quake as Japan itself. Its great lyrics, , nean produced the Roman race, who did while they praise him “who made the more than any other ancient race to fix round world so fast that it cannot be the belief in human law, and to raise the moved," are full of the terrors of these ideal of human constancy. The Jews, no great convulsions, which move earth to its doubt, did far more to raise the heart to foundations. They are always question the conception of eternal love and immu. ing the hills why they display so change. table purpose; but then the Jews, too, ful a mind: “Why hop ye so, ye high were disciplined by the most terrible hills ?” They are always depicting the experience of the mutability of human phenomena of the volcano and the earth-possessions and human joys. The more quake: “God is our hope and strength, a mutable was the world around them, the very present help in trouble ; therefore more keenly they seemed to pierce the will we

not fear, though the earth be enveloping cloud, and to saturate themmoved, and though the hills be carried selves with the vision of an immutable into the midst of the sea; though the will: “In my trouble I will call upon the waters thereof rage and swell; though the Lord, and complain unto my God. So mountains shake at the tempest of the shall he hear my voice out of his holy same.” But the great teaching of that temple, and my complaint shall come bepeople was the fixity of the eternal pur. fore him, it shall enter into his ears. The poses, and the fitness of man to enter into earth trembled and quaked; the very founthose purposes, and to lean upon one in dations also of the bills shook, and were whom “ there was no variableness or removed, because he was wroth. There shadow of turning.” The Japanese, no went a smoke out of his presence, and a doubt, are very ready impressionists, and consuming fire out of his mouth, so that their high artistic qualities are due to coals were kindled at it. He bowed the the pliancy of their temperament, the heavens also, and came down, and it was ease with which they reflect the varying dark under his feet. He rode upon the emotions of the moment as it flies. Butcherubims, and did Ay; he came flying impressionism is not the lesson of life, upon the wings of the wind. He made though it is one of the great secrets of darkness his secret place, his pavilion the vivacity of art. Even in art the ob- round about him with dark water, and ject of true impressionism is to catch the thick clouds to cover him. At the bright. moment in which the essential nature ness of his presence his clouds removed, of a thing or character shines out, and so hailstones, and coals of fire. The Lord to fix the aspect of it which is truest and also thundered out of heaven, and the most permanent. And even art loses its Highest gave his thunder, hailstones and significance where there is no such per-coals of fire. He sent out his arrows, and manent essence to seize and portray, where scattered them; he cast forth lightnings, there is no sacred art, as it is called, in and destroyed them. The springs of waother words, no " white radiance of eter-ters were seen, and the foundations of the nity" with which to contrast the varying round world were discovered, at thy chidcolors and flying shadows of human joy ing, O Lord! at the blasting of the breath and grief. Japan will doubtless yield in of thy displeasure. He shall send down time a very delicate and exquisite form of from on high to fetch me, and shall take human character; but the Japanese must me out of many waters." No truer delearn to muse and brood and fix their scription could be found anywhere of what hearts on that which remains in its seren. has just been happening in Japan. Yet ity above the driving clouds of human these most terrible phenomena of earthly destiny, before they will take their place mutability not unfrequently become the amongst the great peoples who have con- school of perseverance and the discipline tributed their full share to the moulding of steadfast faith. At all events, it is not of man. Earthquakes may seem very by impressing lightness and changefulness curious ingredients in the moral training on man that the changefulness of nature which goes to give stability and fixity to generally works. The transitoriness of human character; but as a matter of fact, life seems to lend human beings to that the Mediterranean has been more the cen. which is not transitory. Levity often tre of earthquake than any other part of melts like snow before the hurricanes of the European world; and the Mediterra- change.

From The Spectator. How go on your flowers ? None double;

Not one fruit-sort can you spy;
SPITE.

Strange! and I too at such trouble
THERE are special dangers in a day of

Keep them close-nipped on the sly! small things which do not beset us in

There's a great text in Galatians times of larger issues and higher passion. Once you trip on it, entails When patriotic indignation against Ger. Twenty-nine distinct damnations, many for robbing France of two great One sure, if another fails ! provinces takes the form of inspiring great French singers and musicians with

