ble career of the virtuous money maker. Men laugh at him, when he labors at a vile likeness of what exists, to him, neither in the heavens above, nor in the earth beneath, nor in the waters under the earth, and then calls upon them to venerate the golden image which he has set up. Connected with this topic is a question of use which deserves a passing remark. Many, even some good people, apply the nickname “cant” to the solemn, prolonged, and cantillating tone of some unquestionably pious men. This reproach we doubt not has spoiled the savor of many an excellent exhortation, and doubtless hypocrisy and mannerism have much in common. The injustice however of the name will be apparent upon slight reflection. We abstain within these limits from discussing the proprieties of the case, but to those who apply the reproach with ill-temper, it is often enough to utter the sublime retort of the sacred bard: It is higher than heaven; what canst thou say! deeper than hell; what canst thou know! But there is also a petty Cant, by far the most common sort, and most unobserved in the commonest cases. Yet a moment's reflection shows every one that it is nothing else than cant. It is very seldom blamed, generally winked at as inseparable from civilized society, universally practised in some of its forms, and even demanded as the Shibboleth of fashion. The sophist uses this sort in his "Fallacy of the Unintelligible," which as a distinguished jurist once expressed it, keeps the sound agoing, when the sense is gone. This is preeminently Cant, which is pure sophistry, and whose very essence is deception. We meet this sort in the opinionated discourse of many of our self-styled connoisseurs. But its most prevalent form seems to be found in the interchange of the common courtesies of life. What we term "compliments" are mere cant; they are proverbially meaningless, and are interchanged with no appreciation of any value. Common salutations degenerate into the same character, so that it is now really quite refreshing to greet a person who seems interested in one's welfare. Why do we relish so much the unpolished cordial courtesy of the rough backwoodsman? Why, again, did the Arab soldier, in the division of the spoil, exclaim to his comrade, "I will give you any quantity of this yellow metal (gold) for a little of the white." Because it is always an exquisite satisfaction to be able to say, "I know whom I have believed." We have already mentioned facts which show a very curious difference between these two sorts of cant as they are estimated by men. How unanimously do all the world agree to expose gross cant, and to hold it up to scorn! With what contempt, nay, with what rancor, even, do men assail the uncovered hypocrite! What a triumph for an enemy, what an envenomed weapon it is, to have confuted a man of pious frauds! But here, mark that the cant is all on one side. Now, transferring our glass to the other sort, we find that petty cant, though for the most part perfectly appreciated, is generally uncensured. The whole world now unites as heartily in the game of duplicity, as it did before to prevent the doubledealing. Their cant, indeed, is not as gross as that other; the parties are yet using only paper wads and pop-guns, but how do we know that they will not presently betake themselves to bombs and Paixhan's? Every one meets the venial insults of his neighbor, yet no one is offended, and it is quite rustic to wear the brow of golden Sincerity. The world seems, indeed, from some impulse of its fantastic fashion, to have reproduced among men and women the old games of boys and girls. Pueri ludentes, "Rex eris," aiunt. This one shall profess very friendly sentiments, and that one shall make show of generosity and candor, but it is, of course, all preconcerted and well understood there is naught there but the original "corpus mortis," after all. A very brief inquiry into the cause of this strange difference leads us to the nature and office of Cant itself. This Cause is involved in what has been premised, and appears to lie, first, in the qualities dissembled, and, second, in the attitudes of the parties, though a necessary fusion of these two elements, seems, in each kind, to take place. I. We charge the hypocrite with feigning virtue which he does not possess, and, proximately, with claiming merit which is not his own. It is allowable to liken virtue and its accruing merit to a great bank of deposit, wherein all men are shareholders, and from which each man derives a continual interest. He who appropriates by any means a larger than his lawful share, instantly raises the hue and cry against him as a common thief. The voice of universal blame increases as the embezzlement is larger, or as the stock is more valuable, and so the religious hypocrite is more denounced than the simple pretender of morality; here then the different shades blend with each other, and the distinction between the two kinds is less palpable; as in the case of the Sophist mentioned, who untruly claims the qualities of the Good Orator-Integrity and Good-will; or, more nearly, in the case of him who pompously affects to know more than he really does. II. We have now alleged the first cause to be the idea of the violation (as it were) of the Right of Property. It was possible, however, in ac cordance still with this, to have represented the crime of the hypocrite under a different figure. We might justly have likened him to a counterfeiter, as in a former passage. Be it so : in the first case, now, we present the guilty corrupter of the established currency. Instead of gold, the hypocrite imposes lead. But, in the second case, the established currency has been debased from gold to lead by common consent. We can no longer make a comparison of pure and base: we have only the base. So far as a mutual understanding is concerned, which is all that enters into present consideration, men may debase, more or less, the higher or lower denominations of the established currency. They may