the riches in the world and all the circumstances of high rank are a compensation. The able and prudent labourer is always safe, at the least, and that is what few men are who are lifted above him. They have losses and crosses to fear, the very thought of which never enters his mind, if he act well his part towards himself, his family, and his neighbour. But the basis of good to him is, steady and skilful labour. WILLIAM COBBETT: 1762-1835 SAINT PAUL ON CHARITY. MILVERTON. For a man who has been rigidly good to be supremely tolerant, would require an amount of insight which seems to belong only to the greatest genius. I have often fancied that the main scheme of the world is to create tenderness in man; and I have a notion that the outer world would change, if man were to acquire more of this tenderness. You see, at present he is obliged to be kept down by urgent wants of all kinds, or he would otherwise have more time and thought to devote to cruelty and discord. If he could live in a better world, I mean a world where Nature was more propitious, I believe he would have such a world. And, in some mysterious way, I suspect that Nature is constrained to adapt herself to the main impress of the characters of the average beings in the world. Ellesmere. These are very extraordinary words. Dunsford. They are not far from Christianity. Milverton. You must admit, Ellesmere, that Christianity has never been tried. I do not ask you to canvass doctrinal and controversial matters. But take the leading precepts: read the "Sermon on the Mount," and see if it is the least like the doctrines of modern life. Dunsford. I cannot help thinking, when you are all talking of tolerance, why you do not use the better word of which we hear something in Scripture, charity. Milverton. If I were a clergyman, there is much that I should dislike to have to say: there is much also that I should dislike to have to read; but I should feel that it was a great day for me, when I had to read out that short but most abounding chapter from St. SAINT PAUL ON CHARITY. 411 Paul on charity. The more you study that chapter, the more profound you find it. The way the Apostle begins is most remarkable; and I doubt if it has been often duly considered. We think much of knowledge in our own times; but consider what an early Christian must have thought of one who possessed the gift of tongues or the gift of prophecy. Think also what the early Christian must have thought of the man who possessed "all faith." Then listen to St. Paul's summing up of these great gifts in comparison with charity. Dunsford will give us the words. You remember them, I dare say. Dunsford. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mystery and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." Milverton. You will let me proceed, I know, if it is only to hear more from Dunsford of that chapter. I have said that the early Christian would have thought much of the man who possessed the gift of tongues, of prophecy, of faith. But how he must have venerated the rich man who entered into his little community, and gave up all his goods to the poor! Again, how the early Christian must have regarded with longing admiration the first martyrs for his creed! Then hear what St. Paul says of this outward charity, and of this martyrdom, when compared with the infinitely more difficult charity of the soul, and martyrdom of the temper. Dunsford will proceed with the chapter. Dunsford. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." Milverton. Pray go on, Dunsford. Dunsford. "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; bearethı all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." Milverton. That is surely one of the most beautiful things ever written by man. It does not do to talk much after it. Let us proceed with our walk. We walked on in silence for some time, until, turning home, we came suddenly in view of Donati's comet. It was that night when Arcturus was close to the nucleus of the comet. I think it was the most majestic sight I ever saw in the heavens. Ellesmere. And so you think, Milverton, that, if we were good enough for it, we should have a better world to live in; and perhaps some celestial messenger, like this, instead of dripping from its "horrid hair" pestilence and war, "affrighting monarchs with the fear of change," would be the bearer of some beneficent change of climate. Milverton. My dear friend, I say nothing of the sort. Most presumptuous would be the man who should, with our small knowledge, prophesy minutely about the changes of Earth. But I do hold, and we may surely be indulged in harmless hopes of this kind, that, if we were better, if we were softer and kinder to one another, Nature would be softer and kinder to us. If you like, however, to keep strictly within the bounds of experience, you must own that, even by human agencies, the amelioration of Nature has for the most part proceeded at an even pace with the amelioration of man. Ellesmere made no reply; and I was glad that he did not. I think even he was deeply impressed with the solemnity of the scene. We naturally talked of Astronomy, and of the great hopes which this boundless Universe holds out for man. “In my Father's house are many mansions," was the theme which I ventured to dwell upon. SIR ARTHUR HELPS: 1818-1875. SONNETS. TRIUMPHING chariots, statues, crowns of bays, SONNETS. From frozen Tanais unto sun-burnt Gange; Thus goes the floating world beneath the Moon: HUMAN FRAILTY. A GOOD, that never satisfies the mind; A sweet, with floods of gall that runs combined; NO TRUST IN TIME. Look how the flower, which lingeringly doth fade, With swifter speed decline than erst they spread, And, blasted, scarce now show what they have been. Therefore, as doth the pilgrim whom the night 413 Think on thy home, my soul! and think aright WILLIAM DRUMMOND: 1585-1649 THE HONEST MAN. 1 WHO is the honest man? He that doth still and strongly good pursue, 2 Whose honesty is not So loose or easy, that a ruffling wind While now the world rides by, now lags behind : 3 Who, when great trials come, Nor seeks nor shuns them; but doth calmly stay All being brought into a sum, What place or person calls for, he doth pay : 4 Whom none can work or woo To use in any thing a trick or sleight; His words and works and fashion too 5 Who never melts or thaws At close temptations: when the day is done, And is their virtue; Virtue is his Sun: 6 Who, when he is to treat With sick folks, women, those whom passions sway, |