on the thread to be an inch and a half." Then he would turn to a paper and mark dots on it to represent the stars at that distance. Again holding up his thread and beads, he proceeded to observe other stars, and thus he worked out a map of the heavens. "Ha, ha, ho," laughed the farmer one day, when he caught sight of James Ferguson's curious map. But his face became serious when he learned the meaning of the marks, and he saw in the shepherd-boy's eyes a light that told of his gladness in searching for truth. He encouraged James to make large, clean copies of his star-maps. In ·90 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS after years Ferguson was known as a skilful astronomer, and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society-F.R.S. A s fellow" means a companion. The young shepherd had become a panion of wise men. com- LESSON XXX SEARCHING FOR TRUTH-(concluded) Searching for truth about light, lightning, the light broken up into these colours, and human body, and the social body. It is a glowing with the beauty of precious noble thing to search for the way to raise the fallen. Motto: "I seek after truth, by which stones. Sir Isaac (so the story runs) one no man ever yet was injured." day stood at a window blowing bubbles and gazing at them carnestly as they MANY great men have spent much time glided on the brecze. A boy who was in scarching for truth about the light, passing laughed aloud at so odd a sight. the glorious light which shines upon The boy's father checked him and said : snowy hills, and wide green forests, and "You do not know what you are laughrolling seas, and castles, and villages, ing at; that is Sir Isaac Newton studyand which tries to peep through windows ing the laws of light.” of houses in the close streets of cities. Look at this picture. You see a little One of these was Sir Isaac Newton. girl on the beach. She is picking up When he was a baby he was so tiny his white, yellow, and pink stones which the mother declared she could put him into tide has washed clean, and she drops a quart pot. As a boy he found pleasure them into her pail. Out yonder there in making models-he constructed a is the wide, wide sea which sweeps round wooden clock; he built a small wind the globe to the far Cape, to India, to mill with linen sails, and he placed in it New Zealand ; but of this occan sho a wee mouse to act as miller ; he made knows nothing. And once when a lady kites which carried lighted lanterns at told Sir Isaac Newton how she admired the end of their tails and floated through his learning and his science, he thought the evening air and astonished the of such a child as this : he thought how country people. In the year 1666 he little he knew, after all, of the vast world ; tried experiments with a five-sided bar, he had only picked up little ideas here or prism, of glass. He darkened the and thero; and he answered humbly : room by closing the window with a " Alas! I am only like a child, picking shutter. At a hole in this shutter he up pebbles on the shore of the great fixed a prism. The sunlight passed ocean of truth.” Newton died in March, through the hole, then through the 1727, and he was buried in Westminster glass, and then fell upon a board or Abbcy. If ever you visit the Abbey, screen, and behold! the white light was look at his tomb, and, if you speak, divided into seven kinds of light, like a speak in whispers rainbow--red rays, orange rays, yellow rays, green rays, blue rays, indigo rays, Yes, and even for the truth about violet rays. So also the sunlight flashes lightning, men have searched. In olden through the raindrops, and breaks into times people supposed the streaks of sevenfold colours and spreads over the lightning were flames caused by the sky the coloured band of the rainbow. thunder-bolts which the gods fung In the soap-bubbles, also, you will see towards the earth. Benjamin Franklin ·SEARCHING FOR TRUTH 91 come thought they must be electric fires, tiny living things, or, as people say, kindled by the meeting together of organisms ”'), and these sometimes float electric forces from the earth and the from the skins of sick persons. Years storm clouds. Could he draw this elec ago, in France, England, and elsewhere, tricity from the cloud ? Could he attract it was thought that a disease known as it by an iron wire, and cause it to pass scrofula could be healed by kings, and down towards the earth and give out a many thousands of poor people would lightning spark? He made a kite of silk to the king, and he would and cedar-wood. Then he waited for a touch them, and they would go day of tempest. One day (in June, 1749), home believing they would soon be well. he saw the sky black with thunder clouds. All this was fancy; and the only way He went out on Philadelphia common to get rid of such fancies was to learn and let the kite rise. He knew that the truth about our bodies, our bones, water was a good conductor, or carrier, muscles, skin, and blood; and then men of the clectric force, and hoped that, as would consider more wisely how to cure soon as the string became wet, it would the diseases they suffer fron, the "ills carry the electricity downwards. But that flesh is heir to." One of these brave not into his hand; he protected his learners was William Harvey, an English hand with a silk handkerchief, because physician. About the year 1618 he silk is a non-conductor. And he tied a made known his discovery that our blood key to the cord to collect the current as is always running-always circulating it descended. The rain fell; Franklin's from the heart through the blood vessels coat was drenched; the string was soaked, and back to the heart; that the hcart except at the end near his hand. Had pumps it into pipes called arteries, which the wire caught the unseen force, and was become smaller and smaller as they it thrilling in the cord, and had it Hashed branch off from the larger vessels, until, into the key? He had one hand free: under the skin, they are thinner than with a finger of this hand he touched the hairs; and that then the blood flows key. A bright spark shot out. He hac from these small vessels into the veins, drawn lightning from the upper air. and the veins bear it to the beating His heart pulsed with gladness at his heart; and from the little chambers of He had discovered a our heart--this warmı heart that throbs truth. And he inade the truth uscful. always, and throbs more strongly when Franklin made copper wires or rods to we are angry or joyful or in haste-the conduct the lightning away from tall blood again rolls through the lungs and buildings into the carth. You will often the arteries and veins. Think of the see these conductors fixed to churches, wonder of it-this crimson stream that towers, lofty pillars, and the tall chimney's runs and runs through the bodies of men of factories. and bcasts and birds; and from it are formed muscle and bone and nerve and Or the search may be for truth about hair. The better we understand the build the human body. What strange fancies of our bodies, the better we understand men have had concerning their own how to keep them in health, and how to bodies. In Ceylon the natives believe cure them of sickness. When men like that various diseases are the work of Harvey studied the secrets of this “house devils; and to frighten these devils away we live in,” thcy were like men looking they cover their faces with ugly masks into a beautiful temple and seeing great and dance with wild yells. You may works and great truths which before had see some of the masks in the British been hidden from the eyes of mankind. Museum. But you know diseases spring, not from devils, but from bad water, bad There is another body about which food, badair, bad germs (they are, indeed, men search for truth. When you and I success, nc'i ·92 TRUTH ANI) TRUTHFULNESS see the army march past, or the sailors who had spent years in searching for the man the yards of a ship-of-war, or the truth about the Life and Labour of the policemen at their posts, or the firemen People in London. People in London. He had sent out on their engine, or the people who hurry bands of messengers all over the great to the tram-car, pass in and out of shops, city, to workshops and factories, to labour in fields, toil in the mines, or schools and workhouses, to thousands of gather at the theatre, we know that we streets and lanes and courts; and these are all bound together in one society, one ladies and gentlemen put down all the nation, one social body. Now, often facts they learned about the food and things go wrong in the social body: lodging and trades of the working people suffer hunger ; they live in people. And Mr. Charles Booth arranged wretched homes; they perhaps break all the facts in nine books; and he made out in riots. All this shows there is a maps---such sad maps-in which you can disease ; a cure is necded. Ah! it is not sec the poorest streets marked black and easy to find the cure. But we should dark blue. No man can now pretend think about it, and do our best. Those that he does not kn where the poor who do not care about it are bad men and Londoners are, and how sorrowful is bad wornen. If a man lay dying in the their need. street, and people passed him by with a When a soldier is shot by a bullet the cold glance, and never stayed a moment surgeons first find where the bullet is. to say a word of pity and try to lend Mr. Booth has found the bullet ; he has a helping hand, you would think them found where the people suffer. That will selfish. And so they are selfish who sce not cure them ; but it will help the bethe poor live and pine in unwholesome ginning of the cure. You boys and girls dwellingsand in endless toil, and yet never are to help as you grow older. You and have a fellow-feeling for them. Now, I and all of us will think what we can you remember how William Harvey do; we must search for plans to save the assisted us to understand our bodies by poor. showing us how the blood circulates. It is noble to search for truth about And it will help the men and women the earth; the heavens ; the light; the who seek to make the poor happier if lightning ; the human body. It is manly; they know just where the poor are to be it is the work of man ; for the weaker found, and how they carn their living animals cannot search for truth as we can. (such as it is), and what it is that keeps But one of the noblest and manliest them from rising to a better life. On things is to search for the way to raise June 14th, 1898, there was a crowded the fallen and liſt our brothers from the meeting at Cambridge. Up to the plat dust. form stepped various gentlemen who were So go to school ; and con your books; to receive honourable names (degrees) and observe the world you live in; and from the University. One was an actor ; say what a great Emperor of Rome said : another was an architect; another was a “I seek after truth, by which no man painter, and so on. And one was a min ever yet was injured.”

