l. You cannot
make out that true graciousness of his to be a mere love of feudal
usages. It is the best thing that remains of him, better than all his
writings, if, indeed, it were not visible throughout them.

The duties of master to man are the more important, because, however much
the relation may vary in its outward form, it will not be mapped down as
in this or that latitude, but remains as pervading as the air. We may
have brought down the word charity to its most abject sense, considering
what is but the husk of it to be the innermost kernel. Mere symbols of
it may go on. In times, when few things were further apart than charity
and papal sway, the popes still went through the form of washing poor
men's feet. But that symbol has a wondrous significance--the depth of
service which is due from all masters, the humble charity which should
ever accompany true lordship and dominion.

* * * * *

When considering in what spirit our remedies should be attempted, one of
the most important things to be urged is, that it should be in a spirit
of hopefulness.

In one of Dr. Arnold's letters there is the following passage. "'Too
late,' however, are the words which I should be inclined to affix to
every plan for reforming society in England; we are ingulfed, I believe,
inevitably, and must go down the cataract; although ourselves, i.e. you
and I, may be in Hezekiah's case, and not live to see the catastrophe."
Similar forebodings were uttered on other occasions by this eminently
good man in the latter years of his life. I quote the passage to show
how deep must have been the apprehension of danger and distress which
could so depress him; and, more especially, for the purpose of protesting
against any similar despondency which I fear to be very prevalent in
these times. It mainly arises, as it seems to me, from a confusion
between the term of our own life and that of the state. We see a cloud
which overshadows our own generation, and we exclaim that the heavens and
earth are coming together. How often, in reading history, does a similar
feeling occur to us. We think, how can the people we are reading of
revive after this whirlwind of destruction! Imagine how much more they
themselves must have felt despondency. A Northumbrian looking upon
William the Conqueror's devastations--a monk considering the state of
things around him in the exterminating contest of Stephen and Matilda, or