Honesty.

conduct not admitting - of any punishment by law , whereas the latter consists in acting fairly to all men , so as to stand blameless not only in the eye of the law , but also before the Almighty . Trained as the lawyers is in early life to ascertain the exact value of legal enactments , to study where

may be found equivocal passages , so that either the spirit or the letter of the law may be taken as occasion may require , and the constant habit of seeking not how to get at the truth of a case , but how to prove , either by argument or sophistry , that the side he takes up is right in lawmust

, mould the mind of the legal practitioner in such a form that in time he is incapable of judging any business transaction as properly carried out if he has missed a chance of any particle of profit , no matter who else is wronged ; but this of course , although it looks dishonestmust not be regarded

, as a fault of the lawyer's—it is his misfortune , and he is to be pitied , not blamed for it . As every one works for profit , due allowances must be made for apparent unscrupulousness in some professions , it is not to be supposed that undertakers are glad of the deaths that occur ,

although they are anxious to secure as much custom as they can , but they cannot be expected to be always mourning over that by which they five ; similarlyi lawyers should not be supposed to rejoice in the misfortunes of others because they happen to profit by them , and they would not in the ei r es of sensible men gain by simulating sympathy ,

and weeping crocodile tears over the losses of their clients . All that is to be expected is that the respectable attorney will do the best for himself and the next best for his client . Let us take an example of argument ( mentally ) which may serve to show the working of some

minds ancl consciences . An undertaking is supposed to be entered upon by a number of people jointly , amongst whom is a lawyer ; a provisional agreement is drawn up and signed , except by the lawyer , who , if not obliged to sign it , will not do sohis principle being that it is no good to sign

, one ' s name to anything unnecessarily . Next suppose the undertaking fails . The lawyer does not pay his share of the loss , because his name is not on the agreement , and the other promoters are lucky if he does not make them pay professional charges . It will be said the others are

very careless to allow such a style of business ; however , we have known a case to occur substantially identical with this imaginary one , where the lawyer was the only business man amongst the promoters , the rest being easily convinced of the soundness of his views , or , in fact ^ rather trusting

to his honesty . No doubt much of tho ill-feeling about lawyers as a class arises from the bitterness of disappointment felt by unsuccessful suitors , and from the irritation of temper produced by the delays ivhich attend every legal process . That a most intense abhorrence of attorneys does exist in many minds

is certain . Even that most divine poet Southey becomes almost scurrilous on the subject , when he writes in his " Devil ' s Walk , " speaking of his Satanic Majesty : — He saw a lawyer killing a viper On a dunghill beside his stable , Ho ! quoth he , thou put ' st mo in mind Of the story of Gain and Abel .

Let us now pass on to some other branches of society . Merchants and tradesmen exhibit more variety than professional men , not only by reason of their greater number , but also because thennatural moral inclinations are left more free ; hence those who enter business instinctively

addicted to crooked paths will , in all probability ,, take the first safe opportunity of stepping into them , and vice versa . Shrewdness must not be taken for dishonesty , for if one man takes measures to get earlier information as to markets than another , lie is certainly justified in availing hinself

of it for his own profit , of course , provided he makes no false statement to others . Now we come to the most disreputable portion of the first of the two great divisions of societythose who just avoid being brought within the pale of criminal law—not , be it well understood , including those who elude the clutches of justice , as a certain individual whose name has more than

once adorned the police reports has done—once ' by dissuading the wronged parties from prosecuting , and another time by hastening to turn Queen ' s evidence against his late accomplices . In the class of which we treat are those of the " Bohemians , " who " live by their wits , " billiard-sharpers ,,

money-lenders' touts , at hoc genus omne , A "Bohemian " is by no means necessarily a dishonest pez-son , there are many who are honourable and straightforward , but perhaps many move who though they try to he honest , yet find circumstances are against them . A great deal of nefarious

conduct arises from "bone" laziness , existing in folks who will not work for a quiet respectable livelihood ,, but strain their credit ( while they have any ) to the utmost extent in the hope of luck bringing them some day cash enough to reinstate themselves ; but if that happens they most frequently don't pay their debts , but fly the neighbourhood where they have accumulated them , for is not their maxim

?" Base is tho slave -who pays . " Of those with whom the criminal statutes deal but little can be said , in fact only that some of them are probably less dishonest at heart than many of those whom the law never gets a chance of touching—the former are only a little more ignorant

than the latter . In conclusion , let us consider how in ourselves we may guard against unwittingly acting dishonestly . It is necessary to analyse our feelings and thoughts , to endeavour with unremitting diligence to learn our own weaknesses and evil tendencies , and above all things to be careful not to