in some other's presence quite discrowned;" let the reverse be true where
we are.

It is a terrible thought that we have perhaps made others less noble, less
pure, less conscientious, than they would have been. We can never repair
the harm we do to one who loses faith in our goodness,--he inevitably
loses some part of his faith in goodness itself. "Much of our lives is
spent in marring our own influence," says George Eliot, "and turning
others' belief in us into a widely concluding unbelief, which they call
knowledge of the world, but which is really disappointment in you or me."

Nobody, who has not watched or felt it, knows the laming of all spiritual
energy, the hardening, the blighting of all noble impulse which comes from
this sort of knowledge of the world; and who can say that he has never
(more or less) been thus guilty?--it is more truly blood-guiltiness than
anything else, for it helps to murder souls.

Perhaps the greatest of the innumerable blessings which friendship confers
on the character, lies in this fostering of moral thoughtfulness produced
by its responsibilities: "I know not a more serious thing than the
responsibility incurred by all human affection. Only think of this:
whoever loves you is growing like you; neither you nor he can hinder it,
save at the cost of alienation. Oh, if you are grateful for but one
creature's love, rise to the height of so pure a blessing--drag them not
down by the very embrace with which they cling to you, but through their
gentleness ensure their consecration."[6]

It needs a noble nature to be capable of friendship, or rather a nature
which has carefully trained itself by discipline and self-denial, so as to
develop all the possibilities of nobleness which were latent in it.

God gives each of us a nature with "pulses of nobleness," and it rests
with us whether this shall grow, or be choked by the commonplace part of
us. To be noble does not come without trouble. Good things are hard, and
"noble growths are slow."[7]

He who would be noble must go through life like Hercules and the old
heroes, working hard for others; not troubling about personal comfort and
amusement, but practised in going without when he _could_ have,--for the
sake of better things.

To be noble means having your impulses under control, and this most
especially where your affections are concerned.

Do you want to help others to go right in life? I need not ask, for every
generous nature woul