to the fact that when the liberal says dono, he often mentally adds ut sursum reddas. His gifts partake more of the character of investments which are to yield a return, than of the nature of absolute gratuities. And we think that, where a man presents to your notice some of the characteristics we have already mentioned, and yet at the same time does not bear about with him such unequivocal evidence of his being a liberal, as to remove all doubt from your mind, you will find this a very excellent criterion whereby to get out of your difficulty. Observe whether his ostensible bounty is really that which, at first sight, it appears to be, or whether it is only a magnet whereby to attract popularity, or other personal advantage, to the donor. In the former case you may (as a general rule) retain your doubts; in the latter you may dismiss them, in order to make room for the conclusion that he is a liberal. Here, however, let us not be understood as saying that it is only the liberal

who gives from interested motives; we fear this sort of thing is but too common with all classes; neither would we be understood to imply that the liberal never does an act of the purest and most unsullied charity. No, far from it, we are using only general terms-pointing out the general rule, to which, of course, there must be exceptions. All that we propose in the above remarks may be confined to the following propositions; that is to say,-if you see a liberal very generous, it is prima facie evidence that he has some left-handed purpose in view. And if you see a man giving largely with some interested motive in the back ground, it is prima facie evidence of his being a liberal. But as these are mere presumptions, they, like all other mere presumptions, may be rebutted by actual proof to the contrary.

We have no doubt that very often, if not always, when the liberal commits an act of

charitable extravagance, though moved to it

by some such inducements as we have above alluded to, he nevertheless gives himself credit for the very best of motives; and that it would be a difficult matter to persuade him to believe otherwise. Almost the same remark will apply to many of his other actions at least we would fain hope so, considering as we do that it is more humane to conclude that a man does not perceive the secret springs of his own conduct, than to put him down as a hypocrite upon the supposition that he does. Yes, indeed, we cannot help thinking there is a great want of self-knowledge in the liberal; and we have once and again laughed in our sleeve when listening to his tirades upon the Government. For while he has been hurling his philippics against the despotism of kings, the tyranny of lords, the corruption of tories, and the sins of the church, we have been forcibly reminded of a certain coal-black negro who spoke of some Egyptians, several shades lighter than himself, as "them d--m black fellows."

We have taken some pains to discover what is the radical or efficient principle which gives birth to the qualities we have above described; and after a most diligent investigation, we are disposed to think it is the principle of self-interest. We are not sufficiently versed in craniology to know, for certain, whether there is or is not a bump of selfishness; but if there is, then we doubt not that the peculiarities of the liberal are attributable to an unduly gigantic development of that particular organ.

PART II.

SPECIMENS OF THE LIBERAL IN FORMER AGES OF THE World.

HAVING, in the previous chapters, endeavoured to lay before the reader some of the general characteristics usually possessed, in a greater or less degree, by the whole race of liberals, we are now to show by individual examples, in what form, and under what circumstances, the characteristics aforesaid have been accustomed to manifest themselves.

We might, if necessary, go back to an exceedingly remote period: even to an era preceding the deluge, yea, anterior to the