THE BETTER SELF.

I.

BEGINNING AT HOME.

WHERE better to begin? We are in "a parlous state, shepherd!" as Touchstone tells the simple William in the forest, and the nations around are perhaps not better than we. The best men amongst us have seen this.

"We are a people drowned in hypocrisy, saturated with it to the bone. Alas! it is even so, in spite of far other intentions at one time, and of a languid, dumb, but ineradicable inward protest against it still: and we are beginning to be universally conscious of that horrible condition, and by no means disposed to die in behalf of continuing it! It has lasted long, that unblessed process; process of lying to sleep in the Devil's Pickle' for above two hundred years (I date the formal beginning of it from the year 1660, and desperate return of Sacred Majesty, after such an

B

ousting as it had got); process which appears to be now about complete."

Thus far outspoken Carlyle. You will not find that the newspapers generally tell you this, those especially with the largest circulation in the world-those with sparkling leaders, making all comfortable, and urging that it is well with us-speaking peace, look you, where there is no peace. "Hypocrisy !" they would cry; "why, there is no such good honest fellow in the world as John Bull !" Meantime, how goes it? "Fifty years ago," said a friend to Carlyle, "in the middle of Germany when you were going to a shop to purchase, wise people would advise you: 'If you can find an English article, buy that; it will be a few pence dearer, but it will prove itself a well-made, faithful, and skilful thing-a comfortable servant and friend to you for a long time-better buy THAT.' And now directly the reverse advice is given: 'If you find an English article, don't buy that; that will be a few pence cheaper, but it will prove only a more cunningly devised piece of mendacity than any of the others—avoid that above ALL.'"*

Both of these pieces of advice are good and true. Here is the advertising dodge result—the largest box of matches,

* In justice to our country one must say that much of the obloquy on English goods is gained through forgeries of English trade marks, and that where a fair price is paid, true English work is always, in spite of grumblers, soundly good.

that will not light; the biggest knife, that will not cut; the cheapest axe, that flies in splinters, and cuts your leg instead of the tree; the largest, most illustrated, and worst weekly periodical, that does not contain one wholesome thought in it; the cheapest pound of soap, that will not cleanse; and sugar sold at no profit except on the sand mixed with it, and the paper that wraps it, thick and heavy, bought at a penny a pound and retailed at fourpence, and always weighed with it. No wonder that when people practise wholesale cheating we are all awake to the " dodges" of trade. Each knows his own weakness; each is thereforeas we universally judge others by ourselves-painfully alive to universal hypocrisy. Not cheapest, but best, should be the tradesman's motto. There is such security, such happiness, such bravery in doing a good thing and selling a good thing. A good tradesman is a noble man if he gives good measure, sells sound articles, and does his duty. He is a wise man, too.

And now, how to get rid of Carlyle's accusation, which is felt by all of us to be too true? There is but one answer -begin at home. Let us each make our homes true, take a true view of life, ensure truth always and everywhere, pull off the phantom sham; rise, be men, be proud of being working men, shopkeepers, poor parsons, writers, tradesmen, or lawyers, so that we do our best and follow out-shrinkingly enough, perhaps, at first-what we know to be true.

An evening paper has lately been sneering at the education of working men, "our future masters." But surely they are educated-educated enough to know the false from the true, the humbug from the honest man; they have a heart and conscience within them; and, appealed to generously, trusted without suspicion, they will not fail us. But they and the middle classes are getting wrong views of life in the hurry of the world, and the general worship of riches, and the race to make fortunes. Yet, the universal testimony of rich men is, that the fortunes themselves are not worth having; that moderate occupation is the best and the happiest existence; while rich and poor, wise and simple, all men who have ever lived, so that they are honest, will tell you that the real satisfaction worth having, unsurpassed, not to be taken away in this world, and to be well rewarded in the next, is to do your duty. Who in the lower class beats his wife, terrifies his children, shames his neighbourhood, but the poor lazy wretch who has not done his duty, and, angry with himself, in some devil's fashion of quid pro quo, avenges his self-inflicted unhappiness on others? Who comes home smiling, stays at home, does all the good he can, and makes the place around him happy, but the man who has done his duty, and who feels satisfied with himself? That's the man of whom England is proud. That's the man who does not rail against the rich, nor scold the aristocracy, nor bellow down the Lords, because he knows that he is

as good a Lord as any of them. He is the sort of man who

"Would shake hands with the king upon his throne,

And think it honour to his Majesty !"

And that is the man who would quietly require the king to do his duty if need came, and would look that it were done, too. He is the true Conservative who keeps up his own worth, and adds materially to the dignity of the nation. That man gets his strength from home; it is what we do there that concerns us most; it is there that the virtues are nursed, and the heart, at peace with itself, turns, as the flower does to the sun, to the God of peace, and gains from Him light and strength. Let us all be wisely selfish in keeping up home and the home affections.

And, first, to the head of the house, the house-band of our good old English and much-meaning tongue; it is well that he should be reverenced, with love. Foolish fathers who vacate their dignities do not have hopeful sons. Don't believe either in silly talking or viciously speaking fathers, nor in those whose love never shines forth in pleasant smiles. Napoleon loved the man who held with a steel hand, covered with a silk glove; so should the father be gentle, but firm. Of the mother in a house, it is difficult to speak otherwise than of one worthy of the very highest and noblest esteem and affection. The father should always pay a courtly deference to her, and his children will take