Life and Literature Part 66

--_Israel Zangwill._

907

COMMERCIAL HONESTY.

On one occasion the first Napoleon being informed that a certain army contractor had cheated the government by supplying the troops with very inferior and insufficient food, sent for him to inquire into the affair.

"How is this?" said the Emperor: "I understand you have been violating your contract." "Sire," was the answer, "I must live." "No," replied the monarch, "I do not see the _must_. It is not necessary that you should live; but it is necessary that you should do right."

908

Too much a.s.sertion gives ground of suspicion; truth and honesty have no need of loud protestations.

909

REUBEN AND SANDY.

Can any one who was present ever forget the broken voice and streaming tears with which he (Dean Stanley) told the story of two little Scotch boys, Reuben and Sandy? The story was as follows: "On a cold winter day, a gentleman in Edinburgh had, out of pity, bought a box of matches from a poor, little, shivering boy, and, as he had no pence, had given him a shilling, of which the change was to be brought to his hotel. Hours pa.s.sed by, and the boy did not return. Very late in the evening a mere child came to the hotel. 'Are you the gentleman that bought the matches frae Sandy?' 'Yes.' 'Well, then, here's fourpence out o' yer' shillin'; Sandy canna come. He's verra ill. A cart ran over him and knocked him doon, and he lost his bonnet and his matches and yer sevenpence, and baith his legs are broken, and the doctor says he'll dee; and that's a'.' And then, putting down the fourpence on the table, the poor child burst into great sobs. 'So I fed the little man,' said the narrator; 'and I went with him to see Sandy. The two little things were living almost alone; their father and mother were dead. Poor Sandy was lying on a bundle of shavings. He knew me as soon as I came in, and said, 'I got the change, sir, and was coming back, and then the cart knocked me down, and both my legs were broken; and oh, Reuby, little Reuby, I am sure I am dying, and who will take care of you when I am gone? What will ye do?' 'I took his hand, and said I would always take care of Reuby. He understood me, and had just strength enough to look up as if to thank me; the light went out of his blue eyes. In a moment,

He lay within the light of G.o.d, Like a babe upon the breast, Where the wicked cease from troubling And the weary are at rest.'"

910

_Honesty._--If he does really think that there is no distinction between virtue and vice, why sir, when he leaves our houses let us count our spoons.

--_Dr. Johnson._

911

The birthplace of a man does him no honor, But a man may do honor to his birthplace.

912

He, the Duke of Devonshire, was not a man of superior abilities, but was a man strictly faithful to his word. If, for instance, he had promised you an acorn, and none had grown that year in his woods, he would not have contented himself with that excuse: he would have sent to Denmark for it, so unconditional was he in keeping his word--so high as to the point of honor.

--_Boswell's Life of Johnson._

913

Honor is like the eye which cannot suffer the least injury without damage; it is a precious stone, the price of which is lessened by the least flaw.

--_Bossuet._

914

JUDICIAL HONOR.

A poor man claimed a house which a rich man had seized. The former produced his deeds and instruments to prove his right, but the latter had provided a number of witnesses; and, to support their evidence the more effectually, he secretly presented the cadi with a bag containing five hundred ducats, which the cadi received. When it came to a hearing, the poor man told his story and produced his writings, but lacked witnesses. The other, provided with witnesses, laid his whole stress on them and on his adversary's defective law, who could produce none; he, therefore, urged the cadi to give sentence in his favor. After the most pressing solicitations, the judge calmly drew from beneath his sofa the bag of five hundred ducats, which the rich man had given him as a bribe, saying to him very gravely, "You have been much mistaken in the suit; for if the poor man could produce no witnesses in confirmation of his right, I, myself, can furnish him with at least five hundred." He threw him the bag with reproach and indignation and decreed the house to the poor plaintiff.

915

What greater ornament is there to a son than a father's glory; or what to a father than a son's honorable conduct?

916

The honor is overpaid, When he that did the act is commentator.

--_Shirley._

917

_By Hook or Crook._--This saying is probably derived from a forest custom. Persons ent.i.tled to fuel wood in the king's forest were only authorized to take it of the dead wood or branches of trees in the forest, "with a cart, a hook, and a crook."

--_From Mulledulcia._

918

Who bids me hope, and in that charming word Has peace and transport to my soul restor'd.

--_Lord Lyttleton._

919

In all things it is better to hope than to despair.

--_Goethe._

920

How often disappointment tracks The steps of hope!

--_Miss Landon._

921