the philosopher, and view, without shrinking, the coffin and the
pall.--_New Monthly Magazine._

* * * * *

SCOTT AND COOPER.

An example of Mr. Cooper's appreciation of his illustrious rival,
Sir Walter Scott, occurred while he was sitting for the portrait that
accompanied the _New Monthly Magazine_ for last month.--The artist,
Madame Mirbel, requested of a distinguished statesman.--"No," said
Cooper, "if I must look at any, it shall be at my master," directing
his glance a little higher, to a portrait of Sir Walter Scott.

* * * * *

FRANCE.

France, "with all thy faults I love thee still!" No man should travel
from his cradle to his grave without paying thee a visit by the
way: with a disposition prone to enjoyment, it lightens the journey
amazingly. The French are a kind people, and it must be his fault who
cannot live happily with them. Pity it is, possessing, as they do,
whatever can contribute to the felicity of a people in a state of peace,
that war should be indispensable in order to render their idea of
happiness complete. _La gloire_ and _la guerre_ form the eternal burden
of their song--as if the chief business of life were to destroy life.
They would fight to-morrow with any nation on earth, for no better an
object than the chance of achieving a victory. Laugh at me, if you
please, for uttering what you may consider a foolish opinion, but I look
upon it as a serious misfortune to them that the two words _Gloire_ and
_Victoire_ rhyme together: they so constantly occur in that portion
of their poetry which is the most popular, and the best calculated to
excite them in a high degree--their _vaudeville_ songs--that the two
ideas they express have become identical in their minds; and he will
deserve well of his country who shall discover the means of making
_glory_ rhyme to _peace_.--_Ibid._

* * * * *

"HELP YOURSELF."

The custom of HELPING ONESELF has its sanction in the remotest
antiquity, and has been continued down to the present day in the highest
places, and by those whom it especially behoves to set example to the
world. It was clearly never designed that man should regulate his
conduct for the good of others, for the first lesson taught to the first
of men, was to take care of himself; had it been intended that men
should study the good of each other, a number would surely have been
simultane