use, either wholly or in part, iron for silver, lead for gold, crowns for guineas; but when all conform to the same standard, no man goes beyond or defrauds his neighbor in aught. Setting aside that deep hypocrisy which springs from a far-spreading "inner vileness," it is merely to be remarked that this petty cant, the legitimate offshoot of a highly artificial state of society, as we think, however much it may be condemned, has yet a useful office. Courtesy is human, and the interchange of kindly sentiments brings satisfaction. Our instincts lead us, and often with a strength we were not aware of, not only to the end, but also to that means. And when estrangement or selfishness draws its icy covering over the sensibility, and constrains all free and natural methods, we seek the gratification of the artificial and counterfeit; which gilds with amenity the chillness of the moment, whose melody lingers awhile amid the wintry torpor, and whose passing leaves a flush of sunlight on the glacier in our hearts. J. M. W. Sandwich and Cider Sketch." NO. II. BY JOHN JAW-MANDIZER. "Adam's Eve," or "The Evening when Adam felt a slight indisposition 5 P. M. to attend College Duties." Evening prayer-bell rings; Adam having indulged in a horizontal position all day, jumps from bed by mere force of habit; finds himself rubbing his eyes in middle of the floor, and concludes to pass the remainder of the day in an upright manner 6 o'clock. 7 o'clock. 7 o'clock. -Straightway makes pollution with water in bowl; and with a horrid crash, wipes off dew from face, and considers himself done--accidentally cleans teeth with nail-brush; discovers error by the taste, naturally acute; rectifies mistake-thinks Chum's hair-brush the best; with it, unsnarles hair and gets snarly himself, helped on in the strain by an occasional sympathetic "ow"-thinks 'tis a knotty case and is knot discouraged-Next Adam makes in-vest-ment, pants away lustily, collars himself and tries to strangle with neck-cloth; casts sidelong glance in large looking-glass and being suited, finally sinks into arms of coquttish-looking easy chair, and puts feet upon "Cricket on the Hearth." Adam toasts crackers over the coals, and shins at same time— both get a little burnt-Adam eats crackers, and puts shins, bare feet and all, into pail of hot water; wonders if Bear-feet and shins w'dn't make good soup-takes them out only par-boiled, and holds them up before fire to dry-contemplates feat of considerable magnitude before him, then lifts down decanter from shelfsmells of liquor to see if't hasn't soured-still in doubt-takes swallow-is in doubt even then; takes a long pull and feels satisfied that some good qualities still remain-wishes he could leave. off this old habit-takes another swig to satisfy himself that he cannot possibly. Chum comes in with letter-gives Adam a punch in the stomach which is taken with right good humor-Adam then hands Chum empty mug and receives letter-Adam, studentlike, has great passion for letters, especially belles' lettresAdam reads, and ties face in hard knot as he proceeds; finally, throws note in fire, ejaculating "Letter go!" and concluding he never did like the girl, drinks her health merely from force of habit. Chum prepares to attend party-Adam sees him "Sans Culottes," blacking boots in the ante-room-wonders if 'tis a Polish custom-accidentally notices hole in Chum's dancing pumps-asks if a sherry-cobbler c'dn't mend the matter and keep the cold out-Adam gets off poor pun and laughs heartily-laugh not joined in by Chum, probably owing to dull intellect-Chum goes out-hastily returns, and says the door-mat has been stolen-goes out again in a rage, vowing to prosecute-inquiries. 8 o'clock. 8 o'clock. 9 o'clock. 9 o'clock. Adam writes sarcastic letter-in reply to one just received— Bends too far over candle and singes hair extensively-says “he always liked to see hair curly at the ends," and seals letter energetically-drops wax on his thumb-feels most essentially waxed, and inserts thumb in mouth to try suction-principle -Adam looks moodily at flame of fire, and thinks of his old flame-broods over the probable suicide his letter will occasion, and begins to relent-calls to mind her beautiful teeth, then declares they 're false; that he won't be gummed by a toothless woman, and concludes to send the dreadful missive-takes out daguer❜type, and reflecting on himself, c.lculates chances of success in other quarters. Feels abominable pain in abdomen-wishes himself in Spiritland, where all pain is sham-pain-sighs for lapse of time, when he shall be cuddled quietly away at rest-candle burns dimly-Adam feels lonesome--reaches ink-bottle from shelf by mistake; takes mouthful-inky streaks run down from mouth and nostrils-Adam feels streaked-rushes to basket of clean clothes for handkerchief; accidentally coughs; ink flies over linen in all directions-Adam bewilder'd, rinses his mouth with water by mistake for brandy-swallows some ink and water-has slight stomach-ache, and longs for "Internal Improvements." Adam feels better; takes two or three sandwiches and a tumbler of logger-head becr-congratulates himself that he doesn't drink from principle, but from bottle-Tries to sharpen his wits with file of newspapers-notices advertisement of Fancy Ball-calls to mind a hop he attended once, on a time with his Father, in a little back-room of R. R. Depot, where he did the hopping, and his Father was the SwitchmanAdam's eye lights on ordinances against thimble riggerswonders if any such laws were in operation when his mother played off such a thimble rig on his head, one day for playing truant--sees account, relating to appetite of raw-militia—wonders if they wouldn't eat better if cooked-reads narrative of a horrid massacre; recalls the remorse he once had, for cutting off a dead-squirrel's leg with a hatchet, and looking the other way to avoid seeing the bloodshed. Throws down paper and looks out of window-sees full moon, and wonders why they don't call it bal-luna-thinks in |