which might convert what was in itself beneficent, into offence, and my thoughts would be full of that kindness and generous concern for his welfare which such a task necessarily brings with it. The effects of sincerity on others would be similar to its effects on him that practised it. Plain dealing, truth spoken with kindness, but spoken with sincerity, is the most wholesome of all disciplines. "The only species of sincerity which can, in any degree, prove satisfactory to the enlightened moralist and politician, is that where frankness is perfect, and every degree of reserve is discarded."

"Nor is there any danger that such a character should degenerate into ruggedness and brutality.

"Sincerity, upon the principles on which it is here recommended, is practised from a consciousness of its utility, and from sentiments of philanthrophy.

"It will comm:micate frankness to the voice, fervour to the gesture, and kindness to the heart.

"The duty of sincerity is one of those general principles which reflection and experience have enjoined upon us as conducive to the happiness of mankind.

"Sincerity and plain dealing are eminently conducive to the interests of mankind at large, because they afford that ground of confidence and reasonable expectation which are essential to wisdom and virtue."

I feel it difficult to forbear giving further extracts from this very interesting and well-argued part of the work from which I quote; but the limits necessary for my own book forbid me to indulge myself in copious quotations from this. I must, however, give two further extracts from the conclusion of this chapter. "No man can be emninently either respectable, or amiable, or useful, who is not distinguished for the frankness and candour of his manHe that is not conspicuously sincere, either very little partakes of the passion of doing good, or is pitiably ignorant of the means by which the objects of true benevolence are to be effected." The writer proceeds to discuss the mode of excluding visitors, and it is done in so powerful a manner, that I must avail myself of the aid which it affords me.

ners.

“Let us, then, according to the well-known axiom of

MORALITY, put ourselves in the place of that man upon whom is imposed this ungracious task. Is there any of us that would be contented to perform it in person, and to say that our father and brother was not at home, when they were really in the house? Should we not feel ourselves contaminated by the PLEBEIAN LIE? Can we thus be justified in requiring that from another which we should shrink from as an act of dishonour in ourselves ?" I must here beg leave to state that, generally speaking, masters and mistresses only command their servants to tell a lie which they would be very willing to tell themselves. I have heard wives deny their husbands, husbands their wives, children their parents, and parents their children, with as much unblushing effrontery as if there were no such thing as truth, or its obligations; but I respect his question on this subject, envy him his ignorance, and admire his epithet PLEBEIAN LIE.

But then, I think that all lies are plebeian. Was it not a king of France, a captive in this kingdom, who said, (with an honourable consciousness, that a sovereign is entitled to set a high example to his people,)" if honour be driven from every other spot, it should always inhabit the breast of kings !" and if truth be banished from every other description of persons, it ought more especially to be found on the lips of those whom rank and fortune have placed above the reach of strong temptation to falsehood.

But, while I think that, however exalted be the rank of the person who utters a lie, that person suffers by his deceit a worse than plebeian degradation, I also assert, that the humblest plebeian, who is known to be incapable of falsehood, and to utter, on all occasions, spontaneous truth, is raised far above the mendacious patrician in the scale of real resposibility; and in comparison the plebeian becomes patrician, and the patrician plebeian.

I shall conclude my references, with extracts from two modern Scotch philosophers of considerable and deserve.l reputation, Dr. Reid, and Dr. Thomas Browne.*

"Without fidelity and trust, there can be no human so

*This latter gentleman, with whom I had the pleasure of being personally acquainted, has, by his early death,

ciety. There never was a society even of savages, nay, even of robbers and pirates, in which there was not a great degree of veracity and fidelity amongst themselves. Every man thinks himself injured and ill-used when he is imposed upon. Every man takes it as a reproach when falsehood is imputed to him. There are the clearest evidences that all men disapprove of falsehood, when their judgment is not biassed-Reid's Essays on the Power of the Human Mind, chap. vi, "On the Nature of a Contract."

