evidence of its truth. That it cannot be realized by the impulsive, the unsympathetic, and the shortsighted, but demands the higher attributes of human nature, they will see to be evidence of its fitness for the more advanced states of humanity. Though it calls for much labor and self-sacrifice, they will see that it promises an abundant return of happiness, immediate and remote. They will see that while in its injurious effects on both parent and child a bad system is twice cursed, a good system is twice blessed-it blesses him that trains and him that's trained.

It will be seen that we have said nothing in this chapter about the transcendental distinction between right and wrong, of which wise men know so little, and children nothing. All thinkers are agreed that we may find the criterion of right in the effect of actions, if we do not find the rule there; and that is sufficient for the purpose we have had in view. Nor have we introduced the religious element. We have confined our inquiries to a nearer and a much more neglected field, though a very important one. Our readers may supplement our thoughts in any way they please; we are only concerned that they should be accepted as far as they go.

VANITAS.

BY GOETHE.

I'VE set my heart upon nothing, you see;
Hurrah!

And so the world goes well with me.

Hurrah!

And who has a mind to be fellow of mine,
Why, let him take hold and help me twine
A wreath for the rosy Nine.

I set my heart at first upon wealth:
Hurrah!

And bartered away my peace and health;
But, ah!

The slippery change went about like air;
And when I had clutched me a handful here,
Away it went there.

From a

JOHN STUART MILL

I set my heart upon travels grand,

Hurrah!

And spurned our plain old fatherland;
But, ah!

Naught seemed to be just the thing it should,
Most comfortless beds and indifferent food,
My tastes misunderstood.

I set my heart upon sounding fame;
Hurrah!

And, lo! I'm eclipsed by some upstart's name;
And, ah!

When in public life I loomed quite high,
The folks that passed me would look awry;
Their very worst friend was I.

And then I set my heart upon war.
Hurrah!

We gained some battles with eclat.

Hurrah!

We troubled the foe with sword and flame, -
And some of our friends fared quite the same.
I lost a leg for fame.

Now I've set my heart upon nothing, you see;
Hurrah!

And the whole wide world belongs to me.

Hurrah!

The feast begins to run low, no doubt;
But at the old spring we'll have one good bout:
Come, drink the waters out!

THE DESPOTISM OF CUSTOM.1

BY JOHN STUART MILL.

(From "On Liberty.")

[JOHN STUART MILL: Political economist and philosopher; born at London, May 20, 1806; died at Avignon, May 8, 1873. His education was conducted by his father, James Mill, the philosopher, and he is said to have begun to learn Greek at the age of three. When fifteen years old he assisted his father in preparing a work on political economy. In 1823 he entered the India House as 1 By permission of Miss Helen Taylor and Longmans, Green & Co. (Crown 8vo., price 18. 4d.)

junior clerk, rising to the position of chief examiner, and in 1865 he became a member of Parliament. Among his more important works are: "Logic " (1843), "Political Economy" (1848), "Essays on Liberty" (1859), “Utilitarianism (1862), "Examination of Sir William Hamilton's Philosophy" (1865), "Auguste, Comte, and Positivism" (1865), and "On the Subjection of Women" (1869). His "Autobiography" was published in 1873.]

HUMAN nature is not a machine to be built after a model, and set to do exactly the work prescribed for it, but a tree, which requires to grow and develop itself on all sides, according to the tendency of the inward forces which make it a living thing.

It will probably be conceded that it is desirable people should exercise their understandings, and that an intelligent following of custom, or even occasionally an intelligent deviation from custom, is better than a blind and simply mechanical adhesion to it. To a certain extent it is admitted that our understanding should be our own; but there is not the same willingness to admit that our desires and impulses should be our own likewise, or that to possess impulses of our own, and of any strength, is anything but a peril and a snare. Yet desires and impulses are as much a part of a perfect human being, as beliefs and restraints; and strong impulses are only perilous when not properly balanced,-when one set of aims and inclinations is developed into strength, while others, which ought to coexist with them, remain weak and inactive. It is not because men's desires are strong that they act ill; it is because their consciences are weak. There is no natural connection between strong impulses and a weak conscience. The natural connection is the other way. To say that one person's desires and feelings are stronger and more various than those of another is merely to say that he has more of the raw material of human nature, and is therefore capable, perhaps, of more evil, but certainly of more good. Strong impulses are but another name for energy. Energy may be turned to bad uses; but more good may always be made of an energetic nature than of an indolent and impassive one. Those who have most natural feeling are always those whose cultivated feelings may be made the strongest. The same strong susceptibilities which make the personal impulses vivid and powerful are also the source from whence are generated the most passionate love of virtue, and the sternest self-control. It is through the cultivation of these that society both does its duty and protects its interests: