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brought a fresh and unprejudiced mind to bear on the question must have felt like a looker-on with his eyes open watching the mistakes of two blindfolded chessplayers . If any reader should say , it is easy to make such a statement as this , let me add , it would be easier far to pour out an indignant torrent of proofs . The only difficulty is to restrain it .

" But I am treating of the art of negotiating , not the history of failures . To sum up , then , in a few terse maxims . Do not make a parade of business : do not appear always in harness — you will get on quite as fast . Understand your mission , and pursue it . Learn to appreciate the true character and requirements of the age : render yourself necessary to improvement and progress . Never get angry . Efface , by your own example , all prejudice against your countrymen . Seek an honest renown . Associate with those from whom you can be always

learning something—how to be better , wiser , or wittier . Learn to suit your subject to your listener . Moderate your imagination . Study character ; not , an observation will be thrown away . Have no absurd mysteries and pretensions about you . Seem to all men what you really are—neither more or less Bumptiousness may impose on . silly people for a time , but in the end it is merely ridiculous . See your way out of a wood before you venture into it . Prepare for emergencies beforehand . Be easy of access . Be always ready to hear useful

intelligence , no matter whence it comes . Your own prudence will judge of its value . Accommodate yourself to all sorts of people ; that is , know them , and know all about them . Be merry and wise , genial and sociable . Make friends wherever you can honestly do so . Do not be always in the clouds—a Jove too majestic to be useful . Act without being haunted by the fear of failure . Propose to yourself right objects , pursue them as justly and wisely as you can , and trust the rest to Providence ; it will seldom fail you . Bonne Usperance et droit en

avant . Do not show your weak point , or everybody will knock against it . If you have a sore place , never complain , or somebody will always contrive to be rubbing it . Your resentment will appear the best joke possible , and malice will delight in stirring you up . Never abuse any favour or influence you may enjoy . Great friends are for great occasions . It is but squandering your interest to use it on little things . Do not be too obsequious ; it is a sort of deceit , and will infallibly

make people suspect you of sinister designs . Beware of making promises ; but never break your word when given . You may see the most serious disadvantage in keeping it , but you will reap the benefit of having done so in the end . Have no dealings with bribery and secret-service money . They can never be necessary for honest objects . They are the resources of folly—incapacity . A wise man should be ashamed of them , Politeness is a debt due to every one , but excessive

subservience is a lie : the man who is guilty of it is not courteous , but slavish . It is an improper homage to mere rank and fortune ; for nobody stoops to flatter the most transcendent merit without them . If you give , do so gracefully , so as to make the manner as acceptable as the concession . Strive to be essentially a gentleman . Do not condescend to oppose cunning to cunning , trick by trick ; learn to acquire that nameless something , which gives a grace to all your words , and a sense and spirit to all your actions , which is the last finishing polish to every

good quality . " > Reader ! if you would have a moral to this commentary , look at the long file of official dotards and venal patrons , and ask them , in this dark day of England's disgrace , whether the contrast does not , " Bring truth near in utter nakedness , Making the cold reality—too real ? "