·LESSON XXXI JUDGING JUSTLY Examples showing how persons arc misjudged. We should hear all sides of a question. We must be careful in our judgment in order to be just. In a lonely place, near a swamp in the United States, there stood an inn. One evening, as it was getting dark, a stranger knocked at the door, and asked for a lodging. The innkeeper stared and hesitated. "I can't let you in here," he said ; "you are suffering from some disease, and I don't want my family to catch it. Your face is very badly marked.” “My face?” exclaimed the traveller, “I see how it is your mistake has arisen. I am a botanist, and I have been gathering rare plants all day long in the swamp yonder, and the mosquitoes have birten me, and caused my skin to turn red and swollen." The innkeeper begged pardon, and invited Mr. Thomas Nuttall, the botanist, to enter the house. You sce the man was too much in a hurry. He was not careful in his JUDGMENT. He misjudged. ing whether there might not be a great power in steam, and whether a wise man might not be able to make use of its pushing force and its habit of changing quickly from vapour to water. Could this strength in the stcam be used in driving machinery? James Watt was a dull boy at school at least people said SO; but he was more thoughtful than they knew. He could see that the wretched little steam-engines which were employed at that time might be very much improved, and he made many im. provements in these machines. If ever you visit a factory, and watch the flashing wheels, and the easy movement of rods and rollers and chains, as the paper is made, or the calico, or the carpet, etc., remember the name of James Watt. This famous engineer died in 1819. His aunt was far from supposing he would ever become so useful a man and such an honour to his native Scotland. She was hasty in her judgnient. A good while ago a boy sat by the fireside holding a spoon over the spout of a kettle. As the steam puffed from the kettle it was caught in the bowl of the spoon, and presently it had thickened or condensed into drops like dew. Again and again the boy tried the little experiment. His aunt, seeing him engaged in this way for so long a time, at length grew impatient, and cried :- " James, don't be so idle! Why don't you find something useful to do?" She misjudged him. Young James Wart was not a lazy lad. He was think- Another boy—a Devonshire boywas very fond of drawing. Whenever he could get hold of pencil and paper he sketched faces, and heads, and houses, and trees, and rocks. His father was the master of the grammar school and was not pleased at young Joshua's industry with his pencil. One day he snatched up a picture drawn by his son, and wrote on the back of it: “Done by Joshua out of pure idleness." The boy, however, persevered. He made so accurate a sketch of the school-house that his father's heart softened, and he decided that Joshua should be allowed to study 93 ·9. TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS drawing. The boy became a notable proved how he had suffered for the sake artist, and all over the world people prize of his flag and his country. his beautiful portraits. His name you have no doubt often heard—Sir Joshua One evening some ladies and gentle- Reynolds. His father had misjudged men were sitting round a piano, enjoying him ; but he discovered his mistake. the music which one of the party played. The boy who appeared lazy worked with From this room a glass door led out into zeal at his tasks, and we gaze with plea the garden. Presently one of the party sure upon the bcautiful women and the uttered an exclamation : rosy-winged boys (cherubs) whom this “Look at that young thief !” great artist has painted. It was al ragged and barefooted boy, about ten years old, who had crept in at A crowd of people had assembled in the open door, and stood in the shadow the streets of a French town. One of of the curtains. With rough words he the company, whose name was La Motte, was ordered away, and he hastily fled. trod upon another man's foot. The ill But he was not a thief. Poor as he was, tempered man turned upon La Motte', his little soul was tender and honest. As and struck him a violent blow on the he passed by the house he had heard the head. sound of music. Having been brought " Ah, sir," said La Motte, in a quict up in the country, he had never heard voice, "you will surely be sorry for what the notes of a piano before. His heart you have done when you know that I was touched. His chest heaved with an blind." i strange, new feelings. Nearer and nearer The man reddened with shame, and he crept towards the charming player murmurul in excuse. He had imagined until, almost without knowing it, he in his haste that La Motto Wils but a rude : stood within the room. Poor child, he or careless fellow, who deserved to be had many hardships to pass through ; taught better manners. His unjust judy. but he rose above them, and learned the ment led him to do so mean a thing as art of music, and, in after years, his to strike a blind neighbour. hyeu-tunes were sung in many homes. His name was Philip Bliss. And so the In the year 1896 an Italian general seeming thief turned out to be a lover of was walking along the road, and met a music, He had been unjustly judged. private, whose baff uniform and blue cloak showed many marks of wear and Do you think we may ever misjulge tear. You could guess, by the worn curimals? Let me remind you of the dress and the man's tanned face, that he poem of “ Llewellyn and his Dog." had lately served in the war with the The morning smiled gaily, and, at the Abyssinians. But the private passed by sound of the hunters' horns, many dogs the general without raising his hand to were preparing to follow their masters 10 salute. The officer was offended. He the chase of the stag. At the castle gate turned round, and inquired the reason. the Welsh l'rince Llewellyn had mounted The Italian soldier gave a jerk with his his horse, and impatiently he blow upon shoulders, and threw back the blue cloak. his horn again, to summon his favourite A sad sight showed itself. The man had hound, Gelert. The good dog did not no arms; the savage Abyssinians had appear, and the prince and his comcut them off. Tears filled the general's panions rode on along the valleys about eyes. Ho embraced the soldier, and Snowdon. Somehow or other, success promised to take care of him. The un did not reward the search of the huntsfortunate fellow had been misjudged. men; everybody missed the faithful dog The officer had thought him guilty of who used to be foremost in the chase. want of respect; but his terrible wounds On his return the prince saw Gelert ·O. JUDGING JUSTLY 95 bounding to meet him near the castle marble. On the marble slab was enentrance. Llewellyn was alarmed to sec graved the story of how Gelert ſought that the dog's tccth and lips were crim the wolf, and how his master had misson with blood. He hastily looked : judged him, and how the prince never round the gateway, and sped up the ceased to sorrow for his hasty deed. narrow stairs that led to the chamber You perceive, then, that we ought to where lie had left his infant son lying. look once, and look twicc, and perhaps On all sides he saw blood-marks. The thrice and more, before we can be sure bed was turned over in confusion. we have seen aright the conduct of our “Ile called his child ; no voice replical ; neighbour. We should look on more lle scarched with terror will; than one side. You have often heard Blood! blood he found on every sile, of the two knights who quarrelled and But nowhere found his child." fought about the shield? This shield Then the awful thought came into his was on the arm of the statue of a god. mind that Gelert had killed and caten dess, and one side was of gold and the the child. The prince drew his sword, other of silver. Each knight had only and with one stroke slew the hound observed one side. One said it was which had so long been his favourite. silver; the other maintained it The noise of Gelert's dying yell gold ; and both were partly right. They awakened the child, who had been judged hastily about the shield; and lying under the tumbled clothes they judged hastily about each other, the floor. With great joy Llewellyn each thinking the other was a teller of kissed his little son. falsehoods. You understand, then, what people mean by the advice, “Look at "Nor wound had he', nor harui, nor creaci, both sides," or "Hvar all sides." We But, the sline couch bencih, Lay a great wolf, all turn and dead, have found that hasty judgment is likely Tremendous still in death. to be unjust judgment. The boy or "Ah! what was then Llewellyn's pain? girl or man or woman whom we may for now the truth was clear: think bad, or rude, or careless, or idle, The gallant hound the wolf had slain, or disagreeable, may turn out to be To save Llewellyn's heir." better than ourselves. You and I must The prince had Gelert buried in the be careful. Every day we are watching castle grounds, and, over the dog's other people, and judging them. We grave, he raised a noble monument of are all judges. Let us be JUST JUDGES, was (n • LIBRARY MAJU PUBLIC ESTD. 1902 HOWRAH.

