t I don't like lending." The help is
given with a kind of kick, and is scarcely accepted as a favour. The
manner of the giving long rankles in the mind of the acceptor. Thus good
manners mean kind manners,--benevolence being the preponderating element
in all kinds of pleasant intercourse between human beings.

A story is told of a poor soldier having one day called at the shop of a
hairdresser, who was busy with his customers, and asked relief,--stating
that he had stayed beyond his leave of absence, and unless he could get
a lift on the coach, fatigue and severe punishment awaited him. The
hairdresser listened to his story respectfully, and gave him a guinea.
"God bless you, sir!" exclaimed the soldier, astonished at the amount.
"How can I repay you? I have nothing in the world but this"--pulling out
a dirty piece of paper from his pocket; "it is a receipt for making
blacking; it is the best that was ever seen; many a half-guinea I have
had for it from the officers, and many bottles I have sold; may you be
able to get something for it to repay you for your kindness to the poor
soldier." Oddly enough, that dirty piece of paper proved worth half a
million of money to the hairdresser. It was no less than the receipt for
the famous Day and Martin's blacking; the hairdresser being the late
wealthy Mr. Day, whose manufactory is one of the notabilities of the
metropolis.

Good manners have been supposed to be a peculiar mark of gentility, and
that the individual exhibiting them has been born in some upper class of
society. But the poorest classes may exhibit good manners towards each
other, as well as the richest. One may be polite and kind towards
others, without a penny in the purse. Politeness goes very far; yet it
costs nothing. It is the cheapest of commodities. But we want to be
taught good manners, as well as other things. Some happy natures are "to
the manner born." But the bulk of men need to be taught manners, and
this can only be efficiently done in youth.

We have said that working men might study good manners with advantage.
Why should they not respect themselves and each other? It is by their
demeanour towards each other--in other words, by their manners--that
self-respect and mutual respect are indicated. We have been struck by
the habitual politeness of even the poorest classes on the Continent.
The workman lifts his cap and respectfully salutes his fellow-workman in
passing. There is no sacrifice of manline