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should prefer to have it uttered in a bland and suave tone, and accompanied by a word or two of graceful apology. We would rather be bowed out than kicked out. That mental candor on which some arrogant egotists pride themselves is almost as offensive as a vice.

We should respect the feelings of others as we desire that our own may be respected. There was some exaggeration, but there was also much truth, in Hawthorne's remark, that God might forgive sins, but that awkwardness had no forgiveness in heaven or earth.

Fine manners and a gentle, tender courtesy are so precious and so fruitful of good, that in speaking of them anybody may be forgiven if he should chance to employ the language of unstinted eulogium. In truth courtesy or chivalry — which is courtesy reduced to prac-, tice — has been known only since the foundation of Christianity.

The Romans were not courteous, nor the Greeks chivalrous. For the connection between manners and morals is as close as the Latin word mos indicates, and Christian morality has brought with it Christian chivalry. THE QUAKER'S METHOD. 1-77 The essence of courtesy is embodied in Wordsworth's lines — "

Never to blend our pleasure or our pride With sorrow to the meanest thing that feels." Not physical sorrow only, but mental irritability ; such irrita- bility as is often caused by a sharp jest, an unkind reproach, or a contemptuous expression.

Employers of labor too often err in this respect ; solely to their own cost, for willing labor, such as courtesy procures, is infinitely more profitable than that which is given grudgingly in closely calculated return for the fixed wage.

Sir," exclaimed Dr. Johnson, " a man has no more right to say an uncivil thing than to act one — no more right to say a rude thing to another than to knock him down." The axiom is not the less valuable because it was so often neglected by him who enunciated it.

And it may be clinched by an anecdote for which Mr. Beecher stands sponsor. In the early days of the Abolition movement in the United States two men went out preaching ; one, a sage old Quaker, brave and calm ; the other, a very fervid young man.

When the Quaker lectured, the audience were all attention, and his arguments met with very general concurrence. But'when it came to the young man's turn, a tumult invariably ensued, and he was pelted off the platform. Surprised by their different receptions, the young man "interviewed " the Quaker to ascer- tain the reason.

"Friend," he said, "you and I are on the same mission, we preach the same things ; how is it that while you are received so cordially, / get nothing but abuse ?" I will tell thee," replied the Quaker ; " thee says, ' If you do so and so, you shall be punished,' and I say, My friends, if you will not do so and so, you shall not be punished.' "