East, and as attaché of the American legation had favorable opportunities for observing European society. During the latter part of his life he was editor of the Home Journal in conjunction with George P. Morris, and after the latter's death assumed entire charge of the paper. Willis was a brilliant and popular magazinist, and the author of numerous stories, sketches of travel, miscellaneous papers of social observation, and verses. His publications include: Pencilings by the Way," 66 Inklings of Adventure," "Letters from Under a Bridge," "People I Have Met," Hurry-graphis," "Famous Persons and Places." He died at his beautiful estate, "Idlewild," Newburg, N. Y., in 1867.]

66

THE shadows lay along Broadway,
'Twas near the twilight tide,
And slowly there a Lady fair
Was walking in her pride:
Alone walked she; but viewlessly
Walked spirits at her side.

Peace charmed the street beneath her feet,
And Honor charmed the air;

And all astir looked kind on her,

And called her good as fair:

For all God ever gave to her
She kept with chary care.

She kept with care her beauties rare
From lovers warm and true,
For her heart was cold to all but gold,
And the rich came not to woo:
But honored well are charms to sell,
If priests the selling do.

Now walking there was One more fair,

A slight Girl, lily pale;

And she had unseen company
To make the spirit quail :

"Twixt Want and Scorn she walked forlorn,
And nothing could avail.

No mercy now can clear her brow

For this world's peace to pray:

For as love's wild prayer dissolved in air,
Her woman's heart gave way:

But the sin forgiven by Christ in Heaven
By man is cursed alway.

66

THOUGHTS IN THE CLOISTER AND THE CROWD.

BY ARTHUR HELPS.

[SIR ARTHUR HELPS, English man of letters, was born at Streatham, July 10, 1813; graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was private secretary to the chancellor of the exchequer, and to the Irish secretary; in later life, clerk to the Privy Council. He published: "Thoughts in the Cloister and the Crowd" (1835); "The Claims of Labor" (1844); "Friends in Council' (1847-1859); "The Conquerors of the New World and their Bondsmen" (1848-1852); "The Spanish Conquest in America" (1855-1861); biographies of Las Casas, Columbus, Pizarro, and Cortes; Thoughts upon Government" (1872); "Realmah" (1869); "Talks about Animals and their Masters" (1873); "Social Pressure" (1875). He died March 7, 1875.]

..

THE world will find out that part of your character which concerns it: that which especially concerns yourself, it will leave for you to discover.

The step from the sublime to the ridiculous is not so short as the step from the confused to the sublime in the minds of most people, for the want of a proper standard of comparison. We always believe the clouds to be much higher than they really are, until we see them resting on the shoulders of the mountains.

It is difficult to discover the estimation in which one man holds another's powers of mind by seeing them together. The soundest intellect and the keenest wit will sometimes shrink at the vivacity, and pay an apparent deference to the energy, of mere cleverness; as Faust, when overcome by loud sophistry, exclaims, "He who is determined to be right, and has but a tongue, will be right undoubtedly."

There is no occasion to regard with continual dislike one who had formerly a mean opinion of your merits; for you are never so sure of permanent esteem as from the man who once esteemed you lightly, and has corrected his mistake if it be a mistake.

A friend is one who does not laugh when you are in a ridiculous position. Some may deny such a test, saying that if a man have a keen sense of the ridiculous, he cannot help being amused, even though his friend be the subject of ridicule. No, your friend is one who ought to sympathize with you, and not with the multitude.

You cannot expect that a friend should be like the atmos

phere, which confers all manner of benefits upon you, and without which indeed it would be impossible to live, but at the same time is never in your way.

It would often be as well to condemn a man unheard as to condemn him upon the reasons which he openly avows for any course of action.

The apparent foolishness of others is but too frequently our own ignorance, or, what is much worse, it is the direct measure of our own tyranny.

When the subtle man fails in deceiving those around him, they are loud in their reproaches; when he succeeds in deceiving his own conscience, it is silent. The last is not the least misfortune, for it were better to make many enemies than to silence one such friend.

It is quite impossible to understand the character of a person from one action, however striking that action may be.

The youngest mathematician knows that one point is insufficient to determine a straight line, much less anything so curvelike as the character even of the most simple and upright of mankind.

If you are obliged to judge from a single action, let it not be a striking one.

Men rattle their chains-to manifest their freedom.

The failure of many of our greatest men in their early career a fact on which the ignorant and weak are fond of vainly leaning for support is a very interesting subject for consideration.

The rebelliousness of great natures is a good phrase, but I fear it will not entirely satisfy all our questionings. It has been said that if we could, with our limited capacities and muffled souls, compare this life and the future, and retain the impression, that our daily duties here would be neglected, and that all below would become "weary, flat, stale, and unprofitable." Now may not the pursuit of any particular study or worldly aim become to the far-seeing genius disgusting in the same way? May he not be like one on a lofty rock, who can behold and comprehend all the objects in the distance, can thence discover the true path that leadeth to the glad city, but, from his very position, cannot without great pain and danger scrutinize the ground immediately under him? Many fail