·LESSON XXXII DIFFERENCES OF OPINION Our different lastes with respect to colour, voices, clothes, animals, pictures, gaines, and occupations. Such differences of. opinion are amusing, and often useful. We should respect each other's opinions. grey ? ? For grcy Which do you like better, dark people or fair a Would you rather see people with brown hair, or black, or auburn, or flaxen? Do you prefer brown eyes, or blue, or grey There are twenty boys and girls here; shall I ask you to vote? Come then, voters, to the poll, and be ready to raise your right hands. If you were to drop papers into a box or urn, your voting would be by ballot. But we do not want any secrets. You are not afraid of me, or of each other. And now, brave voters, attention ! For brown eyesnine ! For blueseven ! four! We must have a second election, and choose between blue and brown. Free and independent electors, be ready! For brown eyes-nine again! For blue-eleven! Blue eyes have won by a majority of two. You are all laughing. I am laughing also, though my eyes are brown. Let us all clap hands in honour of the glorious blue eyes; and now again for the handsome brown; and yet again for the charming grey! The election is over. On the blackboard we will write the result of the poll : question. Which of you would like the eyes of all the people in the world to be blue ? Not one ! Which of you would wish to see all men and women, in the Old World or the New, possess brown eyes ? Not one! Is there one of you who would care to turn all eyes into Not one. Would you, then, say that it is pleasant or unpleasant to behold men and women with eyes of different colours ? It is no doubt pleasant. The mother's blue eyes beam with love as she looks into the face of her baby; the baby's grey eyes laugh back in love at his mother; the father stands by, and in his brown eyes I see love for both the mother and the child. And so in all three colours we see the sparkle of one love. Shall we next think of people's voices ? Think of the baby's pretty coo-coo; the boy's shout; the girl's shrill laugh; the woman's gentle tones; the man's gruff accents. Would you wish that all voices should be alike? Would you care that all your companions at play should call to one another in just the same tones ? No, I am sure you would rather hear many kinds of voices, just as, in music, it is more pleasing to listen to men and women mingling their treble, alto, tenor, and bass, than to listen to voices that all sound the same. Our clothes also. You watch the people that pass, and remark great differences in their dress, in their costume--you notice the soldier and the policeman; the postmán; the sailor; the fireman; the hospital nurse; the bride with her veil; the quiet colours of business men; the gayer hues of the II ... Blue eyes Brown eyes ... . 9 Majority for blue eyes ... 2 And now, electors, I will ask you a 96 ·DIFFERENCES OF OPINION 97 of - ladies; the pretty suits of the children. View' on the coast You will observe, too, in pictures, the Norway 8,777 various dresses of Arabs, Hindus, Queen Mab in her chariot... 7,644 Chinese, Persians, Turks, Spaniards, and other nations. Do you think it And so on. The people DIFFERED from would be an improvement if all the one another in their ideas or OPINIONS women wore clothes of one fashion ? of the pictures. Would you feel vexed and the men dressed all in one pat and angry because all the visitors had tern ? and the children? By no means; not voted for your favourite picture of for it would make the world seem very “Cinderella's Flight from the Palace”? dull. Surely not. It is amusing to find that Shall we next go to the Zoological other people have different opinions Gardens ? The cages and the paddocks about pictures from ourselves. We can are full of life, but the life appears in tell each other why we voted, and we many forms. Here it is clothed in can laugh and joke, and perhaps learn feathers, there in fur, elsewhere in something from our neighbours, and bristles, in scales, in thick leathery become wiser in judging pictures and hides. The beetle has six legs, the other things of beauty. lion four, the heron two, the cobra Suppose I ask you next which is the none. High overhead towers the stately game or amusement you love most of giraffe ; low on the ground creeps the all ? All your hands are raised! Let humble tortoise. With what delight the us hear the answers. Cricket--football children run from one scene to another, skipping - baseball lawn-tennis and how they wonder at each new form chess (there's a philosopher for you ; of animal life. this boy likes chess more than cricket And so in eyes, in faces, in voices, in and marbles !) --flying kites-hop-scotch clothes, in the forms of life--and we -hare-and-hounds (or “paper-chase") might also add in plants and houses and --halma-and here is a little girl who gardens and books and a thousand other says "oranges and lemons." What difthings, we take pleasure in finding ferences of opinion! Which of you will DIFFERENCES. be the first to fly into a passion because Once there was a picture exhibition, the others will not agree? Not "oranges and the walls were covered with many and lemons"; she looks too goodpaintings. Crowds of people passed in natured. Not “baseball”; he smiles and out of the rooms. Near the like a well-behaved gentleman. No, entrance-door stood a table, on which none of you. And when the school has lay pencils, slips of paper, and a box a half-holiday we shall all rush out, some with a slit in the lid. As each visitor to this game, some to that; we shall was leaving, he was asked to write on differ in our opinions and tastes, and yet three slips of paper the names of the we shall all be joyous; and the meadow three pictures he liked the best, and will echo with our shouts. drop the slips into the box. When the Shall we look at the trades and occushow was closed, the papers or votes pations in which people are engaged? were added up. The list began in this You will all of you, of course, like to way :- Let me earn your living some day. ask you what business you will choose. Joan of Arc wounded at the A doctorra sailor-a teacher an elecsiege of Orleans 10,421 trical engineer -- a basket-maker- The death of William dressmaker-a farmer-a nurse--a type- Rufus 9,683 writer-a gardener--a bricklayer--yes ; The Wreck of the Hesall these will be right occupations for perus 9,112 good men and women. And now tell LA а ...

·98 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS In our me if you would prefer that all people The only quict person is the old blind should be doctors ? You laugh. Or fiddler, who walks calmly on, playing shall they all be engine drivers? You amid the riot. Perhaps the man in the laugh again. But do you think all men chair is a Tory, and the people who are and women would wish to be doctors ? angry at his election are Whigs. Most certainly not. We need very many own days people do not often fight at occupations to keep the world going, elections, though they frequently get and it is a very happy thing that some angry with one another, and call cach persons like cne trade, and some an other hard names. People have differother, and so the great work gets done. ences of opinion as to the best way in Let us stop one moment. We have which a country should be governed, or seen that it is pleasant to notice differ a city, or a county. They cannot all ences in eyes, faces, voices, clothing, agree as to whether the army should go and other such things. We have seen to the wars, or more battle-ships be that it is amusing, and even useful, for built, or more money should be given to people to differ in opinion about pictures, the schools, or greater care should be play, and occupations. But the next taken of the poor. And so the people step is not so easy are divided, and vote for different men Look at this picture, drawn by the (or women) to speak their opinions at Englishman Hogarth a hundred and the Board of Guardians, or Council, or fifty years ago. You see a village street Parliament. Is it amusing that people along which streams a crowd of people, should differ in these opinions ? No, I pushing, quarrelling, fighting. Some think not. Is it useful? I think it is are carrying on their shoulders a chair useful; people can state their different in which sits a man very uncomfortably. opinions, and try to find out which is the He has just been elected a member of best. Ought we to feel angry with those Parliament. Here are two men striking who vole differently from ourselves? each other with sticks. A pig and her No. Or they with us? No. They young ones are tumbling into the water. should be ready to believe that we A woman is fainting: A showman has are honest in our votes; and we should got in the way with his performing bear, believe the same of them. We should and the poor creature looks frightened. respect each other's opinions. --- LESSON XXXIII DIFFERENCES OF OPINION-(concluded) war. Differences of opinion as to diet, hunting, and Differences of opinion as to religion. A view of the various religions of the world. We are all liable to crror. Majorities and minorities. it is wrong to kill any animal and eat its flesh for food. And some persons consider it is not right to drink any kind of spirit such as we find in beer or brandy, because the habit may lead to drunken- Some people think that hunting stags and foxes and hares is a right and healthy sport; and others think it is cruel and unmanly. You know, when the soldiers march by with flying colours and music and the tramp of horses, the ONCE I . was talking to a number of children about eating and drinking, and one of the girls said: “Grace and Sam and I do not eat meat; our father and mother think it is not good to do so.” There are people, you see, who believe ness. 22 ·DIFFERENCES OF OPINION 99 the statue of his teacher Confucius. We salute the Chinaman. Our fourth friend is a man of India, with dark (but not black) complexion and coal-black eyes, and on his hcad he wears a white turban; he whispers to himself the words from his sacred books, the Vedas, for he knows them by heart; and he wends his way to a quiet spot where he will worship his god Brahma. We salute the Hindu. people rush to the doors and windows and cheer loudly to show their pleasure; but some men and women turn away sadly and say: "All this fine array of young men in gold and scarlet and blue, what is it for but to shed the blood of their brother-men?" And so, people sometimes differ in opinion about what is right or wrong. We must listen to each other quictly, and ask questions, and tell our thoughts, and agrec as much as we can, and, when we cannot agrec, we can bchave good-humouredly towards each other. And then again, think of the sabbathday. Which is the sabbath-day? Sunday for the Christian people ; Saturday for the Jews; Friday for the Arabs. Some regard one day as holy, and some another, according to their different religions; and some are of opinion that all days are holy so long as men and women act justly. Now, suppose you and I could stand and watch the people of the world go by to their places of prayer, or their houses of worship; suppose we could see them all as iſ in pictures. Next we observe a Buddhist of Ceylon or Japan; he wears a yellow robc;- his lord Buddha has taught him to love all creatures : and he learns lessons from three books called the “Three Baskets.” We salute the Buddhist. 