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Consuetudo quovis tyranno potentior.

Consuetudo pro lege servatur.

Altera natura usus est.

Si volet usus.-Horace.

Usus est optimus magister.-Columella.

CONCLUSION. Since

THEME XXV. A Man is known by his Companions.

INTRODUCTION. -A man's character, opinions, taste, and temper, may be fairly gauged by the choice he makes of associates.

1ST REASON-Associates are selected for gratification; but unless they are of congenial habits, they would rather distress than gratify.

2ND REASON.-Associates are subjects of free choice; but no man will choose to annoy himself by taking to his bosom what he dislikes.

3RD REASON. All men naturally like to have their own way, and are averse to opposition: Those, therefore, of antagonistic sentiments rather seek to avoid each other, than to coalesce by friendship.

4TH REASON.-Men of similar tastes and habits can lend a helping hand to each other; but those of uncongenial minds and pursuits obstruct by interference; and no man voluntarily lays a stone to trip his own feet.

5TH REASON. There is an inherent attraction in congenial minds, and an inherent repulsion in antago nistic dispositions.

6TH REASON.

Every man thinks his own opinions and taste to be right, and those of his opponent to be

wrong: If, therefore, a man were to choose for his companion one of different sentiments to himself, it would be like preferring falsity to truth, and proclaiming himself a hypocrite.

7TH REASON. A man would lose character were his companions to be of opposite or uncongenial habits: As if a wise man were to make a fool his associate, or a peer of the realm were to select for his friend a vulgar peasant, or an honest man a notorious thief.

SIMILES. The Stork in the Fowler's net.-Esop's fable.

Fire and water, the miscalled elements of the ancients, have a natural affinity to their own kind, and a natural aversion to each other. Thus water is attracted by water, and two drops meeting together will readily coalesce and become one; but when fire and water meet together they destroy each other.

Tigers and deer, serpents and doves, lambs and wolves, lions and whales, never voluntarily associate with each

other.

Light and darkness can never unite.

The temperature and climate of any locality may be known by the animals and plants which abound therein.

A bramble is the companion of a poor soil; a thistle, of a moist one; a nettle, of stables or human dwellings; the alder, of water; the fir-tree, of sand; the oak, of lime, and so on.

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HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. Different nations live distinct.

The Scythians were proverbial for their ignorance and uncivilised manners, so that when Anacharsis flourished amongst the barbarous people, a man in every way opposite to the national character, he furnished the Greeks with a proverb for inconsistency: for, instead of saying, as the Jews did, "Is Saul among the prophets?"

they used to say, "Here's Anacharsis amongst the Scy

thians!"

When our blessed Redeemer showed himself "the friend of publicans and sinners," it was objected against him that he could not be good, because his associates were evil: But we must remember, that He communed with sinners not as a companion, but as a physician goes amongst the sick, to comfort, cure, and save.

When Dionysius, the tyrant of Syracuse, sent for Plato, the philosopher sent word back, "It is not good for Plato to be with Dionysius, any more than for Virtue to be with Vice."

Paul was beset by Jews and accused of polluting the temple, because he made Trophimus, an Ephesian, his companion.-Acts, xxi. 29.

St. Peter was accused of being a friend of Jesus Christ, because his speech showed him to be a Galilean.Mark, xvi. 70.

When a policeman wants to find a thief or a felon, where does he search for him, but amongst the haunts of wickedness, and the offscouring of society?

QUOTATIONS.-Birds of a feather flock together.

Tell me what companions a man hath, and I will tell you what the man is.

What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?-2 Cor. vi. 14, 15. Tis harmony and sympathy of soul,

Attune our passions into love;

Thought meeting thought, and will preventing will,
With boundless confidence; for nought but love
Can answer love.-Thomson,

Gens de même famille.

Noscitur ex sociis.

Similes similibus gaudent, pares cum paribus facillime congregantur.-Cicero.

Idem velle, et idem nolle, ea demum firma amicitia est. -Sallust.

Verus amicus est tanquam alter idem.― Cicero.

Officiis, usu, consuetudine, conjunctissimus est homo.Cicero.

Asinus asino, sus sui pulcher,

Morum dissimulatio dissociat amicitias.-Cicero.

In hoc est omnis vis amicitiæ, voluntatum, studiorum, sententiarum, consensio.-Cicero.

CONCLUSION.-How careful should we be in the selection of our companions!

THEME XXVI.

INTRODUCTION.

Virtue is its own Reward.

Every good action brings a recompense to the agent, independent of the approbation or favour it may elicit from others.

1ST REASON.-There is an instant delight in the first. conception of a good deed, as in the anticipation of pleasure.

2ND REASON.-There is a relish in the very affection and frame of mind which entertains a virtuous intention; and a repulsiveness in every evil conception and frame of mind.

3RD REASON. There is a concurrent or sustained delight throughout the entire performance of a virtuous deed; arising (1.) from the intuitive perception of its consistency and magnanimity; (2.) from a placid feeling of contentment, and independence of soul in having nothing to conceal; and (3.) from the triumph of self-command, and the victory of good over evil.

4TH REASON. There is a consummated delight of selfsatisfaction in having accomplished what is right; and a similar discomfort, amounting sometimes to bitter and mournful agony, at the thought of having done what is wrong.

5TH REASON. Besides these inherent pleasures, there are others from without which accompany virtue as hand maids.

(1.) All men, even the wicked, involuntarily approve of and admire virtue: nor can a man be found so utterly debased as not to prefer goodness, at least in others, to villany.

(2.) Virtuous actions act like leaven, diffusing a happy and holy influence on all who witness them. Thus a man's family will catch the spirit, and all those with whom a good man "lives and moves and has his being," will feel the reflection of his goodness.

(3.) Virtue so frequently meets with reward from men, either in the shape of patronage, bounty, respect, or friendship, that the mutual consent of all the world has pronounced "Honesty to be the best policy."

(4.) The Bible asserts that God "will reward every man hereafter according to the deeds done in the flesh, whether they be good, or whether they be evil.”

SIMILES. AS wholesome food has a relish both in mastication and digestion; so wholesome actions are palatable to the mind both in their conception and perform

ance.

As every thing really beautiful in nature or art is also useful; so virtue is not only admired for its moral beauty, but recompensed for its moral value.

The horse which faithfully performs its duty is cherished and carefully tended; but a vicious animat is “hacked" and ill-used, bringing torment to itself and annoyance to its rider.

The violet is carefully cultivated and watched over; while the nettle is rooted up, and cast on the dunghill.

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