Littell's Living Age

word and every step of the German statesman who since Frankfort and St. Petersburg has never chosen to hide anything on principle, as his enemy, Jules Favre, himself acknowledges. When it comes to the best, they apply to him and Prussia Franklin's words, "If villains only knew how profitable it is to be honest, they would be honest out of sheer villany." As for a frank and open co-operation, alliance, and solidarity, that is therefore not to be thought of yet, although in the present state of the struggle with the Church it would be eminently in Italy's interest.

self, to separate from his party; he alone in this party being convinced that new Italy will have to break with spiritual as well as temporal Papacy, to give up the French alliance and rely exclusively upon Germany." Now, the moderate Liberal party means all official Italy. Official, I say, for there is another Italy besides. There is, firstly, the powerful clerical party, who as yet follow the principles of nè elettori nè eletti (neither electors nor elected), but who, if they ever condescend to come on the stage, would play a most important part; and this part would certainly not be that of an ally of Prince Bismarck, after Meanwhile, there is another generation his recent speeches in the Prussian Parlia- growing up- happily for Italy little ocment. Secondly, there is the Radical cupied with politics; a generation of young party, which thought to become masters men who, born between 1840 and 1850, of the State as soon as the capital was es- did not witness the reign of the Tedeschi, tablished in Rome and transferred from and therefore bear them no malice; who, that nest of Liberal Consorti, Florence, but having taken a glance at the German which has remained exactly where it was world, begin to take an interest in it; who before and has been ever since 1860, act-perceive that the French civilization, as ing the part of the personages in the Cicer-theoretically framed by Montesquieu, Volonian dialogues necessary to give the taire, and Rousseau, and practically realprincipal interlocutor an opportunity of speaking, but devoid of any active influence whatsoever, since conspiracy has become an anachronism in free and open Italy. There is, moreover, a third Italy which is now dawning on the horizon, and of which poor Civinini was, if I may say so, the precursory symptom, the first grey light-I mean young, Philoteutonic Italy.

French passion, recklessness, and the desire to be revenged on the weak for defeats suffered from the strong, her impudence and provoking insolence towards Italy, have driven even the Liberal party, which for the last thirteen years has been in power, into the arms of Germany. But this Liberal party is as yet represented by men of from fifty to sixty, all therefore of mature age men who have not only grown up in the influence of French ideas, but also in a fanatical hatred to the German name: for Tedesco and Austriaco were of course identical for them. It is excessively difficult for them to enter into sincere friendship with the new ally into whose arms their old friend forces them against their will. They cannot understand his language; his ideas are new and not clear to them. They have no trust in his character, because they see in him the tyrant or the gaoler of yore. His history, and particularly the history of his ideas, is unknown to them, and, like all Southern nations, they see far-fetched intentions, plans, intrigues, arrières pensées, in every

ized by the Revolution, the First Empire and the Orleanists, has been followed by another civilization, the principles of which were established by Herder and Kant, which has renovated every branch of human knowledge, and finally succeeded in gaining external power and brilliancy. They have been nurtured with the ideas of this civilization: they have studied, and are still studying, philosophy in Hegel and Schopenhauer, philology in A. F. Wolf and Otfried Müller, history in Niebuhr and Mommsen, law in Savigny, language in Wilhelm von Humboldt and Bopp, nay, their own idiom of the middle ages in Dietz, and even what Italy was wont to consider as her exclusive possession, music, in Beethoven and Wagner. Many of these go to Germany; still more learn the German language in Italy, speaking and reading it fluently. In Naples and Pisa, professors are re-echoing German ideas, and German scientific methods are to be found at every Italian university. This is only a beginning, but it is the necessary base and preliminary condition of a political party which, sooner or later, will spring up out of such a ground and replace in perhaps ten or fifteen years the generation of political men educated in French ideas and habits of thought, who already begin, reluctantly it is true, and forced by the very friends of their youth, to prepare the way for their younger successors; and this way leads over the St. Gothard, not through the Mont Cenis.

From Good Words.

HINTS FOR ESSAYS.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "FRIENDS IN COUNCIL."

In studying the sayings or the writings of remarkable men, one of the principal things to observe is their repetition of the same idea. There is often an impatience of this repetition. "How often he says the same thing," is the exclamation of unthoughtful people, whereas what he repeats is what is best worth noting. It is not a notion taken up at first from fancifulness, or the love of novelty; but it is what experience, as interpreted by his nature, has engrained upon him. If he is worth studying at all, he is chiefly worth studying in order to ascertain what he continues to think. How valuable are the repetitions of the same idea which are to be found in such a writer as Goethe!

