another, very modest, very unpolished, who desired nothing so much as to pass unnoticed, and who, besides, could not conceive any one in the world being interested in his humble person. Both were eccentrically dressed. The one because he thought nothing about public opinion, the other because he was entirely occupied with it. This want to be “at one's ease,” to give up the finery which incommodes, the clothing which is not the most easy to wear, is a want felt everywhere at present. Every masculine eccentricity in dress is ridiculous from the childishness of the preoccupations that it denotes. A man only wears with elegance costumes on which one cannot suspect him of having deliberated. An obvious expenditure of thought makes him lose in manly grace what he thinks to gain in beauty. Duty. We are always faithful to the duties which happen to be in accordance with our tastes. The performance of duty is only guaranteed to the extent to which nature has made it a want, or society an interest. L'Envie-La Jalousie. L'envie est plus irréconciliable que la haine.-La Rochefoucauld. Il ne faut pas tenter de contenter les envieux.— Vauvenargues. Il semble à l'envieux que ce qu'on accorde de mérite aux autres est retranché du sien.-J. PetitSenn. Les qualités de l'esprit font des jaloux ; celles du cœur ne font que des amis.-Mme. de Genlis. Nos camarades d'enfance sont plus portés que les indifférents à nous porter envie.-Amica-Mathilde. Il y a des envieux qui paraissent tellement accablés de votre bonheur, qu'ils vous inspirent presque la velléité de les plaindre.-Edmond et Jules de Goncourt. L'envie est le plus bête des vices, parce qu'il ne rapporte rien.-De Balzac. L'envie qui parle et qui crie est toujours maladroite; c'est l'envie qui se tait qu'on doit craindre. -Rivarol. Envy-Jealousy. Envy is more irreconcilable than hatred. It is no use trying to make the envious contented. It appears to the envious that merit accorded to others is cut off from their own. The qualities of the intellect excite jealousy, those of the heart only lead to friendship. Our companions in childhood are more inclined than strangers to be envious towards us. There are envious people who appear so much overwhelmed by your good fortune, that they almost inspire you with the inclination to pity them. Envy is the most stupid of vices, for it brings in nothing. Envy which talks and which cries out is always maladroit; it is the envy which keeps silent that one ought to fear. La plus véritable marque d'être né avec de grandes qualités, c'est d'être né sans envie.-La Rochefoucauld. La Famille. N'ayez qu'un enfant vous en êtes l'esclave: ayez-en six, vous êtes leur maître.-Dumont. Que tous les hommes soient frères, c'est le rêve des gens qui n'ont pas de frères.-Ch. Chincholle. Oh! le premier de l'an! Jour navrant quand on n'a pas de famille, odieux quand on en a !— Maurice Donnay. L'intérieur des familles est souvent troublé par les défiances, par les jalousies et par l'antipathie, pendant que des dehors contents, paisibles et enjoués, nous trompent, et nous y font supposer une paix qui n'y est point; il y en a peu qui gagnent à être approfondies. Cette visite que vous rendez vient de suspendre une querelle domestique, qui n'attend que votre retraite pour recommencer. -La Bruyère. La plus commune et plus saine part des hommes tient à grand heur l'abondance des enfants; moy et quelques aultres à pareil heur le défaut : et The surest sign of being born with great qualities, is to be born without envy. The Family. Have only one child, you are its slave; have six, you are their master. That all men should be brothers, is the dream of people who have no brothers. Oh! New Year's Day! Day heartrending when you have no family, odious when you have! The domestic life of families is often troubled by distrust, by jealousy and by antipathy, while the outwardly contented, placid and playful aspect deceives us and makes us suppose a peace which is not there. There are few of them which gain by being fathomed. This visit that you pay has just suspended a domestic quarrel, which only awaits your retirement to recommence. The generality and more solid sort of men look upon abundance of children as a great blessing; I, and some others, think it as great a benefit to |