27 mana a A in dress all of white approaches us. We must think we are in the great city of Bombay in India ; the man is a Parsee; he bears in his hand a book of hymns and commandments named the Zend-Avesta ; and he often speaks of the great teacher Zoroaster (20-ro-as'-ter). We salute the Parsce. First the Jew passes by : he carries the book of the Old Testament; he loves to look up to the great teacher Moses; he is going to průy in the synagogue. We salute the Jew. I hear the tinkle of the bells on camel's neck; across the desert an Arab is travelling; he halts and spreads a mat on the sand, and kneels on it and rcpeats a prayer which he learned from the holy Koran ; and the Koran is the book written by his master, Mohammed. We salute the Mohammedan. The Christian follows; he is reading the Bible, which has two parts, the New Testament as well as the Old ; he gives honour to his master, Jesus Christ; he is on his way to a noble temple, such as St. Peter's at Rome, or St. Paul's Cathedral in London. We salute the Christian. Come with me into this quiet museum. Here we may gaze at the wooden coffin of an Egyptian of olden times; and in it lies a mummy, all wrapped round with linen which is now soiled and brown; and upon the bandages of the mummy and all about the coffin are written texts from the holy scriptures which we call the Book of the Dead; and the texts speak of good deeds and a just life. We salute the Egyptian. And who comes now? Here is the quaint figure of the Chinaman; with deep attention he fixes his eyes upon the strangely written letters of a holy book (he calls it a “King” or a “Shu"); he is on the road to yonder building among the trees; and there he will bow before And perhaps there comes by a man ·100 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS At home your different from all these; he loves to read the splendid opal. 'The father smiled verses from all the wise books; he has to see the three rings so perfectly alike. no one master, but he learns lessons He lay upon his death-bed, and had his from many noble men and noble women three sons sent into him one by one. who have lived in past times; and he To each he spoke words of love, and to does not look up to heaven to pray, but each he whispered a blessing, and to he looks at other men and women and each he gave a glittering ring which asks them to act justly, and to be kind to should work magic and make the son's all creatures, and to be bold for the truth heart noble. and the right. I do not know what he So the father died, and was buried. may call himself, but we will salute him Then one of the three sons took out his also. ring with joy and pride, and showed it to his brethren. They cried aloud in Thus people have DIFFERENCES OF astonishment, and they, too, produced OPINION about religion. their rings, and each exclaimed, in heat mother or your father niay tell you and rage, that his jewel was the true one! which of all these religions they like the In great excitement they appeared before best. But before you go home I will a wise judge, and begged him to decide tell you this : that the people of different their quarrel, and say which of the three religions ought to respect each other, sons held the true ring, and which should, just as we have done when we saluted therefore, stand as head of the family them all. But often and often men and receive the chief honour. have hated men of other religions, and The judge asked many questions, and spoken angry, bitter words against then, examined the rings, and sat silent for and they have fought battles, and awhile, and then he said: Christians have flung Jews into prison, “I cannot tell which ring is the and charmed one. But you can prove it I am ashamed to talk of this. yourselves." relate to you a story which I have found " We?" in the poems of a German writer, Lessing. Yes; for if it is true that the ring A rich man who lived in an Eastern gives sweetness to the character of the land had a most precious ring. The ring man who wears it, then I and all other contained an opal stone, which sparkled people in the city may know him by his with changing colours of blue, and milky good life. And so go your ways, and be white, and red, and yellow. People said kind, be truthful, be brave, be just in it was a charm," and that whoever wore your dealings; and he who does these it was made so sweet in character that things will be the owner of the best all men loved him. The rich man, there opal." fore, gave it to his favourite son, and Well, but must people really wear bade him, whenever he thought he was rings in order to act honestly ? Certainly near his death, to present it in turn to not. And will good men quarrel about his best-beloved son. In this way it the differences in their rings? And passed from one generation to another, should good men quarrel about their until it came into the possession of a differences in religion? And shall we certain man who had three sons. Each not all love those men who do good son was dear to his heart, and he wished each day, and who treat their neighbours to give the blessing of the ring to each. rightly? But how could this be done? The fond So, then, we must not speak evil of father was perplexed. At length he sent those people who have different opinions for a skilful goldsmith, a man cunning in from ourselves. You would think it a jewel-work; and he ordered him to make great wrong if some of your playfellows two rings, exactly like that in which shone said you should not play at baseball or Let me ·DIFFERENCES OF OPINION IOI skipping-rope because they did not like it ; or if men were to lock the doors of the meeting-house to which you and your parents went on Sunday, and said you were committing a sin. And so, if we do not like to be interfered with ourselves, we should not interfere with other people. A wise Chinese writer said : "Be strictly correct yourself; but do not cut and carve other people.” Of course, while we may not cut and carve them, we may talk to them in a friendly manner, and try to persuade them into our way of thinking. Then, again, we are all apt to fall into mistakes. Do you not often use a word in error ? Do you not often find that another person knows more than you do, and can show you your faults ? And do you not often count wrong numbers, and fancy you see things that never happened, and hear words that were never spoken? Even our eyes may tell us wrong. Some persons are colour-blind, and, when everyone else sees red cloth, they see grey. We are all liable to error. And, last of all, look at this picture. Here you see a vast crowd of people who march together across the plain. On the hillside overlooking the plain stand two or three men in a lonely group. They are a small minority. They are laughed at by the mighty crowd below because they choose to go another road. Yet it may be that the majority is wrong and the minority is right; and some day the crowd will discover its mistake. We should respect the men and women who are not afraid to say or do a thing differently from the rest of the world. If we just walk with the big crowd because it is big, we are like slaves. "They are slaves who dare not be In the right with two or three."

·LESSON XXXIV PROOFS AND TESTS 2 Putting things and people to the test. It is our dull and leaden. The florin was bad ; it. duty to prove the true and false, good and was not good metal. I had put it to the evil, in the world about us. Ghost stories; fear leads people to believe such tales. proof. When the Great Exhibition of 1851 This morning I have a fancy for doing was held in Hyde Park, you know the sums, and perhaps you will kindly assist Crystal Palace was built to receive the me. We will not puzzle our brains too splendid show. It was expected that deeply, however, and so we will work on thousands and thousands of people the blackboard a simple exercise in would come to see the treasures that multiplication :- were exhibited. Galleries were built upstairs, and the builders wished to 5,871 x 2 make sure that the wooden and iron floors were sound and solid, and fit to 11,742 bear the tread of the multitude. So troops of soldiers were marched along The answer (will you please read it?) is these galleries, and their heavy tramp Eleven thousand seven hundred and put the iron and timber to the proof, forty-two.. Very well. Now, are you and the builders knew that all was certain it is correct? May we not have weil. made a mistake? How shall we make In a court of justice a judge sits on sure of our answer ? Suppose we PROVE the bench, and the twelve jurymen are it. Since we have doubled the number listening, and a witness steps into the we began with (5,871), let us now halve “box," and tells how he saw a fire break the answer in order to bring the amount out in a warehouse, and how he noticed back to what it was before. That is to l a mai a man leaving the burning building say, we will divide the answer by 2, shortly afterwards, and how he had a thus : suspicion that the man had set the place, 2)11,742 in a blaze on purpose. Has the witness spoken the truth? The lawyers ask him 5,871 many questions; at what time did he pass the spot ? could he describe the We have put our work to the PROOF. man's face, his clothes, his walk ? for We have tried it, or TESTED it, and made how long a time did he watch him? which way did the man go? was it not Once, at the railway station, I took a too dark to see distinctly? and so on. ticket and received a florin in change. The lawyers are trying to find out On reaching home, and looking at my whether the witness is speaking truth or money, I suspected something wrong. not. not. They are putting him to the test Was the fiorin a good coin? I rang it or proof. upon the table. Instead of throwing out An officer, employed by the rulers of a strong, sharp, silvery clink, it sounded a city, will often enter a shop where it sure. 102 ·PROOF AND TESTS 103 were much food is sold, and inspect the meat to of Birds, and look at a picture of this see if it is fresh, or he will test the milk, long-billed curlew, and laugh to think or try the quality of the butter, etc., in that it should have been taken for a order to make sure that the meals of the ghost in the midnight sky. people shall be pure and wholesome. A French gentleman named M. Animals, also, use tests. You will see Delboeuf was walking in the country the cat first lightly press its paw upon a with a friend, when they caught the board or other object which it wishes to sound of hunting-dogs. They stopped walk over. The monkey carefully smells and looked about. Neither dogs nor the and handles and examines a fruit or cake swift-coursing deer could they see. A before eating it. countryman approached, and they asked So, then, you see that all things that him which way the huntsmen and their live and move in the world have to be dogs had gone. He paused a moment, ever on the watch to prove what is true, gazed round, and then pointed to some what is false, what is good, what is evil. toads in a puddle. Not only should we do this in the case “That," he said, "is what you of our food, and clothes, and dwellings, hear!” and money, but also in the case of things Yes-toads! At a certain scason of that we see or hear happening about us the year toads utter a shrill, piercing day by day. note, which resembles the yelping of Some years ago Mr. William Young, dogs at a distance. who lived at Newton Nottage, in Gla The two gentlemen morganshire, South Wales, was engaged amused. Had they been weak-minded in the work of surveying or measuring persons, and had they not taken the land. He often had to take long journeys trouble to ask questions, they might over the Welsh hills and valleys, and have believed that ghostly dogs had been return late at night. One dark night galloping over the meadows in chase of Mr. Young was riding on his pony a ghostly stag! across a desolate tract of mountain, when Professor William James, an American he heard a most alarming noise over his writer, was sitting in a room alone one head, like the yelping of hounds. At night. He observed a curious rumbling once he thought of the stories which the noise, which at last seemed to fill the country-folk often told of the Dogs of the place, and tell of a threatening storm. Sky, who hunted among the clouds. The Professor glanced from the window; He did not believe these stories; he