Nice.

"I don't think writing would be any use. he was disappointed with the Colonel himIt must stand over until I make another trip self. Garibaldi was Alfred's model hero, the into Italy.”

type of all that was noble, unselfish, and Balmaine looked disappointed.

loyal. With what splendid disinterestedness “When will that be ?" he asked.

he had given up his conquests to the King; “In the winter; I am not sure what month. and, asking neither riches nor honours, reBut you may be sure I shall not forget your tired to his island home and resumed the commission. If you think there is any

dan- cultivation of his garden and the care of his ger of my doing so (smiling), drop me a line cattle. The companion of such a man, “one of about November. Here is my card.” the few, the immortal few that were not born to The address on the card was Villa Italia, die," ought surely to have imbibed something

of his spirit, and to find in the consciousness “One question more, Colonel Bevis," said that he had followed a heroic leader and! Alfred, putting the card into his pocket, fought in a great vitse a tzwand far above "and I will cease troubling you. Do you decorations and peif. And yet here was know what nom de guerre Philip Hardy was Bevis grumbling because Garibaldi had not in the habit of using ?”

done more for him than he had done for him“I don't. I think he told me at Pallanza self, because he had not stooped to entreat what he called himself just then, but I have the Italian Government to recompense the quite forgotten whether it was Amelio, Fama, men who had redeemed a kingdom with their Frascati, or Leopardi. I rather fancy it was blood! To blame the Liberator for this was Leopardi. Martino will tell you in a mo- to surpass in meanness the Government ment.”

which had failed to perform so obvious a “I wish I could see Martino a moment,” duty. muttered Balmaine despondingly. "I am Yes, Alfred was disappointed with Bevis. going to have a short holiday, and almost The fine old soldier, whom he had pictured in think I shall cross the Alps and make some his imagination, was merely a smart and not inquiries on my own account. Where would very scrupulous canvasser for advertisements, you recommend me to go ?”

and now that the novelty of the thing was “ About the Italian lakes and North Italy, wearing off he began to perceive that most of I should say. That was generally Hardy's the people whose acquaintance he had lately beat, I think. And he was very fond of the made were, more or less, humbugs. Furbey, Baths of Lucca. The Baths of Lucca would Corfe, Gibson, Leyland, Mayo, and Bevis were be a likely place. But unless you know every one humbugs, and the Helvetic News was under what name he went I don't see what probably the greatest humbug of all. A few you can do. Better wait, and keep your days later, however, he saw reason to modify money in your pocket, until I can place you this judgment and assign the bad pre-emi. in communication with Martino.”

nence to the Pitsburgh Patriot. He had “ You could not possibly do that at once, sent his bill to the proprietor when he sent could you, Colonel ?”

his last article to the editor; and Dr. Pil“How can I, when I have not the most grim (who was a shining light of the denoremote idea where the man is ? I can find mination to which he belonged) in acknowout from one or other of my old comrades ledging receipt of the two documents, wrote either at Turin or Milan, or elsewhere ; and as follows: if the man I ask does not happen to know, “I am quite at a loss to understand how he will certainly be able to tell me who you can have conceived the idea that we pay does. But as for writing, there is one abso- for contributions. If I may trust my memory lute rule these fellows make about letters, (and it never yet deceived me) nothing whatand that is never to answer them.”

ever was said about payment, and our friends Alfred, seeing it was useless to press the are generally more than satisfied with the matter further, let it drop, and shortly after consciousness that in writing for us they are wards took his leave, feeling both discouraged promoting a good cause, and the pleasure of and disappointed ; for though the informa- seeing their compositions in print. Moreover