THE great labour of life, that which tends more to exhaust men than anything else, is deciding. There are people who will suffer any other pain readily, but shrink from the pain of coming to a decision. Now this is supposed to be wholly an evil and disadvantageous thing for the world; but, like most other tendencies of the human mind, it is a very beneficent arrangement. There would be no stability in the world if the making of decisions were not a very difficult thing. What was decided yesterday would be upset to-day; and there would be no long and fair expe- There is so vast an effluence of thought rience of anything. Whereas, in the pres- and observation in Shakespeare's works ent state of human affairs, even if a great that it is difficult to infer with any cerevil exists, and many people have recog-tainty from his repetitions what were his nized this evil, it requires an immense continuous ideas and impressions. If one amount of decision and decisiveness before may venture to have an opinion in this the evil can be uprooted. This brings matter, I would say that tolerance is one into play many high qualities of human na- of the principal ideas expressed by Shakesture, such as long suffering, patience with peare in a thousand forms. I cannot imopponents, and the exhaustion of reason-agine a man remaining intolerant, or even ing powers brought to bear upon the evil censorious, who had thoroughly studied, which is sought to be destroyed. and so become imbued with the spirit of, his Shakespeare.

I have added the word decisiveness to that of decision. It implies a continuance of decision. One of the reasons why responsibility is avoided, is because responsibility requires decisiveness as well as decision. If a man has resolved to take his just responsibility in any matter, he must continue to show decisiveness; and it is comparatively easy for him to come to the one decision to have nothing whatever to do with it.

It is supposed that decision has become much more difficult as civilization has advanced. There is some truth in this, but not so much as is imagined. It will be found, I think, upon observation, that to decide is an inherent difficulty in the human mind; and both amongst savages, and young children, it may be observed that there is a normal amount of suffering in coming to any decision, upon any matter, however serious or trifling.

Favouritism is often nothing more than an exercise of faith. The favourite does not exhibit the qualities or character which we especially approve of; but, somehow or other, he calls out our faith, and makes us believe that there is latent in him the nature which we should most admire. And we are rather proud of our supposed discovery, and of the vigour of our faith.

They talk about happiness being meted out to men in equal portions! But think of the difference between the man who has the gift of always hearing pleasant things said of himself behind his back, and the man who has the disease of always listening to ill-natured things said about himself in his absence. In neither case do I mean that these are real utterances; but, by the aid of fancy, we hear a great deal about ourselves that has never been spoken by mortal tongue.

If imagination, by some divine addition to its power, could do the work of experience, the whole world would be at once revivified. For instance, no one, who has not had large experience, seems to be able to conceive or appreciate the enormous amount of misery in the world. The young read about the sad lives of great men ; but, somehow or other, they fancy that these lives represent the past-that there is nothing quite analogous to them in the present day. Whereas the world is full of misery at all times; and perhaps the amount of it is nearly a constant quantity, or varies only according to the number of people on the earth, in all ages. If the fact of this large extent of suffering and misfortune were fully recognized by all of

us, each one would feel that there was no ness in approving of decisions made for
occasion to add to it by his own doings, them by representatives.
and the social relations would inevitably
become more tender aud forbearing. It is, It will always be a nice and difficult
therefore, a great mistake to omit initiating question to decide who are the most disa-
the young into this great mystery of evil greeable people to live with. Our first
and suffering. Instead of keeping them thoughts in framing an answer to this ques-
away from the observation and the knowl-tion, will be directed to the more ugly and
edge of suffering of all kinds, they should venomous passions-such as hatred, envy,
be taught to observe it, and, if possible, to jealousy, and the like. It will probably
comprehend it; for there is not any knowl-be found, however, that those qualities
edge which may be turned into so much which come under the head of foibles
usefulness for their fellows, and so much rather than of vices, render people most
improvement of their own characters. The intolerable as companions and coadjutors.
greatest men that have ever lived have For example, it may be observed that those
been those in whom the sentiment of pity persons have a more worn, jaded, and dis-
for their fellow men has been most devel-pirited look than any others, who have to
oped. On the other hand, the distinguish-live with people who make difficulties on
ing characteristic of brutes is the uncon- every occasion, great or small. It is as-
sciousness of, or indifference to, all suffer-tonishing to see how this practice of mak-
ing, but that which touches themselves. ing difficulties grows into a confirmed
habit of mind, and what disheartenment it
There is nothing which requires more occasions. The savour of life is taken out
generosity, and in which men are often of it when you know that nothing you pro-
less generous, than in pronouncing upon pose, or do, or suggest hope for or en-
the conduct of their agents, when these deavor - will meet with any response but
have to settle some difficult matter without an enumeration of the difficulties that will
reference to their employers. For, con- lie in the path you wish to travel. The
sider the problem which the agent has to difficulty-monger is to be met with not
solve. He has to consider not only what is only in domestic and social life, but also in
right in itself to be said or done, but he has business. It not unfrequently occurs in
to consider what another man, his chief, will business relations that the chief will never
consider to be right. And this complicates by any chance receive, without many ob-
the problem amazingly. Moreover, he jections and much bringing forward of
has generally to speak, or to act, on the possible difficulties, anything that is
spur of the moment, for if there were time brought to him by his subordinates. They
he would but too readily seek to have the at last cease to take pains, knowing that
instructions of his chief. The greatest for- no amount of pains will prevent their work
bearance should be shown to any one being dealt with in a spirit of ingenious
who is obliged to take responsibility of objectiveness. At last they say to them-
such a difficult character upon him, when selves, "The better the thing we present,
afterwards comment has to be made upon the more opportunity he will have for de-
the course that he has fearfully resolved veloping his unpleasant talent of objective-
to pursue.
ness and his imaginative power of invent-
ing difficulties."

