Year: 1871

We are inclined to think that life would be
tolerable were it not for our friends.
A man of the world of course knows how to
value the friendship of the ordinary run OF
people He is conscious that he is not loved,
and that he is only tolerated because he has a
certain position, or has the command of money.
His friends are the last consideration, and he
probably enjoys life without one thought OF
the dread drawingroOm tribunal before which
the sins and shortcomings of the whole neigh
borhood in which he lives are passed in re-
view. But ordinary people are seldom gifted
with that practical worldly wisdom which
teaches us to despise the social despOtism of
the fools who rule society. Most people value
their friends, and could not live day without
them-sOcial outlawry IS too terrible a pun
ishment for weakminded men and women to
contemplate for a moment with any degree OF
equanimity. They must have props and
crutches, and they must stand well with Mrs.
Grundy. AS a natural consequence OF this
common failing, we see daily evidences OF the
fact that young people just entering into life
are travelling the road to ruin merely to obllge
people who do not care a straw for them, while
men and women whose experience of the world
should teach them little wisdom, suffer the
stings OF real poverty in their senseless deter


mination to keep up an appearance which their
income does not warrant.


| Unhappily, compliance with the stern man


dates of the world does not always ward off tho


delicate attentions of cur friends. Women
| will talk behind our backs, and in all proba-


bility the shifts and trials of the owner of a


spruce house are as we'll known to his circle as
they are to himself Every one knows, for


example, how he contrived to refurnlsh in such


grand style; his piano was obtained on the


three years system, and tallyman calls every


quarter from the uphosterer. The cupboard,


which he dlgniies with the name OF a wine


celler, was stocked with Day and Martin and


other choice compounds on a credit, and, in


fact his dear friends wonder how he contrives


to keep up at all. The backbiters, of course


have committed the same venaA sins them


selves, but they always imagine that their own
private affairs are not known. Human ostrich
es are common enough, and manya fool thinks
he wards off attention and too ScrutlnlzlHg


glance into his own concerns if he boldly attacks


some one else. The skilled backbiter has re
, duced evi-speaking to a science; she has keeI
: eyes for all the signs of genteel poverty, anC


learns volumes from an anxious glance, or
nervous anxiety to open a letter, or to speal
3 to some one at the ball-door Like the geolo
' gist who describes the anatomical structure o
{ an extinct animal from a single bone, she IN
s vents whole history OF your worldly struggle
s from material quite as unpromlslng and slen


der You were not sufficiently hOspitabl
when she called, or your dinner was meagre
/ and you were particularly anxious about thu
: consumption Of Day and Martin s best vintage
You were cold, or, at all events, not cordial
and she went away hungry All this is tolC
confdentially, but Of course it comes to you
: ears.


f Scandal has some of the acoustical propertie
!, of sound; it travels with the same wayolik
e motion, but comes back to the man it concern
It instead OF the person who gave it birth. Som
. candid friend is sure to tell you all about tn
y kind offices of your late guest. lie puts yo