The record-union., 1896-01-18

water as it were by OIL Andrew Lang,
in his late comments upon Shake
speare's Tanning of the Shrew,' says
that it makes an amusing comedy, but
that no shrew ever was tanned by
Shakespeare's process or any other. We
are very much afraid that woman's
temper has driven more men to drink
than women's tears have redeemed; and
that not many a Xantippe is married
to a Socrates who can seek solace for
home comfort in the consultations of
philosophy. More will follow Rip Van
Wrinkle to the woods with his pint bottle
in his pocket English literature is a
literature of chivalry and is apt to con-
done every failing in a woman but one.
But it is doubtful whether the immun-
ity thus given to woman to do her
worst has been a benefit to her. Every
body knows what but few care to
say, that the wife's temper is response
bic for as many wrecked households as
the husbands vices"
THE chief element in human value in
contrast with position, wealth, culture,
or even genius" says the New York
Christian Intelligencer" (Ref), sis
nobility of character. The fundamental
question in human life is not one of pos
session or of attainment or of standing,
but of being. Clothe a man in purple,
girdle him with gold, put upon his head
a crown and in his hand a scepter.
These are not the man. AS much could
be done for an image carved out of
wood. They are but the insignia of place
and power the royal vestments of for
tune. The man is the head that thinks
beneath the crown, and the heart that
beats behind the girdle and the purple
and his true worth is to be computed by
the thoughts he thinks and the deeds
he achieves in the life he lives. 1t is
the man that gives value and signifi-,
cance to his possessions and environ
ments; they give no value to him. The
heresy of the age is to exalt everything
above character, to set the things upon
and round about the manhood above
the manhood itself, hence the reeking
corruption SO widely 1amented."
"The rich and prosperous stand more
by themselves" observes the Living
Church" P. Ed of Chicago. "They are
not bound so closely to others in a
daily experience of common toll and
hardship, and when calamity comes
they are able to help themselves Moth
ing that others can do is of great value
to them, and they are not likely to real
ize that anything they can do for 9TH
ers can be of great value. They are not
altogether selfish and heartless, but
from habit and circumstances they
have lost the power of sympathizing
with conditions of life other than their
own. Hence, lit comes that the moor
who toll together and know each others
needs and sufferings, respond with Law
ish sacrifice, in comparison with their
means, while the rich pass by on the
other side, when suffering presses hard
upon the unfortunate. This is not true
of ell, rich or poor, but it is true as a
general statement. Tt is so far true as
to be the acknowledged explanation
OF the bitter feeling that is growing up
among the poor towards the. rich, a
feeling of reproach, that in many is
begetting a spirit of revenge. The rich
do not, as a class, sympathize with the
poor, nor trouble themselves for their
condition. They take it for granted that
for the most part, the poor are shiftless
and ought to take the consequences;
that it is useless to try to help them,
since with all that can be done for
them their condition will not be ma
terially improved"