mankind, those who have bent their lives to a single purpose, have probably not been the happiest, but those who live with no purpose at all beyond the satisfaction of the wants of to-day and to-morrow must surely be among the least happy.

SENSITIVENESS.

Those persons who show themselves most easily affronted or aggrieved are not the most really sensitive, any more than they are the most sensible, people. The cue to that feature of their character is not sensibility, but conceit. Thin-skinned people, as they are called, are undoubtedly a great nuisance to society. It might be supposed that they are a great nuisance to themselves also, but I am not sure that is always the case. They have a capacity for being offended, as other persons have a capacity for being pleased; and life to them would lose one of its charms if they could suppose that their neighbours ceased trying to annoy them. Fortunately for themselves then, but unfortunately for others, it is impossible to avoid feeding their perverted vanity.

Persons who suffer from a too acute sensibility do not trouble society much with their grievances. And, in general, more than ordinary sensitiveness, being true delicacy of feeling, when not assuming the form of disease, is not often offensive to society, because the remarks which it prompts have not a selfish bearing. Sensitive persons, with evenly balanced minds, have a quick insight into character; but a readiness to suppose and resent offence to one's-self is a mental weakness not consistent with strong powers of observation.

SELF-CONCEITED MEN.

Self-conceited men form an exception to the rule "Birds of a feather flock together." Like pith balls charged with the same kind of electricity, they have the sense to keep a respectful distance apart. A comfortable social circle of a dozen persons may include one man who is a worshipper of himself, but not two. You may ask together in a small company two philosophers, or two ignoramuses, or even two punsters, but it will be a grievance to all parties if you bring in two vain men.

Idleness likes companionship, gluttony is not averse to society, knavery is sadly too quick at forming a brotherhood, and malice is pleased enough with a consort, but vanity is not one of the social vices.

66 HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY."

The hollowness of this thieves' motto has been many a time exposed. What respectable man would like to confess himself the honourable felon who was governed by such a proverb. It is a nursery caution to the inexpert young rogue: the grey-headed rascal has grown beyond it. Policy may be honest, for it is not obviously wrong to work out an object that obliges one to study circumstances and means; but the honesty that is made a policy is about as estimable as the virtue that is made out of a necessity.

ANTICIPATION.

The Pleasures of Memory are nothing to the Pleasures of Hope. Memory presents you with hard historical facts that, if they are displeasing, you can do nothing with but kick

out of the way; but the regions of Fancy are all your own. More than half the enjoyment and suffering of life consists in anticipation. Fortunate then are they who have learnt to "look on the bright side of things”—and it is a lesson that may be learnt, though there is a wonderful difference in mental constitutions in this respect for they have secured beyond dispute a moiety of the average happiness of life; and, "come what come may," a fine blue horizon of to-morrow sets off the blackest pictures of to-day.

LOVE AND SELF-LOVE.

Many a scoundrel has been loved to the extreme of devotion, many a fool has been idolized; but if you ever see a thoroughly selfish man receiving the homage of a woman's affection, that affection must be kept alive by the memory of something which is lost. The completely selfish man is surrounded by a deep moat which divides him from the warm natural feelings of his own kith and kin, He may seek to dignify his selfishness by what everyone will allow to be the strictest

integrity; he may endeavour to enliven it by humour; he may, by a desperate effort, strive to shake off for a moment the consequences of the curse by the semblance of conviviality ;but it won't do, he remains a pillar of ice, you catch a chill when you catch sight of him, and if you are only an instant in his presence you come out all aglow with the reaction.

THE MIND IN A SMILE.

The physiognomist should see a countenance smiling, frowning, and in grief before he pronounces a decided opinion. These three kinds of action by the features are the most characteristic of any. A frown may signify more than the appreciation of an offence: you may sometimes see in it high principle, or villany. The facial token of sorrow may express love or malice, and at times shows in relief various other prevailing feelings and sentiments which do not seem to have much connection with grief. The child cries in anger; the hysterical woman laughs in pain. A smile tells most of all. No other transitory