, tion he had obtained from Bevis was good, the Society which runs the Patriot is just so far as it went, it did not go far, and it now far from rich, and cannot afford to use might be six months before he could be paid articles. But as I cannot bear even the placed in communication with Martino. Bevis implied reproach of having misled you, might surely get his address before that time however inadvertently, I shall send you in if he liked ; and why did he not like? Then the course of a few days the sum of five

a

It was

dollars, being at the rate of one dollar an thetic with the troubles of others, and she article, which I trust you will deem in the took a motherly interest in his welfare. circumstances a fair equivalent for your Delane, however, she generally kept at a trouble.”

distance, perhaps because she wanted to This was a bitter disappointment to Alfred keep him at a distance from her daughter. in more ways than one, for counting con- Madame Karl took hardly less interest in fidently on getting his money from the the Hardy mystery than Alfred himself, and Putriot, he had spent rather more freely than he had to give her a full account of his conhe otherwise would have done, and had hardly versation with Bevis, which had so greatly any money beforehand either for holiday disappointed him. She hinted, much to his making or contingencies. To make matters surprise, that if he offered to pay the Colonel worse the Boston Hub, for which he had for his trouble he would probably find him written three letters, paid him in the same more communicative.

not very coin as the Patriot. In reply to his request noble or chivalrous on his part, she said, to fill up the "blank bill” he sent them, with " but you must take people as you find them.” whatever amount they thought he deserved, And Bevis knew the value of money-a good the proprietors observed that, having a good many people did not. many amateur correspondents in Europe, “I am learning," laughed Balmaine. “I they were not in the habit of paying for have learned a great deal since I left home. foreign letters, but if he would continue his I get more disillusioné every day. I shall contributions (which seemed to please their think soon, with Napoleon, that every man readers) they would be happy to mail him has his price.” regularly a free copy of their bi-weekly “Then you will be wrong. Most men edition.

have—but not all. As you say, you are “What a mean lot of beggars they are!” | learning, and there is no teacher like expewas Balmaine's exclamation as he tore up rience. But as for this mystery of yours, the letter with unnecessary energy, and I must tell you frankly, Monsieur Balthrew the bits on the floor. “This is my maine, that I think you are making very first experience of American papers and, by good progress. You have met a man who Jove, it shall be my last.”

knew Monsieur Hardy and his daughter, who But he found that if an American journal confirms that they were in Italy at a certain can be mean, an American gentleman can do time, and who promises to give you the all that the most chivalrous regard for honour address of a person who can give you his requires. A few days afterwards he met nom de guerre, and tell you what became of Harman, and the banker, who was always him. I do not see what you would have very friendly, after asking about himself and more-unless you expect to read all about it the paper, inquired how he was getting on in the Journal de Lacustrie

, at a cost of fifteen with the Pitsburgh Patriot. For reply Alfred centimes. A mystery that can be solved by showed him Dr. Pilgrim's letter.

asking six questions, ma foi, I would not “The wretched old skunk !” exclaimed give a fig for.” Harman, giving the letter a blow with his “You are right, Madame Karl; I am too fist, as if it were in some way answerable for impatient, and I was so much annoyed at the dishonesty of the writer. Why, I heard not getting Martino's address that I overhim say myself that he would pay you at looked the importance of the information the rate of twenty dollars a letter. But look I have actually acquired. I must now see here, Balmaine, I introduced this fellow to what I can do about offering Colonel Bevis you, and recommended you to write for him, something for his trouble.” and I'll see you paid.”

The next day Alfred wrote to Artful and He was as good as his word. The very Higginbottom, announcing his intention of next day Alfred received a letter from the making a journey across the Alps in quest of bank, enclosing a bank note for five hundred information. He told them, too, what he francs! and this sum, as he afterwards learnt, had learnt from Bevis, and asked them if Harman's agents succeeded in recovering they would permit him to offer that gentlefrom Dr. Pilgrim.

man an honorarium for the trouble he might Of all his new acquaintance Balmaine incur in obtaining Martino's address. liked best to talk with Madame Karl von The answer was a letter highly comSchmidt. She had seen a good deal of the mending his exertions, and urging him to world, possessed a shrewd wit, the vicissi- persevere, and requesting him to spare no tudes she had undergone made her sympa- effort to procure Martino's address. A draft

for fifty pounds was enclosed, “to be used though Balmaine wrote to him at once his for travelling expenses, or otherwise, at your movements were so uncertain, and he was so discretion."

bad a correspondent, that, as likely as not, But before it came Bevis was gone; and the reply might be delayed for weeks.