Responsibility is one of the heaviest burdens laid upon mankind, and the weight is often more than doubled when responsibility has to be taken on behalf of another - a third party being thus introduced; for there are not only the responsibilities affecting the persons concerned in the decision and the decider himself, but also those affecting the chief for whom this vicarious responsibility is undertaken.

The responsibility in question is of the most general character, and is often put not merely on official persons, and on men in command in dist ant regions, but upon the humblest domestic servants; and most persons in the course of their lives have opportunities of showing a generous forbearance in disapproving, or a just hearti

It is a curious reflection to make, but probably a just one, that scandal flourishes all the more because scandal-mongers receive no gain from their proceedings. Many other crimes are attended by personal gain; and what is gained often furnishes the means of detection and of punishment. If, by a merciful provision of nature, it was arranged that a portion of the character taken away by scandal should attach itself to those who invent or propagate the scandal, the world, like the birds in the fable, would be very ready to fly upon the scandal-mongers and deprive those daws of the plumes thus gained. But in the present state of affairs, these

lovers and propagators of scandal do not | Hence he appears to be very firm; but the gain the smallest shred of honour or repu- firmness is that of blind favouritism, like tation by their scandal-mongering, and that of the ape-mother in the fable, who at consequently they feel much less shame a moment of danger, instead of letting all and meet with much less reproof, as their evil sayings are attended by no personal advantage. It is only very nice and sensitive consciences that enable their owners to suffer remorse when they have heedlessly invented or furthered scandal.

It is very curious to observe the way in which anger is wont to make use of the plural. No sooner is any man injured, or thinks himself injured, by some one person belonging to a body, than the injured man attaches the blame to the whole of the body. He is injured, we will admit, by one person belonging to a family, or a government, or any section of mankind. Forthwith he goes about saying, They are abominable people;' ""They used me shamefully." This practice seems at first sight only ludicrous, but it often leads to most serious consequences. The injured man puts himself into an attitude of hostility to the whole body. They hear of it, and are prompt to take up the quarrel; and so, in the end, he really has to contend against the injustice, if it be injustice, not only of one man, but of many men; and thereby has not furthered his

cause.

her little ones climb up her back, seized one favourite ape-child, and, running straight on, intent alone on that one's preservation, dashed herself and the child against the wall.

It is not a subtle conceit, but is consistent with observed fact, that men who are prone to praise and commend others are mostly men of a melancholy character. At any rate, they are men who take a very high view of the difficulties and troubles of life. Hence they think much of small suecesses. Considering the faultiness of education, the strength of passion, the hardness of the world, the difficulty of making any impression upon it, and the many embarrassments which beset a man's progress in life, persons of the character I have described are rather surprised at anybody's behaving well, or doing anything rightly. That laudation which, when ut tered by other men, is merely praise of an ordinary kind, is, when uttered by these men, a large appreciation of trials and difficulties overcome perhaps an exaggerated appreciation, by reason of an excess in the sad and desponding view they take of human life.

Following up somewhat of the same Rules are the inventions and the safe- train of thought, we may observe that the guards of mediocrity.

censure which men pronounce upon the conduct of others is mostly a censure proStrength of resolve is often the result of ceeding from lofty expectations. The poverty of imagination, or rather perhaps young especially abound in censure of this of fixedness of imagination. A man al- kind. They blame severely, because they lows himself to dwell upon one train of look forward so hopefully both for themthought, to magnify the merits of the ad-selves and others; and have as yet so little vantages of a certain course; and he in-apprehension of the trials, struggles and sists upon keeping his mind closed against | difficulties in this confused and troubled all other contending trains of thought. world.

CHANGE OF HABITS IN A PLANT. We lately recorded (Academy, vol. ii. p. 522) a singular instance of a change of habit of comparatively recent occurrence in the case of the Kea or mountain-parrot of New Zealand. The same observer, Mr. Thos. H. Potts, has noted in Nature (No. 118, Feb. 1st) a somewhat similar instance of the change of habit in a plant. The Loranthus micranthus is one of the most showy parasites belonging to the New Zealand flora, and is nearly allied to our mistletoe. Originally

parasitic on native trees belonging to the orders Violaries and Rutaces, it appears now to have nearly deserted these in favour of trees introduced since the colonization of the islands by Europeans, especially the hawthorn, plum, peach, and laburnum. The latter tree was only introduced in 1859, and appears now to be one of its most favourite resorts, where it is abundantly visited by the (also introduced) European honey-bee. Academy.