had the sky was clear. He went out of the no fear of the cloudland dogs. Yet he room and peeped here and peeped there. was eager to learn the cause of the Much puzzled, he returned ; and still strange outcry. He halted his pony the murmuring kept on. Ha ! he knew and listened and watched with great care. now what it was. On the floor lay a Presently he noticed the rushing of wings, little Scotch terrier asleep and snoring. and a large flight of birds called curlews The snoring had sounded like a far-off passed by, some of them almost brushing tempest! his hat with their wings. The curlews Have you ever read about Haunted settled among the heather, and, no Houses, and the ghosts that glide up sooner had they touched the ground, and down the staircases, and rattle the than the yelping ceased. Mr. Young windows, and bang the doors ! \Vhat smiled and rode on. He had put the foolish ghosts, to stay in these dusty old wild stories of the country-folk to the ruined mansions, when they might go out proof, and now he knew that the into the fresh air and cnjoy themselves, as mysterious noise was due, not to the you and I do in the forest, or gathering Dogs of the Sky, but to the harmless buttercups in the meadows ! But do curlews. You should open your Book you suppose ghosts are real? Why, н ·104 grew faint. PUBERE LIBRARY. TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS I believe some of you boys and girls were no more real than little mischievous could yourselves invent a ghost story. Puck. So, you see, it was fear that made Could you not make me a tale of the ghosts. ghost that haunted the barn? or the Let me give you an instance that will ghost who had his supper in the castle make you smile. It is told by the poet tower at half-past eleven every night? Bloomfield. Yes, you could create ghosts out of your In the village of Fakenham, in Suffolk, own head. Shakespeare did that also. there lived an old dame with her husband In his play of Hamlet you can read how and daughter. One evening she had the Prince walked upon the castlebeen on a visit, and was hastening home terrace one night, and beheld the ghost, through the woods and lanes. She felt or spirit, of his father. The ghost told very timid, though the cawing rooks Hamlet that he had been murdered by never hurt her, nor did the gentle deer. his own brother, and Hamlet must “Darker it grew, and darker fears avenge his death by slaying the wicked Came o'er her troubled mind; uncle, who now wore the crown of Den- When now, a short, quick step she hears mark. And so Hamlet and the ghost Come patting close behind. talked together until the dawn began to Whatever could it be? she turned ; it break, and the spark of the glow-worm stopped ; she could see nothing: She But all this conversation hurried on ; the footsteps followed. She between the ghost and Hamlet was just looked again, and saw a dark monster! what Shakespeare chose to write. When Again she flew on towards the park. She Shakespeare was inventing his play, he reached the white-painted gate, and sat with his pen, ink, and paper, and wrote lines for the ghost to say; and, passed through”! swung it so wide that "ghost and all having read them, he may have been displeased with them, and scratched them “Loud fell the gate against the post, through with his pen, and made new Her heart-strings like to crack, lines instead. For much shc feared the grisly ghost There is another very Would leap upon her back. pretty play of Shakespeare's, called Mid- 'Still on--pit-pat-the goblin went, summer Night's Dream, and in this you As it had done before ; will read of fanciful little creatures such Her strength and resolution spent, as the comical Puck, who pulls the old She fainted at the door." gossip's stool away, and lets her fall; Out came her husband and her daughter and the elves that creep into acorn-cups; in surprise. And then, by the light of a and sweet Queen Titania, who sleeps candle which they had brought, they among the violets and musk-roses; and all the rest. And they are all things of caught sight of a dear little donkey which had lost its way, the imagination, things of fancy, things that cannot be proved real. "And, simple as a playful lamb, Had followed in the dark.' Suppose the people who believed in ghosts and bad spirits had always stopped When the Fakenham people heard of still, like brave William Young on the the dame's adventure, they all made Welsh mountain ; and suppose they had merry. always carefully watched what happened, and waited for the explanation. They “For many a laugh went through the vale, And some conviction too; would have found that the ghosts in the Each thought somethar poblin tale haunted castles or in the churchyards Perb MAJO ÉSTD. 1902 ·PUBLIC LIBRARY ... NAJU PROUFS AND(TESTO. TESTD. 1902 105 M Achille HOWRAH. LESSON XXXV PROOFS AND TESTS--(continued) Further examples of foolish beliefs caused by fear. Another cause is laziness. Better to work than trust in "luck." How to tell fortunes” by observing persons' habits and characters. man SHOULD you think a man could make a cow ill by looking at it? That seems a very foolish idea. But suppose the were bad-tempered and cruel ; would he hurt the cow by a glance of his eyes ? That also seems a foolish idea ; yet people used to believe such things could be done. They believed some men had an Evil Eye. He who looked with an Evil Eye at a beast or a man the first thing in the morning would cause the beast or the man an injury, and a wasting illness, and at last death. Do you think that could really happen? No; but people felt afraid of a man who had a face or eyes very different from other people's; and if a person fell sick, or a cow or a sheep was ailing, they said it was owing to the glance of an Evil Eye. You see it was fear again which led people to think such mistaken thoughts. They did not stop to watch whether the Evil Eye killed all the people and animals it looked at. They did not put their thought to the proof. But you can easily prove that there is really one kind of Evil Eye. If a man or woman or another boy or girl regards you with eyes of anger or spite or dislike, that indeed may hurt your heart, and make you lie awake at night for sorrow. The eye that looks unkindly or cruelly-there is no other Evil Eye but that. Do you know what occurs when there is an eclipse of the sun? A black mark appears on the edge of the sun, and, little by little, it creeps across the blazing surface, until the sun is quite hidden. The earth becomes dark. Birds think evening has come, and they fly up to the branches of trees to roost. Men's faces look pale and grey. Flowers close their petals. The sea wears a strange reddish colour. In olden times men regarded an eclipse with fear and trembling. They thought the gods were displeased. And, in some parts of Asia to-day, when an eclipse of the sun takes place, the people believe a terrible sky-dragon has swallowed the beautiful sun, and they beat drums, and bang on brass kettles, and blow horns to frighten the monster away; and, when the blackness passes away, they rejoice, and cry that the dragon has fled ! But you can, of course, tell me what this blackness is? It is the great globe of the moon sailing between us and the sun, and gradually the moon rolls on and the sun shines clear. In just the same way you might walk between me and the window, and you would eclipse the light of the window. Through fear, people did not look for proofs. The reason of the eclipse of the sun was discovered by brave men who feared no dragon. They observed and pondered until they thought out all the movements of the moon, and saw that sometimes the moon would glide between the earth and the sun. So you see brave men find out the reason of things, and timid men think foolish thoughts. Let tell you about Pericles (Per'-i-klees), the ruler of Athens. He and his Greeks had put out to sea in 150 ships. They were only just starting, when there happened an eclipse of the sun. Great fear fell upon the Greeks. The pilot of Pericles' ship shook for fright. Pericles, however, was not afraid ; for, indeed, an old astronomer had told him H 2 ine ·106 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS how an eclipse was produced. So Pericles took off his cloak, and held it up so as to hide his face. Can you see me?” he asked the pilot. “No, sir." “ Are you afraid because my face is hidden ?" "No, sir." " Then why be afraid because somcthing bigger than my cloak has hidden the sun?" These words calmed the pilot's fears. We have seen that fear keeps people from searching for proofs. There is another reason. Once I went into a house which had just been left empty. The people, however, had forgotten one article. It hung on a nail behind the door. It was curved loopwise ; it was made of iron; it had several holes in it. "Yes, you have guessed it; it was a horseshoe. Very likely it had only been placed there for fun. But, in days gone by, and perhaps in some places even now, people really fancied the horseshoe would bring them “luck," or good fortune. It would make their crops grow well, and keep their cheeks rosy with health, and add more money to their purse! Now, tell me what you think. What will make our crops grow, and our cheeks rosy with health, and our purse increase its money, and our home contain more comfort, and our minds more full of knowledge? You say it is our work, or labour; and I think so too. Then what kind of people are they who trust in a horseshoe instead of trusting in hard work ? They are lazy. Perhaps the laziness is in their hands; perhaps it is in their minds. If they would use their minds more, they would see that an industrious man, without the horseshoe, gets on better than a lazy one with twenty horseshoes over his door. There are people even now who love to wear a coin bored through, or a stone with a hole in it; they carry it “for luck." Very well; would any of you care to try it, and put it to the proof? You, Mary, have a French verb to learn. Suppose, then, that you wear a "lucky" sixpence round your neck, and go playing lawntennis instead of conning French! I fear there would be a sad scene at school next day. Or you, Charlie, may hide a "lucky" stone in your pocket, and see if you can learn you Euclid by just winking at the book ! Indeed, I have known boys and girls who did not believe in “lucky” stones, and yet somehow they thought lessons could be learned without taking any trouble. And, really, that seems quite as stupid. Sometimes you hear people say that spilling the salt is unlucky. Careless persons will spill salt, milk, sugar, cocoa -anything; and certainly careless men and women are always getting into trouble. But is that the fault of the thing spilled, or of the persons who spill it? Careless people let their business fall into disorder, and then lazily say the mischief is in the salt. Or perhaps they do not believe salt can do the mischief. But is it not equally foolish if they wish to fix the fault upon a neighbour ? I have known people who would not dare to walk under a ladder which leaned against a wall. Some harm would follow, so they said ! It is true that, if we walk anywhere without looking where we are going, some harm will happen; but that will be the case, cladder or no ladder. What do you say, Kathleen? If a painter were at work on the ladder, he might drop some of his paint, upon your blue frock ? Quite so; and then you would have an excellent reason for. not passing under it; but it would be the paint, and not the ladder, that would endanger your frock. And Kathleen would not be one of the lazy people who will not think why they do this or why they should do that. Her mind would be active. Would you like to be able to tell people's fortunes ? Little gypsies that you are, you cry yes! The gypsy, with dark eyes and long, wild, black locks, looks into the lady's hand, and says he can read the time to come-she