THE POWER OF MORAL SYMPATHIES.

SHORT SUNDAY READINGS FOR APRIL.
BY HENRY ALLON, D.D.

touching almost every duty of human life, is FIRST SUNDAY.

the practical application of the Epistle! Read Romans xii.; Xvi. 17-27.

One particular apothegm we take as a No

golden sentences, proverbial sayings, have you wise unto that which is good, and and condensed wisdom, as the books of the simple unto that which is evil.” (Rom. Bible. For lofty sentiment, weighty mean- xvi. 19.) Its occasion is not indicated; it ing, and felicitous expression no literature is was probably prompted by that subtle feelcomparable with them. The sublime themes ing of circumstance and occasion which, of the histories, the moral grandeur of the without precise specification, gives form and legislative books, the sententious maxims of tone to so many religious teachings. It is the Proverbs, the devotional felicities of the enough that we take it as a self-evidencing Psalms, the medallion-like completeness and maxim of religious culture; singularly penesymmetry of the Proverbs, the pictorial nar- trating, comprehensive, and felicitous. It ratives of the Evangelists, the profound theo- gathers into itself an entire economy of logical thought and spiritual ethics of the religious life. Epistles, the individuality of the books, as What an unconscious recognition it is of varied as their authorship—from the broad moral character in man, that we should so impersonal wisdom of the Proverbs to the speak of “good” and “evil !” that we should intense presence and spiritual urgency of the thus divide the world of men into classes ! apostle Paul-all constitute a collection of Each class has many gradations : a good writings absolutely unique. Each book is man's excellencies may be qualified by many characterised by a wisdom as profound as its defects; a bad man's evil may be relieved moral truth is transcendent. You never in its | by many attemperings of virtue. These teaching detect a false note, or are jarred with distinctions pertain to the practical culture an incongruous expression. In wisdom, piety, of character. But we never mistake the and literary beauty no teachings of human radical qualities of good and evil themselves. life can be compared with those of the We do not often confound the fundamental Bible.

characteristics of a man with his inconsisAnd how instinctively religious and prac-tencies. We do not call a man good because tical all its tendencies are ! Take, for he does some good things, nor evil because example, the Epistle to the Romans. It is he does some evil things. We intuitively a theological treatise on the profoundest distinguish between fundamental principles, mysteries of spiritual life-the being, pur- inherent tendencies, and the aberrations and poses, and spiritual operations of God, the inconsistencies of temptation and circummoral responsibility and possibilities of man, stance. And we classify men according to the salvation of Jesus Christ, the reality their principles and motives. and intensity of God's fellowship with man, Paul had this radical difference before him. the great hopes of the life hereafter. No Men were simply good or evil, qualifications metaphysic could be more abstruse, no notwithstanding. No cleavage of human life, reasoning could lie amid profounder mys- indeed, is so marked and so profound as that teries. Christian theology is expounded on caused by religion. its philosophical as well as on its practical Good and evil, too, present themselves for side.

