If,

ually suspect the truthfulness of a prominent manner. in the presence of an individual, he induces us to think continually of his manner and forget himself, we are quick. ly aware of our want of affinity. There is no delight in his fellowship. Of all forbidding inventions, an assumed manner is the most effectual. We instinctively anticipate the forthcoming scene behind our backs. Some masterly delineation of the Duke of Gloster, in the act of hurling away the prayer book, occurs to us. We are ill at ease; we seem to hear the laugh and witness the mimicry which is to occur when the door has closed upon our exit. We discern beyond the smile and the honeyed word, and are sickened at the self created hollowness of a human heart. We have admirable provisions in our civil code, for the crimes of perjury and overreaching. A thrice heavy penalty should fall upon him convicted of deliberately and habitually practising upon mankind, through the agency of a pre-assumed, politic manner. Manner is the univer. sal language, the grand circulating medium; and should not the attempt to counterfeit the genuine, native stamped coin, be made penal? There are no greater forgers in the universe than cunning mannerists. Their whole lives are false. The loveliest of human attributes, the beautiful, the winning virtue of sincerity abides not with them. They have abjured the profession of humanity. They have become players-with none of the ideal interest and singleness of purpose which may belong to the legitimate followers of Thespis. The wearisome rehearsals, the guarded conduct, the oppressive sense of having a part to play, the struggles beween the real man and the assumed character

all press upon and disturb them; and there is for them no refreshing returns to nature, no blissful interludes in the trying drama, for habit has bound them to the task, and policy goads them on.

There is a poignancy in manner. I have often heard a friend describe the effect produced at a well-surrounded din. ner table, by the silence of a gentleman to whom one of the company, in a very audible voice, had addressed an impertinent question. The tacit rebuke was most keenly felt; it was more effectual than a public reprimand, and yet how entirely devoid of irrational severity. Similar results may be effected through expert application of manner. An instance occurs among the innumerable anecdotes related of John Randolph. A young aspirant for congres. sional fame saw fit, in his maiden speech, to give proof of his boldness and eloquence, by a long and abusive attack upon the eccentric member from Virginia. At the conclusion of the young orator's voluminous address, the hero of Roanoke arose, and stretching his long, nervous arm toward the seat of the complacent youth, with a halfenquiring, half-contemptuous look, thus replied:-" Mr. Speaker, who's that?" There was a sarcastic bitterness in his manner, under which the offender quailed. I was never more impressed with the poignant sting mere manner can inflict, than on one occasion, when abroad. Soon after day break, on a misty morning, the steam-boat which had brought us from Naples, dropped anchor in the port of Leghorn. We waited, with great impatience, the arri val of the permit to land, from the board of health. At length, understanding it had been received, I joined a party

of the pasengers and entered one of the boats which sur. rounded us. We were distant from the shore about an eighth of a mile. The wind was blowing a gale and the sea running very high. We had reached about the middle of the intervening space, and were beginning to rejoice at the prospect of a comfortable shelter, when the health-officer, from the steam-vessel, hailed our boatman, ordering him, upon his peril, not to proceed. It seemed some form had been omitted; and, we were kept in the rain, and among the dashing billows, for more than half an hour. Thoroughly vexed at the officer's conduct, we began at last to approach the quay, cold, wet, and comfortless. Various measures were suggested for bringing him to punishment. An Englishman begged that we would leave it to him, assuring us he was well acquainted with the temperament of the people. Soon after, the official barge approached, and in the prow sat our enemy with that air of superiority characteristic of underlings. With much curiosity we awaited the movements of our British companion. To our astonishment he doffed his hat, and said-addressing the officer-" Your name, sir, if you please." The rowers of the barge slackened their oars and gazed curiously upon their commander; his face was suffused with scarlet-" My name! my name!" he muttered fiercely, and impatiently waving to the oarsmen, they soon shot rapidly away. We looked to the English gentleman for an explanation. "Gentlemen" said he, "be assured I have wounded him to the quick; if I had parleyed with him, his pride would have been gratified; but by asking, in a ceremonious manner, for his name,

in the presence of his men, as if we disdained to do less than complain to his superior, I have both mortified and alarmed him. The formality of my manner has punished him more than words could possibly do." And so it proved. For, on landing, we found him pacing the wharf, and uttering his indignation and fears most violently; while ample apologies were proffered us from all quarters. I afterwards discovered that to bandy words with the lower classes of Italy, was but to waste one's breath and subject the patience to a great trial;-to meet them on their own ground and give them the advantage which the fluency of their language affords. They must be addressed by the language of manner, to which they are peculiarly susceptible. There is a power in manner. How finely Byron describes, in the bearing of Conrad—

"that commanding art

That dazzles, leads, yet chills the vulgar heart."

Who that is susceptible to nature, will deny that the sway of manner consists in its truth? We speak of the impressive dignity of some of the Indian tribes; kings might strive to imitate it in vain. It is the gift of nature-the ennobling grace of the forest lords. The companionship of genius-when do we most perfectly realise it? When enthusiasm has led the gifted mind into such an outpouring that manner is forgotten, and every look and move. ment is instinct with soul. In aged persons and children-those who have lived too long to meditate effect, and those who, as yet, listen only to the inward oracle, we most frequently see the perfect spell of manner. What a world

of allurement is involved in the common phrase, an unaffected manner! Nothing is so delightful as what is spontaneous. A frank expression of sentiment, a native manner, captivate; thrice happy when the latter is habitual. Memnon's image imparted not its mysterious strains except at the touch of the sunbeams, nor will manner yield its true witchery from any inspiration but that of the soul.