will marry a duke, and live in a grand mansion, and ·PROOFS AND TESTS 107 ride in a coach drawn by cream-coloured horses! Or the star-gazer will pretend to tell from the stars whether good or evil awaits you. I have heard of a church in the island of Anglesea in which is a large oaken altar or chest, and in one side of it you may see a hole. They say that whoever can squeeze through the hole, and turn round, and then wriggle out again, will be sure of not dying for at least a year! I suppose the thin persons manage the best. Can any man know for certain what will happen to him or to others in years to come? No. Can we observe a person's character, and think what kind of life he is likely to lead ? Yes. Could we tell his fortune from his hand ? No. Or the stars? No. From his temper, from his ways, from his habits, from his character ? Well, we shall tell better from these things than by any other means. Come, you shall be fortune-tellers. I will fancy a boy standing here; we will call him Louis. Do you think he will lead a good or a bad life as he grows to manhood? Listen. He is clean in his body, in his work, in his talk ; he is steady in attending, careful in replying ; he has the courage to face a pelting storm When his duty requires him to go on an errand ; he has the courage to turn into another road when his companions beckon him to mischief or rudeness; he looks us frankly in the face; he keeps his word like a gentleman; he plays his games fair and square; he is ready to knock down a bully, and equally ready to help an old lady up the steps, or care for a hungry cat ; he plods at his business day by day, working as hard when by himself as if a hundred eyes watched him Yes, you answer, like I do, that Louis will do well. I think I can see him, twenty years from now, a man noble and upright, with a wife that loves him, and children that hold his hands. He may not be rich; he may not be thought highly of by vain people; but wise men will give him praise; they will call him an honest man. And so our fortune does not depend upon the stars. We will not lazily thinke it all depends upon our father giving us a bag of money, or our uncle leaving us a house to live in. The stars, or the bag of money, or the house with twenty rooms-all these things do not prove a man good or bad. You prove the coin by ringing it. You do not prove a man by his rough jacket or his velvet cloak. You prove him by his character. LESSON XXXVI PROOFS AND TESTS-(concluded) Through want of care in proving and testing stones or to gypsies, or to rich uncles many useful works have been hindered ; the instead of looking to themselves. search for truth has been delayed ; and people have acted cruelly. It is our duty to think Many years ago two men were making and question in order to gain our livelihood, a new machine for weaving cotton cloth. live in comfort, and act justly. Their names were Arkwright and Kay. The machine was set up in the parlour We have seen how people were afraid to of a grammar-school which stood in a search for proofs about ghosts, or the quiet spot, and surrounded by garden eclipse of the sun ; and how they were and gooseberry-bushes. They wished to too lazy to search for the reasons why work without being interrupted. But some men had better fortune than things did not pass off so easily as they others; and they trusted to "lucky" | hoped. The noise of their machine- ·108 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS > son. reason. in this way. the whirring, and clinking, and creaking, .by the waves to an island of the Old and squeaking—was heard by two old World. The priests and professors liswomen who lived in a cottage near by. tened and shook their heads. They These women told the people of the vil turned over the pages of the Bible and lage that something very wicked was going other books, to see if old writers.menon in the grammar-school-the Evil Spirit tioned that the world was round, or that played his bagpipes there, and Kay and land might be reached by sailing to the Arkwright danced to the tune! And a west. No; the books said no such crowd of villagers gathered about the thing. The learned men looked upon house, and threatened to break the doors Columbus with scorn and gave him no and windows, and the two engineers had help. But, in the year 1492, this brave much trouble to persuade them that no man sailed with three ships over the evil was being wrought. The old women Atlantic, and came to the fair isles which and the villagers did not use their rea we call the West Indies. Thus he proved A silly thought came into their himself to be right. For years he had heads, and they did not stop to prove it; been hindered in his search for truth by and, in their foolishness, they might have people who were not careful to think and damaged a useful machine. Indeed, many useful works have been hindered Let me now show you three pictures :- You have heard of Columbus. His 1. A young woman stands against a thoughts often wandered over the Wes wall. Her dark hair hangs loose over tern seas. If a ship sailed from the her forehead and shoulders. In her shores of sunny Spain, and kept its eyes there is a strange look. She seems course towards the sunset, would it reach like a hunted deer. Why is she India ? For no man in Europe then frightened ? You cannot see them in knew that, across the vast ocean, lay the the picture, but men are coming to plains and Rocky Mountains of America. seize her, and carry her to the water Columbus, the sailor, spoke to many and drown her. They say she is a people, and even told the King of Spain witch. They say she has brought death his dreams of the new sea-way to India, among the cattle, and illness among the and his reasons for thinking, the world village folk, and so she must die. But was round, and that vessels might voyage all that they say is false. They have to the west, and keep on westwards until not stopped to reason calmly, and find they reached the place they started from. the real cause of the trouble. Their One day, in 1486, many priests and pro foolishness of thought has made them fessors, in robes of black and brown and cruel. grey, met together in a Council at the 2. Two children, a girl and a boy, are town of Salamanca. Columbus stood walking through a forest, and they shrink before them, and explained why he be in alarm as they catch sight of an old lieved he could find land in the west. woman who carries a bundle of sticks. Sometimes, he said, strange bits of carved Her face is wrinkled; she talks to her wood had been picked up on the shores self as she goes. “It is a witch," whisper of islands in the Eastern Atlantic, and the children. Perhaps they will go these carvings had drifted from the west home and tell their parents, and perhaps and must have been cut by the hands of the country-folk will hasten to the poor men. Also, trunks of pine trees and dame's house and ill-treat her. And so, masses of reeds had floated from the you see, both young and old suffer bewest, and showed that land existed in cause their neighbours believe tales of that direction. And once two dead evil without waiting to prove them. men, with curious brown faces such as 3. Here is a market-place, and a great we do not see in Europe, had been borne crowd of people are gathered; and many ·PROOFS AND TESTS 109 was faces look out from the windows round about. And in the midst a pole or stake is set up, and a young girl is tied to it, and piles of wood are heaped about her, and a light is applied, and the fire and smoke rise. The poor girl is being burned to death. People call her a witch. She is a noble French maiden ; her name is Joan of Arc. It was she who dressed herself in man's armour, and rode a white horse, and led the army against the English, and drove them from the castles and cities of central France. But she has been taken prisoner, and she must die; for they accuse her of being a friend of evil spirits. They cannot prove this; it is only a wild and unkind thought; and so Joan of Arc is slain ; she is a martyr, for the sake of her dear native land. And now you perceive how much harm is done when people do not keep their minds, their thoughts, their brains bright and ready, so as to watch things, and observe, and prove, and reason. Remember, then, why you go to your school to study. The teacher often says: “ Think! think !” And why must you think? So that you may get knowledge, and be quick to understand the world, and how to gain your livelihood and confort? Yes; but that is not all. You cannot even be kind in the right way unless you think. If you do not turn things over in your mind, and ask questions, and look for proofs, you will follow wrong teachers and take up fanciful ideas that will hinder useful work, and keep truth from coming to light, and even lead you to be unjust to your fellow-men and women. So, always, we must be ready to ask: Why is this? Is this really true? Am I sure this is right? Can I prove this? For it is brave to search for truth. to believe that amid the fire a goddess dwelt, whose name was Pee-le. They all trembled at the thought of Pee-le, and her power and anger. The priests said that, if ever a woman climbed the mountain, and picked berries from the bushes, and flung them into the fire-hollow or crater, Pee-le would “Dance in a fountain of flame with her devils, Or shake with her thunders and shatter her island, Rolling her anger Through blasted valley and flaming forest In blood-red cataracts down to the sea. The poem I am quoting was written by Lord Tennyson. Now there a princess called Kapiolani (Kap-i-o-lah'-ni), who ruled the people of the island. She had reflected, and pondered ; she felt sure no such goddess lived in the volcano. She determined to put the story to the proof. She would pluck the sacred berries, and throw them into the fire, and let the people see that no harm happened. One day Kapiolani climbed the mountain. Many people warned her; the priests said wrathful words against her. She took no heed ; calmly she passed on until she reached the peak. Then she and her companions clambered down over a bank of cinders 400 feet high to the vast lake of fire in the centre of the volcano. The lake was nine miles round. This was said to be the home of Pee-le. The brave lady had gathered a handful of berries. She hurled them into the midst of the flames, and cried :- “I dare her! Let Pee-le avenge herself !” The people held their breath for fear. But no evil came upon them. No terrible goddess shattered the island. The people burst out into singing. They now felt free. Their terror had passed away for ever. I will tell you of a brave woman. In the Sandwich Islands there is a huge volcano, whence the fire leaps and the crimson lava rolls. The natives used ·LESSON XXXVII BEING, NOT SEEMING 66 room Things are not always what they seem. Vain Ah,” said the father, “a good many things may appear sound and honest, but they things are brilliant outside, and empty cannot stand tests. Pretence, however spleninside.” did, only leads to failure and shame. So the vain things seem honest and What have I just laid upon the table ? sound; they may seem more beautiful "Two eggs," you reply. than the true things ; but when we put They SEEM like two eggs. Please them to the proof they yield us no good. come here, Stephen, and take one in The window of a magnificent chamber each hand. What do you notice? That was open to the sun and breeze. In the one is heavy, and the other is light. were mirrors and pictures and From this one the yolk has been re marble tables; and close to the window loved through two small holes pierced stood two porcelain vases. These vases in the ends ; it is empty; it is but a shell. contained posics of flowers. The flowers The other is a true egg, and, as people in one vase were real, plucked from the used to say in olden times, it is “full of king's garden, and sweet with many meat”-full of food. If a Roman had scents. The flowers in the other vase picked up the mere shell, he would have were waxen, unreal, artificial. Presently put it down again with a look of disgust, the sky darkened, and rain fell, and the and said “Vanus !”