And yet, how the doctrine gathers a man's choice ; they are “set before him ;" into practical forces of religious life; how the they beset and solicit him in every path of philosophy lends itself to moral duty; how his life. Upon his decision and upon his the reasoning passes into exhortation ; so treatment of them his character and his desthat a whole economy of practical ethics, tiny depend. He is therefore so to bear

a

Have ofttimes no connection."

himself towards both—with keen discernment testant intolerance, were among the most and practical preference--as that it will be conscientious of men. the characteristic culture of his life, that he Paul means the goodness that Christianity is “wise unto that which is good, and simple inculcates—the lofty spiritual life, the transunto that which is evil.”

cendent spiritual ethics, the piety, purity, The terms employed are significant. “That righteousness, benevolence of Jesus Christ's which is good.” It is a wide and comprehen- teaching :-"Thou shalt love the Lord thy sive designation. Men have had different God with all thy heart, and soul, and conceptions of goodness. Things which an old strength, and thy neighbour as thyself.” Roman would have declared good-Stoicism, "Be ye perfect as your Father who is in Roman patriotism, social institutions such as heaven is perfect.” Hence Paul will no more slavery and the relations of the sexes, the doc- call the ritualising Judaizers good, than the trine of suicide--are condemned by Christian persecuting Nero. morality. Many so-called virtues of Pagan life are reprobated as vices by Christian senti

SECOND SUNDAY. ment. The faculty of conscience is one thing,

Read 1 Cor. xiii.; Matt. vii. its intelligence is another. All men distin- “Wisdom” is also a comprehensive term, guish between things that they deem good a much larger term than "knowledge.”. A and things that they deem evil. It is the man may know a great deal and be anything indestructible instinct of our nature to do so; but wise. but men do not always rightly designate the

“Wisdom and knowledge far from being one, things that they call good or evil; that is the result of moral education.

Wisdom is the right estimate and use of A good man will seek to have the instincts knowledge. A wise man discriminates the of his conscience rightly instructed. It is no value of what he knows, and puts it to the sufficient justification of a wrong thing that best practical uses. it is done conscientiously; there is a previous To be "wise unto that which is good” question—by what processes of inquiry and therefore is education has the conviction been reached ? 1. To have a keen and cultured faculty Saul " verily thought with himself that he for the discernment of goodness, even ought to do many things contrary to the der anomalous forms, and in incongruous name of Jesus of Nazareth.” Beyond all places. Some people are dull in recognising doubt he was a sincere religious persecutor; goodness; they are incapable of moral disas conscientious in putting the Christians to cernment, and defective in moral admiration. death, as afterwards in laying down his life They may see the grandest features of moral for Christ's sake. The more conscientious character exhibited, the grandest deeds of an ill-informed persecutor is, the more relent-moral heroism done; they have no intuitive less he will be. He thinks himself bound by power of perceiving their divineness ; their fealty to God to suppress even his feelings of recognition is limited by conventional forms human tenderness. His conscience goes over or by dogmatic prejudices; they discover it to the side of persecution, "pricks his intent" only when newspapers and general laudations whenever it relaxes.

proclaim it. Many a man has to die before A thing is not necessarily good because a his intrinsic goodness is discovered. “A proman conscientiously does it. Has he availed phet hath no honour in his own country: ." himself of the highest teaching concerning The familiarity of human nearness, the ingoodness? Has he diligently sought right completeness of superficial observation, the notions as well as right motives ? Motive is mist of subtle selfishness and envy, disqualify not a sufficient justification of a man if he us; only when he dies do we“ know that a

“ has not taken every practicable means of in- prophet has been amongst us. structing it—if he permits it to be deter- have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye mined by prejudices or passions. Nothing know that I am He.” is more futile than the plea of simple con- It is a great grace to be capable of moral scientiousness : that is only saying that the admiration, of instinctive reverence; to disman is not a rascal. A conscientious man is cern wherever we see it, and under whatnot therefore necessarily acting rightly; he ever forms, the moral goodness of men; for may be a fanatic, a sectarian, a persecutor, the instinct for goodness to be quick and true; an ascetic, an incarnation of superstition and so that in the family, in social life, whatever intolerance. Probably the most terrible per- the qualifications, we discriminate and honour secutors of the Romish inquisition, of Pro- traits of goodness.

