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SIMILES. A fox is no sheep, though dressed in sheep's clothing.

The seed on the rock, where there was no depth of earth.

The Jay (in the fable) was no Dove, though he had white-washed his feathers from mistaken policy.

A counter is no legal coin, though it contains the true stamp and superscription.

The Ass (in Esop's fuble) was no Lion, though he put on the lion's hide.

Honesty without principle is like a mirage in the desert, a lake without water.

Mere politic honesty is like a whited sepulchre; which is indeed beautiful externally, but within is full of all uncleanness.

An actor is no king, though he struts in royal appendages.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. The ancient Pharisees were very charitable, most scrupulous in their moral conduct, and in the discharge of every ceremonial observance; yet our Lord perpetually told them, because they acted thus merely to be seen of men, or from motives of policy, they were worse than even the publicans and harlots; whose conduct was more blameworthy, but whose hearts were less corrupt.-Matt. xxiii. 28.

The seven sons of Sceva were no disciples of Christ, though they took upon themselves "to call over them which had evil spirits in the name of Jesus.-Acts xix. 13-16.

The Pharisee, who went up to the temple to pray, and cried, saying, "Lord, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, adulterers," &c. was no honest man, thongh his conduct was irreproachable. — Luke, xviii.

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King John was no friend to civil liberty, although, from motives of policy, he signed the Magna Charta.

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King Henry VIII. cannot be called an honest man, though he exposed the frauds of popery, and established a more honest form of religion throughout his kingdom.

Who would call the disciples of Nicholas Machiavel honest men, who adopt for their line of conduct the base policy of their master;-" Pay no regard to virtue itself, but only to the public reputation thereof; for the credit of integrity is a help to a man, but the thing itself a perpetual hinderance." This crooked policy has made the term Machiavellism" synonymous with perfidy and artifice.

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David was no maniac, although from motives of policy "he scrabbled on the doors, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard," when he fled to Achish, the king of Gath. -1 Sam. xxi. 10-13.

QUOTATIONS.

Not every one that saith unto me "Lord, Lord," shall enter into the kingdom of God.— Matt. vii. 21-23.

He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is ontward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter.-Rom. ii. 28, 29

The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.-2 Cor. iii. 6.

Not always actions show the man; we find

Who does a kindness, is not therefore kind.-Pope.

The most secret desire of wronging our neighbour, and the most covert guile, destroy our pretences to an honest principle; as much as looking after a woman with unchaste thoughts destroys our pretences to purity of spirit. -Law.

Follow not the common reputation of honesty, which is for the most part no honesty at all: but if you will seem honest, be honest, or else seem as you are.- Wyatt to his son.

What we call an honest man, the French and Romans

call a good man; applying honesty rather to qualities and principles which agree with honour and esteem, than to any set of ostensible actions.-Temple.

The utmost man can render is but small;
The principle and motive all in all.— Couper.
Actus non facit reum, nisi mens sit rea.

Fallit enim vitium specie virtutis et umbra.
Affectio nomen impunit operi.

THEME XVII. A little Straw shows
Which way the Wind blows.

INTRODUCTION. The most trivial actions and inconsiderate words will often show more of a man's natural character than those of greater weight and deliberation.

1ST REASON.-Actions of great pith and moment "being the fruit of careful labour and long study, serve rather to measure a man's industry and talent, than to point out his natural character; but those of no importance, not being subjected to thought or labour, are the spontaneous impulses of simple nature.

2ND REASON.-Actions and words of much importance are dressed up, like actors for the theatre; but those of no moment are unadorned and undisguised.

3RD REASON.-Unguarded words and actions are either too strong or too sudden for control, and, therefore, show what are the natural impulses far better than the conventionalities of politeness, or the exotics of mere policy.

4TH REASON. Any sudden influence has a more immediate eget upon the natural impulses and prejudices of the mind, than on the judgment and prudence; as a gale of wind would move loose straws sooner than heavy timber: in consequence of which, judgment and prudence

remain quiet, while the natural impulses and prejudices of the mind are excited under such circumstances.

5TH REASON. Nature, like a loose coat, is too luxurious to be abandoned entirely; but, like a loose coat, is not to be seen in market or exchange: there are times, however, when the luxury cannot be resisted, and would not even if it could.

6TH REASON.

The strongest impulses are the last which are brought under subjection, and the first to break through the trammels of restraint.

7TH REASON. The mind is constituted to form a judgment from very minute evidence, by the power of inference, deduction, anology, and synthesis: in consequence of which, it can form a judgment of a man's natural character from his most trivial words and actions.

8TH REASON. As face auswereth to face in water, so one mind is analogous to another; and the motives of a stranger may be tried in our own crucible: hence a very small sample will serve for a test, because we can judge of others by ourselves.

SIMILES-A little weed will indicate a climate, soil, locality, or nation, far better than a garden of flowers, or a plantation of trees: For example, a bramble shows poverty of soil; a thistle, moisture; a nettle, proximity to human dwellings. So, again, the hedges of England are variegated with daisies, violets, and primroses; the wilds of Scotland with the heather; Ireland with the shamrock; Holland with the gorgeous and seentless geranium ; India with the marigold; and so on.

A banner or motto will show to what nation an army or fleet belongs, better than the build and general aspect of the men and ships themselves.

A crest or coat of arms will indicate the nobility of an ancient family far better than a house or park, a robe of state or costly banquet.

A little word, a look, or touch, will often convey more

meaning than a whole volume of studied rhetoric could impart.

A very little rise or fall in the mercury of a barometer will indicate approaching weather better than the face of the skies, or the whole map of the visible world.

A leaf will declare the character of a tree, as well as a sight of the tree itself could.

The Ass (in Esop's juble) dressed in the skin of a Lion, was detected by his ears, which protruded through the hide.

A foreigner, though he speaks good grammatical English, and makes a most judicious selection of his words, may, nevertheless, be detected by the tone of his voice, or the incidental substitution of the letter d for th.

The Fox knew by the footmarks all pointing toward the Lion's cave, that the den was dangerous, quite as well as if she had seen the carcases actually devoured.―Æsop's fable.

A tune hummed or whistled in an idle moment will disclose a man's native country more effectually than his general conversation.

A provincial word, or manner of pronouncing a letter, will plainly shew to what nation or county the speaker belongs.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. Catiline knew, when the senate left the bench on which he was sitting, that his conspiracy was discovered, and that he was an object of abhorrence, far better than from the powerful oration of the consul Cicero.-Sullust..

When Eneas and his desperate followers changed armour with Androgeos and the Greeks, they were detected by the tone of their voices and their foreign accent. Virgil's Eneid, ii.

Thetis, to prevent Achilles going to the Trojan war, where she knew he would be killed, sent him privily to the court of Lycomedes, disguised in female attire. As, however, Troy could not be taken without him, Ulysses

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