If I trip him just a-dying

Sure of Heaven as sure can be, the magnificent resolve not to give the

Spin him round and send him flying young German emperor the pleasure of

Off to Hell, a Manichee? hearing their performances, we may feel sure that the wild passion of revenge has That is pure spite. It does not even wish dwindled into the pettier and meaner to justify itself as revenge. It revels in passion of spite. The distinction, we its own redundance of arbitrariness and suppose, is often one only of degree. caprice. And that is just the most evil Revenge broods on the memory of some feature about spite, that it never even real or fancied wrong, till it can find no claims to be founded, -as revenge does, outlet except in wreaking a retribution on -on a kind of “wild justice.' On the something like an equal scale. On the contrary, it claims to have its root in prej. other hand, spite dwells on no great wrong, udice or self-will. It founds itself on the on no great grievance, but indulges in personal irritation which the presence of a self-stimulated dislike, rather than in any certain person or persons causes, and luximmense resentment. Spite in its intens- uriates in venting a spleen for which no est form is the attitude of a tormentor reason or just cause beyond that of perlike Quilp, who finds his gratification in sonal antipathy is even imagined. That inflicting a great number of small mis- is the one thing that makes the malevoeries on the object of his dislike, rather lence of spite so alarming. It is a kind of than any great retribution which measures weed which springs up without being visthe pain to be inflicted by the pain that ibly sown. Revenge may be rooted out, has been suffered. It was a humorous because it may be shown that the cruel or kind of spite in which Byron indulged unjust temper which planted the seeds of when he secreted a copy of contemptuous revenge has been replaced by something verses under the cushion of the chair in totally opposite in character, something, which a man he disliked (was it not Rog. therefore, which causes a different attitude ers ?) was about to sit. It was spite in of feeling to spring up. But spite glories which the great Napoleon frequently in. in its own wilfulness, finding a sort of dulged when he invented ingenious modes pride in being uncaused, or at least selfof making women suffer for not giving him caused. The French singers who would a willing and hearty homage. It was not let the German emperor enjoy their spite, again, with which Voltaire wreaked performance, would probably treat their his vexation on Frederick the Great, and attitude of mind as a kind of revenge with which Frederick the Great wreaked rather than spite. But it has surely much bis vexation on Voltaire, after their great more of the nature of spite. There can quarrel. Animosities which do not rise be no parity at all between a lost province to the dignity of passions, evince them and a missed solo. No one can persuade selves in spite. Caliban is spiteful, not himself that by refusing to sing or play revengeful, and even Ariel, in the small before the young emperor, he punishes in torments which he inflicts on Caliban, may any sense the reluctance to restore Alsace be said to retaliate spite with spite. It is and Lorraine ; but of course, though this of the essence of spite to be arbitrary, is spite and not revenge, it is not pure and yet to be greedy of the pleasure of spite, for it is spite originally founded on inflicting pain. Perhaps the most perfect revenge, and not on mere arbitrary distaste delineation of spite in English literature or self-will, and the spite which grows out is Browning's "Soliloquy in a Spanish of revenge cannot be said to partake as Cloister," where hate, almost confessed as much of the nature of evil for evil's sake, purely arbitrary and causeless, positively as the spite which prides itself on its own revels in its own arbitrariness, in its own lawless self-will. There is always more wilfuloess of caprice. The soliloquist hope, too, of removing even the spite says to Brother Lawrence, the object of which grows out of revenge, - for that has bis spite:

a natural though not a noble origin, —

a

than the spite which grows out of nothing cotting was all spite. It was the petty save its own inherent disposition to rail at scale of life in Ireland, and the ample time its own surroundings.

allowed for brooding over the political There is always hope for a day of high quarrels in which the various Irish pariies passion. Even evil passions, if they are indulged, that favored the development of on a great scale, are generally closely re. those small and bitter grudges. What is lated to noble passions, and often grow in wanted to sweep away spite is any higher the same soil. But spite is the product of interest, involving full employment for empty lives and mean vexations, of a poor all the higher energies of man. There soil, a poor scale of living; and betoken has usually been more show of spite a dwindling power both of love and hate. among women of the leisured classes than Like the lise in the Spanish cloister of amongst men, simply because there has which Browning gives so graphic and been less occupation and a pettier scale of hateful a picture, the kind of life which life. Amongst the modern women who go breeds spite is one of petty interests and into business or professions, whatever may pettier envies. Our own day is saved be their defects, there is at least a great from spite, so far as it is saved from spite, emancipation from social spites. They by the multitude of its interests and activ-compete eagerly with each other, but they ities, rather than by their magnitude and do not stick pins into each other, as they scale. There is too rapid a circulation of used to do when they had nothing better life amongst us to admit of much spite, to amuse them. A multitude of small inwhich hardly grows apace without plenty terests is not favorable to the growth of of time to brood over small distastes and ardor of any kind; but on the other hand, minute irritations. There is no life which it is fatal to that worst result of brooding is freer from spite than the large, medita- leisure, — the small and yet deadly ani. tive life, but there is no life which is fuller mosities which spring up in minds weary of it than the life which, without being of themselves and destilute of high intersuited to meditation, forces itself, or is, ests. The constant ripple of our eager by unfortunate circumstances, forced, into civilization kills many opportunities of that brooding over selfish worries which greatness; we may be ihankful that it also has even less right to the name of medita- kills many opportunities for the worst tion than to that of action. If we are not kind of smallness, the smallness that is on the whole a spiteful generation, it is malignant as well as small. rather because we are full of very busy and Indeed, spite seems to us about the changing occupations, than because we most hopeless form of living death in have many large and living interests. It which the mental and moral life ever gets is small cliques which give birth to spites, itself extinguished. The grander pas. and in the modern world small cliques are sions, even when they are evil and vindic. always breaking up and giving way to the tive, always leave room for hope that they impulse of new combinations of social may be transformed into something no. curiosity and sympathy. Still, ours is a bler. But a mind full of petty spites bas time in which the smallness of the various hardly any potentialities of good. They controversies and issues raised, is always are the nearest spiritual analogues to pure in danger of producing spite, wherever it molecular repulsions without counteractis in danger of anything like arrested life. ing attractions of which we can conceive. Democracies have always given rise to a What an atom would do in space which re. multiplication of political grudges, which pelled every other atom, and was incapable are, in fact, spites in the political region. of either attracting or being attracted, it is Ostracism in Athens was only a sort of not easy to imagine. But that is what a democratic spite. And haif the political mind full of small spites does in the realm energy of the United States seems to be of mind. It lowers the tone and quality expended in the venting of political spites. of all life in its vicinity, as well as its own In France, the scenes which so often take tone. It is purely destructive. No great place in the Chamber hardly profess to be nation should ever permit itself so fatal a more than bursts of political spite. The spirit. Compared with spite, war itself is pettier the scale of our controversies be a healing influence ; for though war, as we comes, the more they tend to spitefulness, see, sometimes produces an aiter-crop of unless change comes so fast as to leave no petty spites, it also produces a rich imme. room for the microscopic brooding which diaté crop of heroism, self-forgetfulness, is essential to that attitude of mind. Boy-I and noble enthusiasm.

