and little civility can be gathered from the example of persons who can unscrupulously puff tobacco-smoke in the faces of others who detest its smell; or who, when they talk, are delighted to show their erudition by quoting slang from the author of the Pickwick papers, or from those weekly miscellanies which disseminate yet coarser stuff, in imitation of that master in modern literature.

Now, without flying away into the sentimentalities of Mr. Sterne, we may plead strongly enough in favour of that urbanity, that civil consideration of the convenience of others, and that unobtrusive zeal to promote it, which so sweetens and elevates the intercourse of life. It is the beauty of humanity-the perfection of reasonableness-the practical use of the better parts of our nature to the exclusion of the worse. It is Christianity exhibiting itself in the social offices. And here we may pause to draw`a wholesome distinction between artificial politeness or ceremony-which is good enough in its way, but too apt to be used only on set occasions, where our vanity is concerned-and that habit of civility which grows out of settled principle and real goodness of nature. Rules of behaviour are never sufficient for the common business of life, by reason of the infinite variety of its circumstances; and were it necessary to do every thing after a fashion in civility, we might say of action what Horace has said of

speech, difficile est proprie communia facere. But no rules are necessary beyond that of acting in conformity with a principle of kindness combined with that good sense which teaches when we should assist and when forbear, for even kindness may be importunate, and then it lacks civility. Principles of benevolence, however, and habits of obligingness, do not often err, especially if accompanied by that modesty which will not put itself forward, nor behave itself ostentatiously, even for the purpose of contributing to the comfort of others.

There is a sort of superficial politeness which sometimes becomes very offensive, being put forward in company with very palpable selfconceit, although the form and phraseology of the putting forward may be that of humility. Shallow persons who live in society, and have a turn for the sarcastic, and also small philosophers of the poco curanti school, are the most apt to fall into this kind of disagreeableness. The fact is, that all kinds of artificial civility very soon become disagreeable, because the insincerity cannot be long concealed, and all insincerity, when perceived, becomes offensive. If we love good manners, it is because we believe them to be the outward sign of a kindly disposition." Mere politeness without principle,” a divine of very penetrating sagacity has incidently warned us against, and assuredly it is very little worth. It is not at all to be de

pended upon. While all goes smoothly and agreeably it may behave itself accordingly; but look at it under circumstances of disappointment and rebuke, and we shall find it not only vanishing away, but giving place to genuine rudeness and intemperance.

An example of this may be seen in a Noble Lord of the present day,* somewhat celebrated for the agreeableness of his manners in society, where he is desirous to please. That Noble Lord, who is obliged to take some part in most public proceedings in the House of Peers, and who spends a very large portion of his time at Court, is reputed to have held his high place so long, chiefly by virtue of an agreeable manner, and an easiness of temper, which will not take offence, or suffer disturbance, in circumstances which generally ruffle those who are subjected to them. But it is notorious, even from the reports of the public prints, that this very nobleman is now and then capable of considerable rudeness and violence, even in the House of Lords, and of using most disrespectful language regarding objects and persons, that no man of genuine and permanent courtesy would ever allude to except in terms of deference. And yet what the newspapers report is but a very small part of that Noble Lord's aberrations from

*The allusion is to the prime minister, October,

civility and decorum. Such deviations from the path of propriety will ever mark the course of those whose politeness is without principle, and they who wish to teach civility effectually, must inculcate those sound principles from which true civility flows.

I have but a very few words more to say at present upon the subject of civility, and they shall be in the form of warning against that conventional politeness which people put on now and then, when they receive company, dinning their guests while they dine them, with a foolish battery of mingled compliments and excuses. But these I leave to the castigation of Swift:

"At table now she acts her part,
Has all the dinner-cant by heart;

She sits tormenting every guest,

Nor gives her tongue one moment's rest,
In phrases, batter'd, stale, and trite,
Which modern ladies call polite."

This is rather severe; but the Dean was apt

to be acrimonious.

hit.

His point, however is well

ADVERSITY.

"SWEET are the uses of adversity." Who can have lived in the world without finding proof of this in his experience? Who that uses the ordinary faculties of observation but must be

hold the weariness of spirit that awaits on satiety, and the fretfulness of discontent that embitters the life of the covetous? Can one look at these things, and not exclaim, "Sweet are the uses of adversity?"

Prosperity is said to try a man, but adversity does more, for it improves him, unless he have a deep root of evil in him, which makes him rebel, and grow furious under chastisement. But I may avow, for the credit of human nature, that this is not generally the case. Adversity-as distinguished from dreadful and desolating calamity-has for the most part, a softening and humanizing effect. And, better still, it purges the blindness of the heart, and enables it to perceive, and know, and acknowledge, the gifts and blessings of which, in the hour of thoughtless and thankless prosperity, it took no heed. How fearful is the description which King David gives of the prosperity of the wicked! 66 They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued as other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness; they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression; they speak loftily. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world; they increase in riches."