—that is, “Empty.' drops beat in upon the vases. The real It is a vain thing, an empty thing, a flowers drank in the water, and their blue thing that only pretends. It seems to and scarlet and yellow grew brighter. cry to the hungry man, “I am an egg”; But the unreal flowers were in terror. and its cry is false. “O Jupiter," they cried to the God of You see, then, that the vain and un Heaven, save us from the rain!” real thing may seem as honest and sound Jupiter gave no heed to their prayer. as the true. The shower kept descending until the It may even seem more beautiful. true flowers were refreshed, and the false At Christmas some children gazed were smeared and cracked and spoiled.. with delight at a tree hung with toys, A servant entered the room just as the and candles, and nuts which were gilded sunlight shone again. He looked at the and shining Little Peter begged for artificial flowers, pulled them out of the golden nuts. vase, and carried them away to the “They are not good nuts," said his said his rubbish-heap. They were afraid of being mother; "they are only to make the proved; and now they had received their tree look pretty. Let me give you sentence. brown hazel nuts from this plate. The fable I have just told you comes “No, no," cried Peter; "gold ones, from a Russian writer named Krilov. gold ones.". Next we will hear one from Germany- She gave him gilded nuts, and shared from the great German writer, Lessing. the brown ones among his brothers and A man had a bow made of ebonysisters. Peter cracked his glittering nuts. wood. It was black, plain, but useful ; Alas! they were only hollow shells. it shot arrows strongly and swiftly. Its IIO ·BEING, NOT SEEMING III owner complained that it was ugly. No brains; no wise thoughts; no ideas went to an artist and said :- that will give light to the world! There “Make my bow handsome ; carve fine are so many people like this mask. They figures on it." wear expensive clothes ; they live in great The artist gave it him back after some houses; they have servants to wait on weeks. It was now covered with carving them; but they have not wise thoughts of men and horses and dogs hunting the behind it all; they have not a tender stag over the mountains. The owner heart. And it may be the case with clapped his hands for pleasure. poorer people also; a man may have a “Now," he exclaimed, “I will shoot proud, boastful way of talking, and make with my beautiful bow." his neighbours believe he is worthy and The carving had rendered the ebony useful; and at the back of it all he may thin and weak. As soon as the bow was not have a good character. Such men bent, it snapped in the shooter's hand. are like the vain eggshell, the gilded nut, After all, the plain bare wood was more the artificial flower, the carved bow, the beautiful than when carved; for it bent high-branching antlers of the stag. Their in a strong, clear curve, and did its work, pretence only leads to failure; to sorrow; and shot the arrow, and then was ready to ruin ; to shame. to work again and again. The thing that To shame. 1. will tell you how prelooked splendid had failed. Splendour tence led to shame in the case of the .......failure. rich harper. There was a rich man who Here, again, is a splendid thing. Here dwelt at Tarentum, a Greek city. He is a stag. You see him in the picture. heard that a public meeting was to be He stands by the pool of water near the held at Delphos, and a crown--a crown forest. The water reflects his form as in laurel leaves --would be placed on the a looking-glass. · He admires his branch head of the man who played the harp ing antlers. But he sighs with regret as most sweetly, and sang most agreehe observes the thinness of his legs. He ably. wishes he had thick and powerful legs to “Well,” he said to himself, "a crown match the grandeur of his horns. Hark! of laurel-leaves is a very poor reward for the roar of a lion is heard. The stag skill in music. I will go to Delphos, flies across the plain, and the lion follows but not to win a paltry crown. in mighty leaps and bounds. The dis to Delphos to show my splendour and tance between them grows greater. Hope grandeur to the people. And I will fills the heart of the deer. He plunges go crowned.” into the forest, and there his glorious Over his shoulders he threw a cape of antlers get caught in the leafy branches cloth of gold. Upon his head he placed of the trees, and the enemy overtakes a wreath of golden leaves, spangled with and slays and devours him. The thin stones of green emerald. His harp was legs ran well, and might have saved him. loaded with large jewels. He rode in His splendid antlers brought him to his chariot to Delphos, and the people sorrow and death. Splendour........sorrow admired. The crowds sat silent in the and death. great open-air theatre. Upon a special A fox one day went into a shop where bench reclined the judges--men trained masks were sold for the use of actors. in the art of music. An officer an- One of them showed a bright and noble nounced that those who intended to face. The fox gazed at it with close play before the judges should now step attention. Then he turned it over. There forward to perform. was nothing at the back. It was empty. All the Greeks turned their eyes “What a pity," said the fox, " that so towards the rich man of Tarentum. handsome a face should have no brains Some whispered about his cloth of gold. behind it !" Other's praised his crown. Others said I will go ·112 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS 66 that charming music would issue from so excellent a harp. His fingers smote the strings. He raised his voice in song- Kkkrrrah-ggrrggjkd-xbfghpqrrrzw”!! It was the strangest song they had ever heard ! It was a bellow, a croak, a roar, a grunt; no time, no tune. The people shouted with laughter. The judges rose from their seats, and drove the rich man of Tarentum out of the theatre. Back to Tarentum he crept in shame, with his golden crown all on one side of his head. A young man stepped into the open space. was Eupolis of Elis. Mean was his coat, and patched were his sandles, and his harp was but homely in make. Softly he struck his strings, and softly began the notes of his lay. Then his voice grew louder, and then again soft and low. It was like the song of birds, the sighing of the wind, the mur. muring of water. It made the people forget the theatre, the judges, all but the song. The harp and the singer sounded a joyful strain, and all the people's souls were glad. The harp and the singer told of things sad and dark; and the people shed tears. And when the song was over they were silent, and they looked at the young man, and then they raised a mighty cheer, and Eupolis of Elis went home amid a troop of shouting folk, and his coat was mean, and his sandals were patched, and his harp was of plain wood; but on his head he wore the crown of laurel-leaves. He did not seem-he was a singer. “True worth is in being, not seeming." LESSON XXXVIII BEING, NOT SEEMING—(concluded) The foolishness which thinks more highly of Peacock. You see, the jackdaw did not great ancestors than of good character. Action ask whether the Peacocks had a good better than fair words. True worth is in being, not seeming.” character. Perhaps some of them were very selfish and worthless. All he “I wish people would look at me and thought of was their grand manners and admire me. I wish they would notice rich appearance. my walk, and my grand manner. I wish On the ground he spied some of their they would stand aside and make little cast-off feathers. Eagerly he picked up bows as I pass by. I wish I could hear these plumes, fixed them into his own them whispering ‘How very fine! how tail (you must not ask me how he man. extremely nice ! » aged to do so, for, when I tell fables, I This was what the jackdaw said to do not expect to be asked too many himself as he stood in a shady corner of questions)." Then he marched forth in the farmyard. He thought of the Pea his glory, and he strutted, and he stared, cocks in the great garden near by, and and smiled politely at Lord Peacock: their proud blue and green necks, and Alas! the Peacocks were first surprised, the handsome fans which they made then they laughed, then they ran at with their outspread tails. He made up him, and plucked out his borrowed his mind to get into the society of the feathers, and pecked him with their bills, Peacocks--Lord Peacock, Lady Pea and drove him back to the yard. And cock, Professor Peacock, Doctor Pea there he was still unhappy. The other cock, and the Hon. Miss Rainbow jackdaws would not speak to him. They ·BEING, NOT SEEMING 113 sons. looked upon him as an empty-headed, which tells of a man who had as fine an vain person, who was not good enough appearance as the gilded nuts which I to keep company with respectable jack told you about. A certain man had two daws. Even if he could really have He was owner of a vineyard, become a Peacock, and married the where the clusters of grapes were hanging Hon. Miss Rainbow Peacock, he would ripe and purple. It was the time of not have shown himself a better bird. grape-gathering, or vintage. Quickly An honest jackdaw is quite as good as must the rich fruit be plucked. So the an honest Peacock, and ever so much man said to his elder son: better than a dishonest Peacock. “My dear boy, will you kindly go and You know, Lord Peacock and other work to-day in my vineyard ?” such people often think they are worth “Vineyard ? certainly not! I have much in the world because they had noble something else to do. I think of joining and worthy grandfathers-forefathers my comrades at a picnic. · Work in your ancestors. But the question is, Is Lord vineyard ? I will not." Peacock himself a good man? The father turned sadly away, with Let me tell you of the geese who were tears in his eyes, and the son could not being driven to market by a peasant. forget the pained look on his parent's The peasant held a rod in his hand to face. His conscience told him to go; keep the geese in order. One of the and he went; and, before sunset, he had geese cackled to a man who was passing picked an immense pile of the fruit. by, and complained of their ill-treat 'The father went to the second son ment. and said: " It is disgraceful. This peasant does "My dear son, will you be good not know that we are the children, the enough to go and work to-day in my descendants of the noble geese who vineyard ? ” saved Rome.” “Yes, my dear father. It gives me “Indeed, how did they do that?" the greatest pleasure to serve you. I Some geese were kept on the top of go, sir." a hill, and the Romans were on guard Ah, the pretender! He never went. against enemies. One night the guards Which was the better son ? The first. were asleep, and the enemies were climb Was it right of him to refuse to go? ing the rocks, and would soon have No; but, after he had refused, it was captured the hill and the City, when the right of him to repent, and think of his geese heard their movements, and hissed fault, and do his utmost to show his love loudly, and the noise awoke the Romans, by his labour. Those pleasant-speaking and the enemies were beaten off, and people, those sweet children who pro- Rome was saved, and the geese were mise so readily to do what is asked, Toved and honoured." often play us false. The surly boy or “Good; but why should you be girl sometimes has a really good character, treated with special respect ? though we all wish they could be good Our ancestors saved Rome, sir." without being surly. These surly looks “Yes, but what have you done your are like ugly and ragged clothes. selves ?" “Nothing, sir." Speaking of poor