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or

were

THE WHITE WITCH.

Amid the rocks under Bradda Head and the THE White Witch stood on the harbor side,

deadly swirl of the Sound,

The boats were foundered, crushed, the wind sighed soft from the west, The brown sails drooped from each steady

swamped; their gallant crews

drowned. mast, the blue sea had not a crest; They placed the basin in her hands they had They gathered, a stern avenging crowd, un filled at the holy well,

Slieu Wallin's lofty crest, And of the luck of the fishing fleet they bade They brought the White Witch to her doom, her look and tell.

in her shroud of burial dressed; The White Witch over the water bent, her They forced her into the barrel spiked, whue

her shrieks rang shrill and wide; face grew grey with pain, She brushed the mist from her keen black They sent her rolling to her death down the eyes, she looked in the bowl again;

mountain's rocky side. Once more she shivered, as if in fear, and And still a barren track is left, ’mid gorse and her lips were drawn and white,

heather-bell, As she gasped: “There's a heavy weird to Of the sentence and fulfilment stern to coming dree, an' ye dare to sail to-night.

years to tell ; “I see the wild waves lashed to foam, away

And pilgrims to the sunny isle, if they scale

Slieu Wallin's crest, by great Bradda Ilead; I see the surge round the Chicken Rock, and May see the “Witch's Way” to death marked

on the hill's broad breast. the breaker's lip is red;

All The Year Round. I see where corpses toss in the Sound, with

nets, and gear, and spars, And never a one of the fishing fleet is riding under the stars."

TO EDWARD CLODD. Black and stern the fishermen stood, as her bode the White Witch said,

FRIEND, in whose friendship I am twice wellTill Kermode strode from out the group, and

starred, bared his hoary head,

A debt not time may cancel is your due ; With: “The glass is steady, the sea is smooth,

For was it not your praise that earliest drew, the nets are strong to haul,

On me obscure, that chivalrous regard, Our timbers are stout, our hearts are good, Ev'n his, who, knowing fame's first steep how and Heaven is over us all.

hard,

With generous lips no faltering clarion blew, “I say, set sail, my mates, and leave the witch Bidding men hearken to a lyre by few to mutter and moan;

Heeded, nor grudge the bay to one more bard? I neither care to know her rede nor to heed her malison.

Bitter the task, year by inglorious year, I say, set sail; we Islemen sure can trust to Of suitor at the world's reluctant ear. our own right hand;

One cannot sing forever, like a bird, An I'd my will the witch and her crew should For sole delight of singing! Him his mate be cleared from off our land.”

Suffices, listening with a heart elate;

Nor more his joy, if all the rapt heav'n Loud cheered the fishermen of Peel, and away

heard. from the harbor mouth,

Academy.

WILLIAM WATSON. Like great brown birds each fishing.smack

went heading for the south;
And careless of threat and mocking word,
careless of scoff and sneer,

FRIENDS.
Shunned by the women and children all, the
White Witch left the pier.

LET us be friends: we may not now be more;

Your silent glances make but poor amends And or ever three bright suns arose, o'er sea For all my pain. Speak as you did before and land to smile,

Let us be friends. Or ever three broad suns sank down behind Love to my heart its fire no longer lends; St. Patrick's Isle,

'Tis chilled and hardened to its very core : Through town, and hamlet, and mountain No quickening beat your presence now attends.

farm, the terrible tidings ran; There was mourning for the fishing fleet Yet would I not forget the joys of yore; through the length and breadth of Man. And now that Fate has worked its cruel

ends, For few and far between the men who strug. Shake hands and smile; for my sake, I imgled to the shore,

plore. When the sudden tempest struck the fleet,

Let us be friends. and ’mid scud, and flash, and roar, Chambers' Journal.

SAM Wood.

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