evidently prefer association with their inferiors to the society of their superiors or equals, I am forcibly reminded of this line; and I believe that the same sort of characteristic pride, which it so aptly expresses, is at work in those individuals.

A foreigner complained to me the other day of having had the right which he claimed of leading a lady out, rudely wrested from him; adding with great energy, "and is this your boasted hospitality? Is this your kindness to the stranger? In my country strangers take place of every one, even of the noble; but when you invite a stranger to your plentiful board, by mortifying his pride, and wounding his feelings, you take away from him all appetite to eat." And I doubt not but many persons, not foreigners, are daily feeling the same mortification from a sense of unadmitted right to precedence, though self-control and policy have prevented them from expressing it, which converts them from conversible into silent guests, and from benevolent observers of the table and the company, into uncandid and satirical ones; and where is the remedy?

The case is, probably, of frequent occurrence; and, as laws of precedence, except amongst the titled, are arbitrary and undefined, it must remain so. The only resource then, is humbly to endeavour to annihilate that unchristian pride, which leads us weakly to desire precedence, and still more weakly to resent its being withheld. There are some persons probably, who have a pleasure in mortifying the

supposed pride of others, or think it their duty to do. so, by denying even their just pretensions; and there are some who will do it from mere ignorance and carelessness.. But those who have taught themselves to look upon such distinctions with a humble and christian eye, will be able to meet with equal indifference, intended and unintended neglect. If distinction be given they will receive it without being elated, and if withheld they will not sink into sullen and indignant silence; but will on the contrary endeavour to give distinction to the lower seat awarded to them, by cheering their neighbours by their pleasant conversa tion.

I was led to make the foregoing observation by recollecting an anecdote of a Spanish nobleman, which is much to the point in question, and with which I shall finish my discussion on precedence.

This gentleman invited a poor but honest farmer to dinner, and when they were ready to sit down, the master of the house insisted that the farmer should place himself at the head of the table; but he obstinately refused; the other persevered, saying he ought to command in his own house; but the countryman, piquing himself on his imagined civility and good breeding, still persisted in not sitting down, till the gentleman laying both his hands on his shoulders forced him to sit, saying "sit thee down, chaff-threshing churl! for let me sit where I will, that is the upper end to thee;"-and I would advise those who are not

disposed to consider pride as a sin, but on the contrary as akin to a virtue, and therefore cling with tenacity to the rights of precedence, to console themselves, when those rights are neglected or denied, with the remembrance of this anecdote, and reflect that their rank, their merit, and their agreeableness, remain just the same, though they may be forced to follow those whom they ought to precede, and instead of sullen looks and silent tongue, let them endeavour to prove themselves, if not the first in consequence, foremost in what is better far, agreeableness and good humour, qualities which no red book can give, and no human power can take away.

I must beg leave to add that the gospel enjoins us always to choose the lowest places, and none could be jealous of precedency, who remembered and were influenced by the following injunction: "But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room.

I shall now recapitulate what has been said in this chapter.

That precedence is one of the most important of competitions, as the denial of the claims of an ambassador to precedence has sometimes deluged nations with blood.

That in private life this sort of competition excites many heart-burnings, and leads to envy and detraction.

That the rights even of the privileged orders, it is sometimes difficult to ascertain, without a knowledge of Blackstone; and this is illustrated by an anecdote.

That the greatest tenacity of precedence is evinced by those whose rights to it are dubious, and whose claims (those of the merely rich for instance,) are not acknowledged in Blackstone.

That it were desirable for rules of precedence to be drawn up, to regulate the claims of those whose rights are not in the red book. That it is right to give precedence to the stranger, and the oldest in company.

That abroad, strangers at a party take place even of the noble.

That it would be best to struggle with the desire of precedence, as an unchristian feeling. That it would be wisest to endeavour to be indifferent to going first or last, and try, wherever we sit, to make our part of the table the most attractive, be it low or high, by the pleasantness of our conversation-a charm no red book can give or take away.

That the anecdote which I give is applicable to the subject.

Lastly, that it were well to remember the sacred injunction, to go, when bidden to a feast, unto the lowest room.

CHAPTER VII.

ON RELIGIOUS COMPETITION,

HAVING laid it down as a general principle, that the feeling of competition is common to every one, and that its results are envy and detraction, it must be my firm belief that even that class of my fellow-christians, who are teachers of the word, can not be wholly exempted from the dangers incident to it; but in them, such feelings, I trust, are in some measure subdued, as soon as they are aware of their existence; and how can a humble, serious christian, who performs the duty of self-examination, and brings before his mind every night not only the actions but the feelings which he has experienced during the day, in order to supplicate pardon, if they have been sinful, and to return thanks, if they have been pure, how can such a man have a feeling of jealous competition without being conscious of it? But, as he knows his disease, he also knows his remedy.

I have been encouraged to make these remarks, by perusing a sensible and useful work, called Christian Fellowship, or the Church Member's Guide," by J. A. James.