-מג

" When ye

Some people can recognise goodness only one so much as it hurts him who indulges it in their own narrow and familiar forms of it; -it effectually disables the keen spiritual only when it wears the livery of their own discernment of good, which is wisdom. sect, worships in their own way, adopts their 2. The wise man is he who turns what own forms of speech. How we make acci- he knows to practical account. There are dental, unimportant circumstances tests of people who delude themselves with the mere character! We test goodness by creeds and sentiment of goodness. They play with attitudes and genuflexions, by Quaker bonnets spiritual ideas and holy sympathies; they and baptisms, by denominational habits, by are fervent in worship and prayer, and are conventional speech, by ascetic rules of life. I easily excited by highly wrought spiritual A Ritualist will not exactly say that a Quaker discourse ; and in virtue of their sentiment is not a good man, a Congregationalist in his think themselves very religious. There is a spiritual freedom will not deny goodness to kind of sop to conscience even in the a Sacramentarian; but it is not the instinct way in which a transgressing man will that pronounces the verdict, it is reason and submit to rebuke, condemn himself, and perlogic that compel the reluctant admission. mit others to condemn him. There is nothing And there is a latent feeling that they are he insists upon so much as "faithful preachnot quite so good and safe as they would be ing." He resents “ smooth things," and feels were they with us. We are incapable of test- as if he had half condoned his wrong by ing them by their simple faith and love and hearing it denounced. Because the feeling is spiritual life; we test them by their garb and so far right, he half fancies that he himself is customs-the manner is more than the man. right. Thus the feeling becomes a kind of

How much there is in optimism of feel shield that turns off the darts of conscience. ing, in eager sympathy with goodness; Men are constantly deluding themselves with and how largely this may be cultivated ! good feelings, fancying them to be goodness. Some people are pessimists; they see only Thus a man will be devout and fervid in the the defects, the worst elements of character, feeling of public worship and in the sentithe qualifying circumstance; in describing ment of Christian fellowship who is very the sun they would begin with its spots. doubtful in his ethical conduct; the fervid Instead of " discerning the soul of good in church feeling does not religiously control things that are evil,” they see the soul of evil his business, compel uprightness, truth, and in things that are good; instead of being considerateness, purify his life, sweeten his eager and sympathetic in their recognitions, temper, eradicate his selfishness. Clearly they are critical and depreciating; they are feeling no more constitutes goodness than without moral enthusiasm; they do not wishing constitutes doing. A man is not make the most of your good, but the least.“ wise unto that which is good” who has As surely as they open their lips it will be only sentimental sympathies with it, approyto qualify. Whát a miserable, meagre soul ing desires for it

. To shed tears over a it is ! how utterly inexplicable to it, for in novel is not practical benevolence. stance, the large words of rejoicing com- The wise man seeks practically to realise mendation with which Paul opens his letter goodness, turns every good thought and feelto the very defective Church in Corinth! ing into practical life, yields to good imLike all genuine things goodness rejoices in pulses, utilises his knowledge, embodies in sunshine and sympathy. No one would say his character and life the goodness that he of these eager, critical fault-finders of life conceives. He who possesses knowledge and that they are “wise unto that which is good.” makes no practical use of it is a learned fool. How can they become so if they do not His knowledge possesses his understanding cultivate the faculty and habit of recognising only, it does not mould his character or reguit, of generously commending it? Love is late his life. The wise man lives to be good; ever an optimist.

he values knowledge as the means of growNo fear of harm in hearty commendation ing in grace, obeying every precept, practisof good, in genial, generous sympathy with ing every virtue, perfecting every grace, subit, even in magnifying it. Next to the com- ordinating every interest and experience to mendation of God, which is always generous, moral perfectness,“ keeping his heart with the commendation of good men is precious all diligence," " forgetting the things that are and helpful. The habit of keen inquisition behind and reaching forward to things that for defects, of critical depreciation, of un-are before," watchful in self-observation, gracious disparagement rather than of ge- learning practical lessons from experiencenerous recognition and sympathy, hurts no from failures as well as from successes. He