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found himself deeply in debt, with an empty treasury. It was suggested to him that the proper way to relieve himself from his difficulties was to lay new taxes on his subjects. A less conscientious prince would not have hesitated to adopt this plan, which would appear to him as the only one consistent with his own dignity and ease. But the Margrave, reflecting that his people had not been the cause of the debt, resolved that they should not be burdened with its payment. He immediately dismissed a useless and expensive train of scrvants and horses, retired to live economically at Geneva, and caused the money which he thus saved from his ordinary expenses to be applied to the discharge of the debt. When the whole was paid off, he returned to his country, to enjoy his former state and the increased love of his people.

MR DENHAM, AN HONOURABLE DEBTOR.

It sometimes happens that, owing to disappointments and losses in business, a merchant or trader finds his means far short of the amount of his debts, and, despairing of ever being able to pay them, he calls together his creditors, and divides amongst them all he has, for which they generally grant him a full discharge. A merchant who does this is said to be bankrupt; and an honest bankrupt is entitled to pity, rather than liable to blame. But though clear of his debts by law, he is still bound in conscience to pay in full, if that should ever be in his power. Few are so fortunate as to be able to do this, and still fewer have done it; but those who have, deserve to be greatly honoured for their conduct.

Dr Franklin relates the following anecdote of Mr Denham, an American merchant:-"He had formerly been in business at Bristol; had failed in debt to a number of people; compounded, and went to America. There, by a close application to business as a merchant, he acquired a plentiful fortune in a few years. Returning to England in the ship with me, he invited his old creditors to an entertainment, at which he thanked them for the easy composition they had favoured him with; and when they expected

THE MARQUESS WELLESLEY.

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nothing but the treat, every man, at the first remove, found under his plate an order on a banker for the full amount of the unpaid remainder with interest."

THE MARQUESS WELLESLEY.

The Earl of Mornington, father of the Marquess Wellesley and of the Duke of Wellington, died several thousand pounds in debt. By virtue of a peculiar law, his property was inherited by his eldest son, the Marquess Wellesley, without being liable for the payment of his debts. The marquess, nevertheless, from a conscientious spirit, resolved to discharge all these debts before he should allow himself fully to enjoy the family property. He lived for a few years with rigid economy, and thus saved enough of money to pay every farthing which his father had owed.

Among the creditors of the deceased earl was one who applied for the payment of L.150 [a hundred and fifty pounds]. The young lord, upon examination, found that it had been transferred by a poor old man, to whom it was originally due, to the present possessor, for the small sum of L.50 [fifty pounds]. "I will deal justly with you," said his lordship, "but I will do no more. Here are the fifty pounds you paid for the bond, and legal interest for the time it has been in your possession." The holder, knowing that he could not strictly claim a single shilling, was content with not losing anything. But the noble lord, who thus gave an carly proof of that honour and integrity which ho afterwards displayed largely in offices of the highest trust, did not stop here; he sought out the original holder of the bill, and finding him poor, paid him the whole sum, with a large arrear of interest.

Owe no man anything, but to love one another.-St Paul's Epistle to the Romans, xiii. 8.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS-IN TAKING NO BASE

ADVANTAGES.

Ir often happens that we could gain money, or promotion, or otherwise benefit ourselves, by means which no law forbids, but which nevertheless are injurious to the feelings or to the interests of our fellow-creatures, or are in themselves mean and unworthy. No one who sincerely wishes to act by others as he would wish to see others act by him, or who has any respect for himself, would be at a loss to know his duty in such cases. He would at once recoil from the temptation to enrich himself wrongfully.

GEORGE Dade.

George Dade, a poor parish boy of Nottinghamshire, educated through the charity of an old lady, acquitted himself so well in service, that from being a gentleman's butler, he was recommended as house-steward. Here his strict honesty and attention, in a place of considerable trust, made him a favourite with his master. At the same time his pleasing appearance and manners made him still more a favourite with an unmarried sister of his master, who showed her partiality to him in a way that could not be misunderstood.

It might have been much to the advantage of Mr Dade if he had encouraged the imprudence of this young lady, and secretly married her. A sense of her merits, and a wish to rise in the world, tempted him to do so; but then, again, he reflected that this was not a fair way of rising in the world, and that his marrying the lady would give great pain to his master and all her other relatives, as they would have considered themselves degraded by the alliance. Conscientiousness, therefore, made him see it to be his duty to inform his master of the circumstances, and to request him to take means for diverting the lady's mind from one so unworthy of her affections. Struck by such

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noble self-denial and honesty, the gentleman removed his sister, and as soon after as possible obtained for Dade a very desirable appointment in one of the public offices. Here Dade, by his talents and industry, rose rapidly, and before many years had elapsed, he was in a condition to accept the hand of the lady without any conscious inferiority; a union to which her brother readily consented, and which conduced to the happiness of all the parties.

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CONSCIENTIOUSNESS-AS TO FAIR DEALING.

IN buying and selling, and all other kinds of dealing, we must not in any way cheat or overreach each other.

The weights and measures used by traders should not be, in the weight of a grain, or in a hair's-breadth, deficient. The real quality of the goods should never be concealed. A price suitable to the quality should be asked, and nothing less should be taken.

On the other hand, if a buyer perceive that the seller, through mistake, is giving him too much, or something better than was bargained for, he should inform him of his error; if he discover the error after the goods have been sent home, he should send back what is too much, or otherwise have the mistake rectified.

Some think it quite fair, in bargain-making, to impose upon the other party if they can. Suppose that A and B are the two parties dealing. A thinks that it is the duty of B to see that the goods are of proper quality, and that the quantity is sufficient, or that anything else bargained for is truly as it has been represented. He therefore thinks himself at liberty to cheat B; and that B, if he allows himself to be cheated, will only have himself to blame. He is the more disposed to think this right, because he believes that B would take an advantage if he could. All such reasoning is wicked. No man can be justified in misleading, deceiving, or overreaching his neighbour. And if B should cheat A, it is better for A that he should be cheated,.than that he should cheat. Disputing about a

bargain is only fair as far as it tends to ascertain the just value of an article.

Scarcely any one ever thrives by cheating. If not formally punished by law, he is punished by his neighbours, who avoid dealing again with one who has once imposed on them. He is shunned and despised, and finds at last that the honest course is the only one which is sure to lead to success.

THE HONEST SHOP-BOY.

A gentleman from the country placed his son with a drygoods merchant in New York. For a time all went on well. At length a lady came into the store to purchase a silk dress, and the young man waited upon her. The price demanded was agreed to, and he proceeded to fold the goods. He discovered, before he had finished, a flaw in the silk, and pointing it out to the lady, said, "Madam, I deem it my duty to tell you that there is a fracture in the silk." Of course she did not take it.

The merchant overheard the remark, and immediately wrote to the father of the young man to come and take him home; "for," said he, "he will never make a merchant."

The father, who had ever reposed confidence in his son, was much grieved, and hastened to the city to be informed of his deficiencies. "Why will he not make a merchant?" asked he.

"Because he has no tact," was the answer. "Only a day or two ago, he told a lady voluntarily, who was buying silk of him, that the goods were damaged, and I lost the bargain. Purchasers must look out for themselves. If they cannot discover flaws, it would be foolishness in me to tell them of their existence."

"Yes,"

"And is that all his fault?" asked the parent. answered the merchant; "he is very well in other respects." "Then I love my son better than ever, and I thank you for telling me of the matter; I would not have him another day in your store for the world."

THE GUNPOWDER HARVEST.

More than a hundred years ago, when the Indians dwelling near the Missouri river in North America had as

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