clothes makes me “Then what do you deserve? Your think of a story in one of Lord Tennyancestors had their reward; the Romans son's poems, which I will tell you partly loved and honoured them. But that in my own words. makes you no better. You are only fit A girl with a beautiful face wore shabby to be roasted." garments. She had occasion to visit them Instead of birds let us talk of men and palace, to make some request of the Women. There is in the Bible a story | king. She went with her arms folded ·114 TRUTH AND TRUTHFULNESS no across her breast. Her feet were bare. "beggar maids. No, and neither do I Great ladies walked past her with their believe you will ever be queens. Yes, velvet trains sweeping on the ground. and, after all, I think you may be queens. If they saw her they despised her, for she The woman who does her daily duty,. was but a beggar-maid. and speaks cheerful worsls, and wins evil The king's name was Cophetua people to a happier life, is a queen-a' (Ko-fet-u-a). When he saw her he de queen in silk or a queen in simple serge ; lighted in her sweet looks. It was no a queen with dimpled, rosy cheeks, or a matter to him that her dress was dull queen with plain features and the beauti. and cheap. There was the expression ful gleam of kindness in her eyes. in her face that can make any of you girls lovely to behold--the expression And so you must do with people as that says: “I wish one harm; you do with fruit. Some crimson plums I wish for what is frank and clear and have a bitter taste; you prove them by clean." The king loved her, and he tasting them. You do not take them for stepped from his throne and held out his what they seem, but for what they are. You hands. prove the egg by its inside character. “He is right," said the noblemen, for You will not choose the nut just because they also could see what he saw :- it is gilded. You will smell the flower to ſind if it is waxen or real. You will not “In robe and crown the king stept down, try to shoot with the ebony bow that is To meet and greet her on her way; handsome, but weak. You will not it is no wonder,' said the lords, · She is more beautiful than day.' judge a stag's swiftness by its antlers. You will not feel sure that a harper in made them think of the moon. splendid robes is a good musician. You times you see the silver globe of will not admire the jackdaw in the tue moon shine out from among feathers of Professor Peacock. You will grey, dim clouds; and so this maid not respect the goose who has done seemed to shine. nothing himself, and talks only of his forefathers. You will not think a well- “As shines the moon in clouded skies, She in her poor attire was seen. spoken son is always truly obedient. You will know that a poor and honest maid is Now, many of the people in that court as worthy as a queen. And you will would have expected the king to choose remenber that true worth is in doing a rich princess for his wife. This king things, not pretending; in working our had other ideas. He thought the kind useful little work, not dreaming grand heart was the queenly heart :- dreams on our pillow:- Copetua swore a royal oath, “ True worth is in BEING, NOT SEEMING, * This beggar maid shall be my queen.' In doing each day that goes by Some little good ; not in dreaming You girls that read my story are not Of great things to do by-and-bye." ui ro ·THE REWARD you not? Wages for work. There are many ways in which we may serve society, and it should be a joy to us to do the service without wages. The story of a young Greek's services to his country, and of the reward which he received. WHEN you boys and girls are men and women, and take up your daily work, you will go to the master at the end of the week pr month, and expect wages. As your skill becomes greater you will look for more wages, and that is quite fair. Also, if you are yourselves employers, you will pay wages to your workmen. You will pay just wages, will And what will the just wages be per week? Twenty shillings; thirty shillings ; forty shillings ; fifty shillings ; sixty shillings? I cannot tell; it will depend upon the work done. Only it will be your duty to watch your men, and see if they live comfortably; and if they appear unhappy, you must say to yourself: "Is it their fault, or is it mine? And, if it is my fault, I must treat them better" Butnif an old dame met you in the street, and asked you to show her the way and you walked with her to help and direct her, would you then expect payment ? Surely not; it would be mean to ask for money in such a case. We want no wages for a kind act except the saying of “Thank you." There are also many ways in which we may serve SOCIETY (that means, the men and women and children among whom we dwell), and it should be a joy to us to do the service without wages, or even medals or certificates. he did not stop to look abroad at the distant hills and the smooth lakes that lay below. Swiftly he descended to the valley. Through dark gorges he passed, where rivers ran in shadowy places and over slippery stones. Then on through the forest, and across bare moors. Now and then he rested a brief while to eat his dry bread, or give ease to his tired feet. One day, two days; one night, two nights, did Pheidippides (Fy-dip'- pi-dees) hasten across the mountains that stood between Athens and Sparta. On the sea near Athens he had seen a fleet of Persian ships. The Persians had come in their scores of thousands, capturing Greek islands on their way. And now they had landed a great force of men, who waited on the plain of Marathon, twenty-two miles from the city of Athens. The magistrates of Athens had said : We must have the help of the stout men of Sparta. We will send the swiftfooted Pheidippides with a message, and they will come and march at our side against these foes from Asia," All dusty, thirsty, hungry, and footsore, Pheidippides reached Sparta. When the rulers of the city were gathered together, the youth said: “O men of Sparta, the Persians have come. They wish to make slaves of the Athenians, and the flower of our dear country will wither and die. But no ; you Spartans will not stand by stupid and sullen, while Athens dies ? Answer me quick. What help will you send ? My legs are still strong enough to race back-oh, I will race like lightning--and take the tidings of your coming to Athens !” The people of Sparta looked at Pheidippides, and at each other. Some were silent; some murmured; some smiled. Up the rocky path the young man ran, clambering over boulders, leaping littlo ditches. When he reached the top, 115 ·116 THE REWARD 66 sence. I am friendly to you and to Athens. It is true Athens has often forgotten me. But go to Athens. Tell her to take heart, and laugh Persia to scorn, and fight for hexemples and the tombs of her dead fathers. Pan will help; Pan will strike at the Persians. And, when the Persians are cast into the sea, let Athens remember the goat-god. Is there not a hill at Athens the Akropolis--and a deep cave in the north side of it? When the Greeks have gained their victory let them make the cave into a temple for me. And this, Pheidippides" co They began arguing, discussing; while the youth stood waiting-quivering like fire that wants to burn up dry wood. Then one of the chief men said :- Young man, we must not be hasty and foolhardy. We must take time to think. Besides, you know we never go to war when the moon is only at the half. When the moon has become a full circle in the evening sky, it will be soon enough to decide. Till then it will only be three or four days we cannot give an answer. What excuses ! what pretences ! No; Sparta did not care to assist the Athenians in their distress. Pheidippides was ready to fall to the earth for shame and despair. But he must let Athens know ! He did not stop to say an angry word to the Spartans. He rushed again over hillocks and plains, threading the way through Woods, fording the streams, panting, sweating, grieving. “Ah !" he said, as he struggled on the rough road, no longer ought any of the Greeks to wear crowns of oakleaves, olive-leaves, or bay leaves. Slaves may not wear crowns. I cannot bear to look at false men like the Spartans, or at slaves such as we Athenians shall be. I would sooner look at this wild, shaggy mountain of Parnes What is that? What is that in the cleft of the rock? What is that strange figure that sits there among the drooping ivy and the mossy stones? Is it a goat, or is it a man, or is it half-man, halfgoat? Is it the god Pan? Yes; it is the god Pan (but remember, children, this is only a fable). Pan has goat's horns shooting up from his forehead. His curly beard hangs thick over his neck. Sparkling and kind are his eyes. He has the shoulders and trunk of a man, but the legs and hoofs of a goat. “ Halt ! Pheidippides," cried the god Pan. The Athenian youth trembled, and his brain was in a whirl. “Come near to me," said the god Pan, beckoning with his hairy hand. You. have no need to turn pale in my pre- > Pan held out a little brands & fennel plant. There were dewdrops on its leaves. The youth took it in silence. " This is the sign of victory -- this fennel plant. And as for you, Pheidippides, you shall have your REWARD; not money, not treasure, no conmon gift' Pan vanished from sight. Pheidippides flew as if he were not treading on the ground; he flew as if he were an eagle piercing the high air. The magistrates of Athens wore golden grasshoppers in their hair. They received the youth with joy, as he bowed before them and gave his two messages--the sad message from Sparta, the glad message of the bunch of fenng from thica god Pan. "Well, brave runner," said Miltiades (Mil-tý-a-dees), the general, "an. what did Pan mean when he promised you a reward that should not be a common thing, not even gold ?" Pheidippides blushed. Perhaps," he replied, "Pan knew I loved a maid of Athens, and that, after I had helped to pound Persia to dust, and sweep for ever, I might marry this maid, and have a little house in the city, and, when my children creep close to my knees, teH them how the awful, yet kind, god Pan gave me the happy message at the hill of Parnes." On the plain of Marathon (it was the year 490 B.C.) the vast crowds of the Persians were drawn up. The Greeks came her away ·THE REWARD 117 . down from the hills, and met their enemies.d made way for him until he stood in the “Marathon" means the field of fennel, for centre; and the men, women, and chilfennel grew there; and Pan had said the dren gazed at him eagerly ; and among fennel was the sign of victory. So the the women he could see the maid he battle was joined amid shouting and the had spoken of to Miltiades. dreadful clash of arms, and the neighing Then he cried aloud : of the chargers as they galloped at the "Rejoice, we conquer !” prick of the spurs. When the sun set Oh, how the Athenians shouted :- that day, the Persian force was broken, " Athens is saved !” and the invaders fled to their ships in And then, full of joy and peace, Pheiterror. dippides sank to the ground, and, when After the Athenians had won the the people raised him, they saw that he fennel-field, they all cried : was dead. “Run, Pheidippides! Run to the He had felt grief when it seemed that -Akropolis, where the people wait for Persia would enslave the Greeks. He tidings Rury and tell them of our had felt shame when the selfish Spartans triumph. refused their aid. His REWARD was to Pheidippides flung down his shield, and have the honour of giving his service to he ran, ran, ran, like a steed, like a deer his fatherland, and telling his fellowhound; a mile, ten miles, twenty, twenty citizens the glorious news.* "two-into the City of temples and sta- 1 This story is taken from Browning's idyll of tues, up the sacred hill. And the citizens Pheidippides. PRINTED BY WATTS & co., 17, JOHNSON'S COURT, FLEET STREET, LONDON, E.C.

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