They insist upon the arrogant assumption of superiority somewhere, and if you do not prevent them, they will practise it on you.-W. HAZLITT, Plain Speaker, vol. 2, p. 20.

It was in fact one of Addison's own remarks, that there was no such thing as real conversation except between two persons. His case is therefore a confirmation rather than otherwise of our supposition, that to shine in mixed companies at least, demands a portion of the qualities which render men fit for the stir of life; for it was the want of this which was the cause of his bashfulness, and made him fear to take the lead before strangers. Quarterly Review, vol. 98, p. 22.

No enterprize accompanied by fear can succeed : for there is no greater enemy to good counsel than fear.- WALSINGHAM, Letter, in Froude, Hist. of England, Eliz. xxii.

My Lord, wise men ne'er wail their present woes, but presently prevent the ways to wail. To fear the foe,—since fear oppresseth strength,— gives, in your weakness, strength unto your foe, and so your follies fight against yourself. Fear, and be slain; no worse can come, to fight: and fight and die, is death destroying death; where fearing dying pays death servile breath. SHAKSPEARE, K. Rich. II, iii. 2.

Our doubts are traitors,

and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.

SHAKSPEARE, Meas. for Meas., i. 5.

D

I know that it has been the practice, ever since the French Revolution, to announce operations of this kind beforehand. The advantage of announcing them, the advantage of threats, is this:threats occasion terror, and terror is the great means, and the greatest means, of bringing about execution. -DUKE OF WELLINGTON, Speech in Parliament, 26 July 1839.

Self-estimation is a flatterer too readily entitling us unto knowlege and abilities, which others solicitously labor after, and doubtfully think they attain. Surely, such confident tempers do pass their days in best tranquillity, who, resting in the opinion of their own abilities, are happily gulled by such contentation; wherein pride, self-conceit, confidence, and opiniatrity, will hardy suffer any to complain of imperfection. To think themselves in the right, or all that right, or only that, which they do or think, is a fallacy of high content; though others laugh in their sleeves, and look upon them as in a deluded state of judgement: wherein, notwithstanding, 'twere but a civil piece of complacency to suffer them to sleep who would not wake, to let them rest in their securities, nor by dissent or opposition to stagger their contentments. SIR T. BROWNE, Christian Morals, Part 2, Sect. viii.

As to the endowments of the mind, most persons in their own estimation have a sufficient share; and the natural affection which we bear to ourselves guards us usually against any discontent of that kind. - ARCHDEACON JORTIN, Sermons, Vol. 2, Serm. xv.

'What,' said Mr. Abernethy, in reply to a former pupil, who said it must depress a man to be told that he has not the capacity for success, 'do you suppose a man thinks himself a fool any the more for being told he is one.'

Many persons believe that they discover evidence against the moral government of the world, in the success of individuals not greatly gifted with moral and intellectual qualities, in attaining to great wealth, rank, and social consideration, while men of far superior merit remain in obscurity and poverty. But the solution of this difficulty is to be found in the consideration, that success in society depends on the possession, in an ample degree, of the qualities which society needs and appreciates, and that these bear reference to the state in which society finds itself at the time when the observation is made. * * In proportion as society advances in moral and intellectual acquirements, it will make larger demands for similar qualities in its favorites. The reality of the moral government of the world appears from the degree of happiness which individuals and society enjoy in these different states.-G. COMBE, The Constitution of Man considered in relation to External Objects, Chap. v, Sect. 3.

A man of sense does not so much apply himself to the most learned writings in order to acquire knowlege, as the most rational to fortify his reason. - Wisdom in Miniature, 1818, p. 42.

36

III. CHOICE OF A PROFESSION.

O speak more generally, - those three noble

Professions which all civil Commonwealths do honor, are raised upon the fall of Adam, and are not any way exempt from their infirmities; there are not only diseases incurable in Physic, but cases indissolvable in Laws, vices incorrigible in Divinity. - SIR THOMAS BROWNE, Religio Medici, ii. 9.

Men, endowed with the capacity of a subtle wit, relinquish the schools of learning, and, violently repelled by the sole envy of a step-mother from the nectareous cup of philosophy, having first tasted of it, and by the very taste become more fervently thirsty, fitted for the liberal arts, and equally disposed to the contemplation of Scripture, but destitute of the needful aid, they revert, as it were, by a sort of apostasy, to mechanical arts solely for the sake of food, to the impoverishment of the Church, and the degradation of the whole Clerical Profession.-R. DE BURY, BISHOP OF DURHAM, Philobiblon, Prologue, p. 3.

When Faraday was admitted as an Assistant in the laboratory of the Royal Institution by Humphry Davy, he told him that he would find

'Science a harsh mistress, and in a pecuniary point. of view but poorly rewarding those who devoted themselves to her service.'-'He smiled,' says Faraday, 'at my notions of the superior moral feelings of philosophical men, and said that he would leave me to the experience of a few years to set me right in that matter.'-S. SOLLY, Address, Med. and Chir. Society, March 1868.

Science moves but slowly when its conclusions are not aided by interest or passion. — Saturday Review, 6 Feb. 1869.

One of the things for which he used to thank God was that the world had not been all before him where to choose, either as to calling or place, but that both had been well chosen for him. To choose upon such just motives as can leave no rational cause for after repentance requires riper judgement than ought to be expected at the age when the choice is to be made; it is best for us therefore at a time of life when, though perhaps we might choose well, it is impossible that we could choose wisely, to acquiesce in the determination of others, who have knowlege and experience to direct them. Far happier are they who always know what they are to do, than they who have to determine what they will do. -SOUTHEY, The Doctor, Ch. 65.

The choice of the profession or calling, to which a man shall devote his life and worldly energies, is a matter of most serious importance. By youthful aspirants it is but lightly viewed. They generally