blackening the ground in which it grows. Compare a cunning contriving thing—her quick furtive glances and her readily-changing brow and speech-with the open looks and freelyspoken words of fair simplicity-of that artless being who knows no restraint but that of the delicacy which has grown up even with her inmost thoughts, shading but not concealing them, like the sheath of sheltering green around the exquisite "lily of the valley."

Poor Collins, though with perhaps too much of classical allusion, sang sweetly of "simplicity:"

"O sister, meek of TRUTH,

To my admiring youth

Thy sober aid and native charms infuse !
The flowers that sweetest breathe,

Though beauty cull'd the wreath,

Still ask thy hand to range their order'd hues.”

Yes, "sister meek of truth," thy aid is that of sobriety, and Wilson's thoughts seem to have run in the same channel as Collins's; for immediately after the epithet "simple" he adds that of "sedate." A charming word it is too, though now somewhat out of fashion. It implies the gentleness of sobriety-seriousness without its severity. Nor is it at all inconsistent with the "cheerful" character which is next attributed. They libel cheerfulness who confound it with noisy levity and thoughtless buoyancy of spirits. Cheerfulness is a beautiful

virtue, as unlike the quality which belongs to what is vulgarly called "a rattle" as pure gold is unlike brass.

The next quality, too, is an admirable addition, for who can deny that even to simplicity, to sedateness, and to cheerfulness, there may be added a something noble and graceful, which we express by the word "elegant." In the region of the elegant, nature and art join hands in the happiest mood of friendship, and each does its best to make up what is not so much a combination as a new thing-the abstract opposite of all that is coarse and common-the softened majesty of excellence.

But all is crowned with that which is best of all-without which all the rest were liable at any moment to fall into foul corruption. "Simple, sedate, cheerful, elegant, and religious." In religion, simplicity stands firm against all the wiles of artifice; sedateness spreads its roots there, and pious cheerfulness covers the branches with fairest flowers. Religion takes from elegance its pride, and robes it with true dignity. Religion gives energy, steadfastness, patience, forbearance, and love, that dies not even beside the grave, but lives in the anticipation of the future. Who is there, then, that should not strive to be worthy of being described as simple, sedate, cheerful, elegant, and religious?"

206

ORDINARY TALK.

I SUPPOSE that most persons who are in the habit of reading and thinking, will agree with me that few things are in general more tedious than the ordinary talk of society. I hope it will not be thought presumptuous, that I, being professedly a "Table Talker," should venture upon a remark of this kind. I am a monologueist, and my "talk" is a very different thing from conversation, in the which department I aspire to no laurels. It is, therefore, with a full consciousness how much easier it is to detect what is wrong, than to practise what is right, and how much more readily we may criticise the practice of others, than excel in our own, that I venture to address my faithful listeners upon the subject of ordinary conversation.

I purposely avoid taking the most serious view that might be taken of this subject, or dwelling upon the awful warning that has been given us respecting the utterance of idle words." Neither shall I say anything upon conversation which is positively wicked—which is irreligious or gross-except just to point abhorrence to so great a crime. If any man will but consider for a moment how prone we are of ourselves to run into badness, and how much it

is the business of virtue to resist the natural inclination for evil, he may well estimate how abominable is the conduct of any one who ventures to go as it were into partnership with the devil, by suggesting or encouraging evil thoughts in others who may perchance be of less corrupt. mind. It is to be hoped that such wickedness does not often invade upon the ordinary conversation of society.

But such conversation is often tedious, because it is stupid and inane, neither arising from, nor leading to, reflection; and it is often provoking because of the evidence which it affords of habits of petty observation, and of general barrenness of the understanding. Such conversation resembles the dock leaves and other weeds which cover the surface of bad uncultivated ground. Were the land of good quality, or turned to good purpose, there would have been no room for such trash.

It is not required that people should habitually prepare themselves with materials for conversation before going into company, as some professed wits and smart talkers are said to do, for such persons are for the most part more intent upon attracting observation to themselves, than upon a courteous promotion of rational entertainment. But it cannot, I think, be said to be wrong, but rather the contrary, that before going into company one should consider what reasonable topics might be started,

supposing that the mere circumstances of the meeting did not suggest enough. In that case it is always better, and more natural, to follow what happens to arise, than to let loose your bagged fox, though it is well to have it, in default of other sport. But he who is provided with the most general intelligence, and the most happy mode of expressing himself, will of course be the best provided for pursuing this chance game with advantage.

Let it be noted here, how very important, in addition to knowledge, is the art of using it; and this consists not merely in the power of imparting to others, that which has been learned, but in two things more besides, viz. to impart it appropriately that is, in just connection with the occasion, and also to impart what you feel concerning it as well as the thing itself. Qui sapere, et fari possit quæ sentiat—he is the man whose conversation is at once delightful and improving. It is the misfortune of many studious persons that they can only acquire knowledge, and of many more that they can only say what they have learned, without any indication that they have ever thought upon it more than a bottle thinks about the wine which is poured into it to be again poured out.

Dr. Johnson said, that that conversation was the best which consisted in elegant and pleasing thoughts, expressed in natural and pleasing terms. But this is too general a description to