"The next duty of which we have to treat, is that of veracity, which relates to the knowledge or belief of others, as capable of being affected by the meanings, true or false, which our words or our conduct may convey; and consists in the faithful conformity of our language, or of our conduct, when it is intended tacitly to supply the place of language to the truth which we profess to deliver or, at least, to that which is at the time believed by us to be true. So much of the happiness of social life is derived from use of language, and so profitless would the mere power of language be, but for the truth which dictates t that the abuse of the confidence which is placed in our declarations may not merely be in the highest degree injurious to the individual deceived, but would tend, if gene ral, to throw back the whole race of mankind into that barbarism from which they have emerged, and ascended through still purer air, and still brighter shunshine, to that noble height which they have reached. It is not wonderful, therefore, that veracity, so important to the happiness of all, and yet subject to so many temptations of personal interest in the violation of it should, in all nations, have had a high place assigned to it among the virtues."-Dr. Thomas Browne's Lectures on the Philosophy of the Human Mind, vol. iv, p. 225.

It may be asked why I have taken the trouble to quote from so many authors, in order to prove what no one ever doubted; namely, the importance and necessity of

left a chasm in the world of literature, and in the domestic circle in which he moved, which cannot easily be filled up.

speaking the truth, and the meanness and mischief of ut tering falsehood. But I have added authority to authori ty, in order renewedly to force on the attention of my rea ders that not one of these writers mentions any allowed exception to the general rule, that truth is always to be spoken; no mental reservation is pointed out as permited on special occasions; no individual is authorized to be the judge of right and wrong in his own case, and to set his own opinion of the propriety and necessity of lying, in particular instances, against the positive precept to abstain from lying; an injunction which is so commonly enforced in the page of the moralist, that it becomes a sort of imperative command. Suil, in spite of the universallyacknowledged conviction of mankind, that truth is virtue, and falsehood vice, I scarcely know an individual who does not occasionally shrink from acting up to his conviction on this point, and is not, at times, irresistibly impelled to qualify that conviction, by saying, that on "ALMOST all occasions the truth is to be spoken, and never to bewithheld." Or they may, perhaps, quote the well-known proverb, that “truth is not to be spoken at all times." But the real meaning of that proverb appears to me to be simply this that we are never officiously or gratuitously to utter offensive truths; not that truth, when required, is ever to be withheld. The principle, of truth is an immutable principle, or it is of no use as a guard, nor safe as the foundation of morals. A moral law on which it is dangerous to act to the uttermost, is, however admirable no better than Harlequin's horse, which was the very best and finest of all horses, and worthy of the admiration of the whole world; but, unfortunately the horse was DEAD; and if the law to tell the truth inviolably, is not to be strictly adhered to, without any regard to consequences, it is, however admirable, as useless as the merits of Harlequin's dead horse. King Thedoric, when advised by his courtiers to debase the coin, declared, that nothing which bore his image should ever lie." Happy would it be for the interests of society, if, having as much proper self-respect as this good monarch had, we could resolve never to allow our looks or words to bear any in press, but that of the strict truth and were as reluc

fb circulate light sovereigns and forged banknotes. Oh! that the day may come when it shall be thought as dishonourable to commit the slightest breach of veracity, as to pass counterfeit shillings; and when both shall be deemed equally detrimental to the safety and prosperity of the community.

I intend in a future work to make some observations on several collateral descendants from the large family of lies. Such as INACCURACY IN RELATION; PROMISEBREAKING; ENGAGEMENT-BREAKING, and WANT OF PUNCTUALITY. Perhaps PROCRASTINATION comes in a degree under the head of lying; at least procrastinators lie to themselves; they say "I will do so and so tomorrow," and as they believe their own assertions, they are guilty of self-deception, the most dangerous of all deceptions. But those who are enabled by constant watchfulness never to deceive others, will at last learn never to deceive themselves; for truth being their constant aim in all dealings they will not shrink from that most effective of all means to acquire it, SELF-EXAMINATION.

CHAPTER XV.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE EXTRACTS FROM HAWKESWORTH AND OTHERS.

In the preceding chapter, I have given various extracts from authors who have written on the subject of truth, and borne their testimony to the necessity of a strict adherence to it on all occasions, if individuals wish not only to be safe and respectable themselves, but to establish the interest of society on a sure foundation; but, before I proceed to other comments on this important subject, I shall make observations on some of the above mentioned extracts.