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means of throwing the man who indulges in them off his guard. So completely is this recognised to be the case, that it is not infrequently urged as a reason of apology for imprudent language, that it was uttered in a passion. Such angry and unbridled feelings are indeed opposed to all self-government. The passionate man is like the drunkard: he tells what in wiser moments he would wish to conceal, gives utterance to language which he has no sooner calmed than he repents of, and altogether places himself at the mercy of the man of greater self-control. It is therefore one of the most indispensable virtues to learn to govern the temper. Angry words win nothing but contempt. Have you ever chanced to catch a glance at yourself in a mirror, when in a violent rage? Did you not make a ridiculous picture? Be assured that at such a time the face is even less distorted than the mind. The distortion anger occasions to the features of the face, renders it a striking exponent of mental character. The lines become fixed, in time, and, alas! so does the habit, until we hear people complain that they cannot restrain their temper,soley because they did not begin soon enough. Even as matter of policy, a man should gain control over his tem per, for what abiding influence can he exercise over others, if he be not master over himself?

If a man intended to go headlong to ruin, not only with out sympathy, but amid the merriment and ridicule of his enemies, he could not pursue a course more certain for the accomplishment of his purpose than by allowing his emotions to be worked into a state of exasperation. A person who has acquired, no matter by what means, this unhappy temperament, is always at the mercy of others.

He is incapable of being a master in the useful and ho nourable sense of the word; and, as a servant he is not trustworthy, even with every desire to be honest and faithful in the execution of that which is committed to his care. In short, if a person wishes to be useless, and cut as miserable a figure in the world as he possibly can, he should by all means acquire this irritability of temper, but otherwise, he should by every means avoid them.

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Reference has been made to the fact that woman is less frequently gifted with firmness than man. Yet it is at the same time well worthy of note that woman very frequently obtains a wise and most beneficent control, chiefly by means of that gentle suasion which proves so much more effective than vehement passion, or overbearing resolution. There is indeed a feeling in every good man's heart which responds more readily to kindliness and courtesy, than to rude authority. Oblige me by doing this," is the language of courtesy, and is employed under the dictates of true gentlemanly feeling, even in speaking to the humblest menial from whom obedience might be exacted in the most authoritative terms. But such courtesy costs nothing to the giver, while it sweetens the labour of the servant, and often converts eye-service into a willing and hearty obedience. The same language is still more incumbent where no obligations impose the duty of service on those to whom application is made for aid or co-operation. The skilful ship carpenter, when constructing a swift sailing vessel, leaves ample breadth behind, swelling out the stern so as to afford abundant room for cabins, berths, and saloons, but he carefully tapers off the stem, sacrificing every other object in order to secure the absence of anything

that could obstruct its | rogress, or offer needless resistance to the waves. Our young readers, however, have no doubt occasionally seen a steam-vessel backing out of some harbour, or narrow creek, with broad end foremost, and raising up a wide breast-work of foam, as it rudely seeks to push the waves before it, instead of gliding through them with its smooth and acutely pointed stem, fashioned to the very form of the waves. Just such are the two very different ways that the opposite classes of men we refer to seem to make way through the world. We can scarcely describe the discourteous class better than by saying that they seem always to set sail with their broad end foremost, and all is immediately confusion, disturbance, and opposition around them. In committees, in public meetings, even in religious assemblies we meet such men, who, by their discourtesy, incite others to oppose them out of shere pugnacity, and without reference to their opinions, while there are others who bring with them such gentle and winning ways, that men yield to them in spite of their own inclinations and convictions, it seems so difficult to raise opposition against plans modeled with so much gentleness and courtesy. Not only phrenologists, but all writers who treat of the human mind, recognise as one of its faculties, tendencies, or by whatever name they prefer to call it, the organ of Combativeness. It is a most useful faculty to all of us when kept in moderation. It is this that stirs in us the needful resolution for self-defence, the energy to repel injuries, to resist encroachments on our rights, and to preserve the interests of those who are dear to us, or are in trusted to our care. But this most useful faculty is also liable to be excited for less desirable purposes; and no

thing so frequently effects this as clownish discourtesy. We see it in the play-ground, where a merry group of school-boys are at their sports, full of mirth and glee, and abounding in hearty good feeling for one another, but some boorish, ill-tempered, or overbearing fellow joins them; he gives one a coarse word, another a rude push; he complains of the arrangements of the game, or of the division of the parties engaged, and presently all is confusion and discord. Just so is it with older assemblies. These are but children of a larger growth. The courteous trader, busy in the mart, on change, in some bank committee, commercial co-partnery, or other trading company, is suggesting arrangements for the good of all. Their wisdom is recognised, but the winning ways of their proposer are even more powerfully felt, and the whole assembly is swayed by this overruling spirit of kindly sympathy to unanimity of purpose-when perchance some blustering overbearing member arrives, and presently all are by the ears. Deliberation is at an end; and the chance is, that when matters come to a vote, the majority will be more influenced by the spirit of opposition than the wise council of deliberate judgment and sound experience. In truth, did our subject admit of it, we might show how often even the wars of great nations, involving the misery and death of thousands have originated in just such hasty excitations to irascibility. The American war, which deprived Great Britain of so many colonial possessions, owed its continuance and all its worst features to the obstinate and irascible feelings of one or two men. The wise man will do well to bear this in mind, for success in life cannot always be independent of those deliberations in which all are

frequently called to take a part in our free country, where public meetings, elections, representative and corporate assemblies, sway the movements by which our rights are protected, and our national interests secured. "Curious," says a quaint living writer, in his usual sententious but somewhat sarcastic fashion-"curious, how all Europe is but like a set of parishes of the same county; participant of the self-same influences, ever since the Crusades, and earlier; and these glorious wars of ours are but like parish brawls, which begin in mutual ignorance, intoxication, and boastful speech, which end in broken windows, damage, waste, and bloody noses, and which one hopes the general good sense is now in the way towards putting down, in some measure!" We would willingly hope that it is so, but till the same good sense exercises a larger influence on the every-day transactions of social life, it would be rash to place very great dependence on the effects likely to result from its sway over the amenities of international dealings and interests. Yet the following anecdote may suffice to show how open are all hearts to the kindly influence which true courtesy begets: An English gentleman, taking the grand tour, towards the middle of the eighteenth century, when travellers were more objects of attention than at present, on arriving at Turin, sauntered out to see the place. He happened to meet a regiment of infantry returning from parade, and taking a position to see it pass, a young captain, evidently desirous of making a display before the stranger, in crossing one of the numerous water-courses with which the city is intersected, missed his footing, and trying to save himself, lost his hat. The spectators laughed, and looked at the Englishman, expect

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