fast approaching to both of them, when, if they have gained the favour of God, it matters little what else they have lost; but if they have lost His favour, it matters little what else they have gained. The second argument in support of the ultimate superiority of virtue is this: we are so framed and constituted, that the most vicious cannot but pay a secret though unwilling homage to virtue, inasmuch as the worst men cannot bring themselves thoroughly to esteem a bad man, although he may be their dearest friend, nor can they thoroughly despise a good man, although he may be their bitterest enemy. From this inward esteem for virtue, which the noblest cherish, and which the basest cannot expel, it follows that virtue is the only bond of union on which we can thoroughly depend. Even differences of opinion on minor points cannot shake those combinations which have virtue for their foundation, and truth for their end. Such friendships, like those of Luther and Melancthon, should they cease to be friendships of agreement, will continue to be friendships of alliance; approaching each other by angular lines, when they no longer proceed together by parallel, and meeting at last in one common centre-the good of the cause in which they are embarked.-Colton.

ORIDE differs in many things from vanity, and by

gradations that never blend, although they may be somewhat indistinguishable. Pride may perhaps be termed a too high opinion of ourselves, founded on the over-rating of certain qualities that we do actually possess; whereas vanity is more easily satisfied, and can extract a feeling of self-complacency from qualifications that are imaginary. Vanity can also feed upon externals, but pride must have more or less of that which is intrinsic: the proud therefore do not set so high a value upon wealth as the vain, neither are they so much depressed by poverty. Vanity looks to the many, and to the moment; pride to the future, and to the few: hence pride has more difficulties, and vanity more disappointments; neither does she bear

them so well, for she at times distrusts herself, whereas pride despises others. For the vain man cannot always be certain of the validity of his pretensions, because they are often as empty as that very vanity which has created them; therefore it is necessary for his happiness that they should be confirmed by the opinion of his neighbours, and his own vote in favour of himself he thinks of little weight until it be backed by the suffrages of others. The vain man idolises his own person, and here he is wrong; but he cannot bear his own company, and here he is right. But the proud man wants no such confirmations; his pretensions may be small, but they are something, and his error lies in over-rating them. If others appreciate his merits less highly, he attributes it either to their envy or to their ignorance, and enjoys in prospect that period when time shall have removed the film from their eyes. Therefore, the proud man can afford to wait, because he has no doubt of the strength of his capital, and can also live by anticipation, on that fame which he has persuaded himself that he deserves. He often draws indeed too largely upon posterity, but even here he is safe; for should the bills be dishonoured, this cannot happen until that debt which cancels all others shall have been paid.-Colton.

Some men who know that they are great are so very haughty withal and insufferable, that their acquaintance discover their greatness only by the tax of humility which they are obliged to pay as the price of their friendship. Such characters are as tiresome and disgusting in the journey of life as rugged roads are to the weary traveller, which he discovers to be turnpikes only by the toll.-Colton.

Pride often miscalculates, and more often misconceives. The proud man places himself at a distance from other men: seen through that distance, others perhaps appear little to him; but he forgets that this very distance causes him also to appear equally little to others.-Colton.

Of all moral virtues, humility is the most beautiful.

NE reason why I love the Bible so much, and prize it more and more, is, that the studies of twenty-five years have taught me that it is ever opening, disclosing new beauties and deeper thoughts. I delight to trace the development of doctrine under successive dispensations; to see how the New Testament supplements the Old, and the Gospel accomplishes what the Law could not do; to feel in my adoring spirit how, after Matthew and Mark and Luke have given their vivid portraitures, John, with fuller insight, reveals Christ's higher nature; to notice how the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church is brought out in the Acts and Epistles, while the Apocalypse lights up with its predictions the ages to come. I love to notice that, while all the writers declare a