Astor went below and coolly put on his best suit of clothes, saying that if the ship should founder and he should happen to be rescued, he would at least save his best suit of clothes. "Their trading talent is bringing the Jews to the front in America as well as in Europe," said a traveler to one of that race; "and it has gained for them an ascendancy, at least in certain branches of trade, from which nothing will ever displace them." "Dey are coming to de vront, most zairtainly," replied his companion; "but vy do you shpeak of deir drading dalent all de time?" "But don't you regard it as a talent?" "A dalent? No! It is chenius. I vill dell you what is de difference, in drade, between dalent and chenius. Ven one goes into a man's shtore and manaches to sell him vot he vonts, dat is dalent; but ven anuoder man goes into dat man's shtore and sells him vot he don't vont, dat is chenius; and dat is de chenius vot my race has got." Tact is a national trait. The Chinese understood the art of printing, and possessed the magnetic needle and gunpowder, centuries in advance of other nations, but they did not have the practical talent to use them to any great advantage. But the English and other European nations changed the face of the civilized world with them. Tact is a child of necessity. It is not found in people. who live under a tropical sun, where there is little need of clothing, and where food is found ready prepared in the date, cocoanut, and banana. It has its highest de velopment where man has to struggle hardest for exist ence. CHAPTER XIII SELF-RESPECT AND SELF-CONFIDENCE. Be a friend to yersel, and ithers will.-SCOTCH PROVERB. The reverence of man's self is, next to religion, the chiefest bridle of al vices. BACON. Self-approbation, when founded in truth and a good conscience, is source of some of the purest joys known to man. — C. SIMMONS. Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control, these three alone lead life to sovereign power. - TENNYSON. - Self-respect, that corner-stone of all virtue. - JOHN HERSCHEL. No one can disgrace us but ourselves. J. G. HOLLAND. Nothing can work me damage, except myself; the harm that I sustain I carry about with me, and never am a real sufferer but by my own faults. ST. BERNARD. Self-distrust is the cause of most of our failures. In the assurance of strength there is strength, and they are the weakest, however strong, whe have no faith in themselves or their powers. - Bovee. The pious and just honoring of ourselves may be thought the fountain head from whence every laudable and worthy enterprise issues forth. MILTON. APOOR Scotch weaver used to pray daily that he might have a good opinion of himself. Why not? Can I ask another to think well of me when I do not set the example? The Chinese say it never pays to respect a man who does not respect himself. If the world sees that I do not honor myself, it has a right to reject me as an impostor, because I claim to be worthy of the good opinion of others when I have not my own. Self. respect is based upon the same principles as respect for others. The scales of justice hang in every heart, and even the murderer respects the judge who condemns him; for the still small voice within says, "That is right." Justice never looks to see who is in the scales "To thine own self be true; and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." before she strikes the balance. King or beggar, it is all the same. "You may deceive all the people some of the time," said Lincoln, "some of the people all the time, but not all the people all the time." We cannot deceive our selves any of the time, and the only way to enjoy ou own respect is to deserve it. What would you think of a man who would neglect himself, and treat his shadow with the greatest respect? The world has a right to look to me for my own rating. We stamp our own value upon ourselves and cannot expect to pass for more. When you are introduced into society, people look into your face and eye to see what estimate you place upon yourself. If they see a low mark, why should they trouble themselves to investigate to see if you have not rated yourself too low? They know you have lived with yourself a good while and ought to know your own value better than they. "Good God, that I should have intrusted the fate of the country and of the administration to such hands! exclaimed Pitt to Lord Temple, after listening in disgust to the egotistical boasting of General Wolfe, the day before his embarkation for Canada. The young soldier had drawn his sword, rapped upon the table with it, flourished it around the room, and told of the great deeds he should perform. Little did the Prime Minister dream that this egotistical young man would rise from his bed when sick with a fever, and lead his troops to glorious victory upon the Heights of Abraham. This apparent egotism was but a prophecy of his ability to achieve. "One self-approving hour whole years outweighs Of stupid starers and of loud huzzas; And more true joy Marcellus exiled feels Where is now your fortress?" asked his captors |