It is not the quant.i.ty of the meat, but the cheerfulness of the guests, which makes the feast.--CLARENDON.

There is an emanation from the heart in genuine hospitality which cannot be described, but is immediately felt and puts the stranger at once at his ease.--WASHINGTON IRVING.

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.--HEBREWS 13:2.

Blest be that spot, where cheerful guests retire To pause from toil, and trim their evening fire; Blest that abode, where want and pain repair, And every stranger finds a ready chair: Blest be those feasts with simple plenty crown'd, Where all the ruddy family around Laugh at the jest or pranks, that never fail, Or sigh with pity at some mournful tale, Or press the bashful stranger to his food, And learn the luxury of doing good.

--GOLDSMITH.

HUMILITY.--The sufficiency of my merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient.--ST. AUGUSTINE.

The high mountains are barren, but the low valleys are covered over with corn; and accordingly the showers of G.o.d's grace fall into lowly hearts and humble souls.--WORTHINGTON.

He who sacrifices a whole offering shall be rewarded for a whole offering; he who offers a burnt-offering shall have the reward of a burnt-offering; but he who offers humility to G.o.d and man shall be rewarded with a reward as if he had offered all the sacrifices in the world.--THE TALMUD.

True humility--the basis of the Christian system--is the low but deep and firm foundation of all virtues.--BURKE.

By humility, and the fear of the Lord, are riches, honor, and life.

--PROVERBS 22:4.

"If you ask, what is the first step in the way of truth? I answer humility," saith St. Austin. "If you ask, what is the second? I say humility. If you ask, what is the third? I answer the same--humility."

Is it not as the steps of degree in the Temple, whereby we descend to the knowledge of ourselves, and ascend to the knowledge of G.o.d? Would we attain mercy? humility will help us.--C. SUTTON.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.--MATTHEW 5:5.

Nothing can be further apart than true humility and servility.--BEECHER.

Some one called Sir Richard Steele the "vilest of mankind," and he retorted with proud humility, "It would be a glorious world if I were."--BOVEE.

Humility is the Christian's greatest honor; and the higher men climb, the farther they are from heaven.--BURDER.

The grace which makes every other grace amiable.--ALFRED MERCIER.

If thou desire the love of G.o.d and man, be humble; for the proud heart, as it loves none but itself, so it is beloved of none but by itself; the voice of humility is G.o.d's music, and the silence of humility is G.o.d's rhetoric. Humility enforces where neither virtue nor strength can prevail nor reason.--QUARLES.

The fullest and best ears of corn hang lowest toward the ground.

--BISHOP REYNOLDS.

If thou wouldst find much favor and peace with G.o.d and man, be very low in thine own eyes; forgive thyself little, and others much.

--LEIGHTON.

After crosses and losses men grow humbler and wiser.--FRANKLIN.

HURRY.--No two things differ more than hurry and despatch. Hurry is the mark of a weak mind, despatch of a strong one. A weak man in office, like a squirrel in a cage, is laboring eternally, but to no purpose, and in constant motion without getting on a jot; like a turnstile, he is in everybody's way, but stops n.o.body; he talks a great deal, but says very little; looks into everything, but sees into nothing; and has a hundred irons in the fire, but very few of them are hot, and with those few that are he only burns his fingers.--COLTON.

HYPOCRISY.--If the world despises hypocrites, what must be the estimate of them in heaven?--MADAME ROLAND.

Hypocrisy itself does great honor, or rather justice, to religion, and tacitly acknowledges it to be an ornament to human nature. The hypocrite would not be at so much pains to put on the appearance of virtue, if he did not know it was the most proper and effectual means to gain the love and esteem of mankind.--ADDISON.

The words of his mouth were smoother than b.u.t.ter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

--PSALM 55:21.

Hypocrisy is folly. It is much easier, safer, and pleasanter to be the thing which a man aims to appear, than to keep up the appearance of being what he is not.--CECIL.

Hypocrites do the devil's drudgery in Christ's livery.--MATTHEW HENRY.

To wear long faces, just as if our Maker, The G.o.d of goodness, was an undertaker.

--PETER PINDAR.

Hypocrisy is oftenest clothed in the garb of religion.--HOSEA BALLOU.

Such a man will omit neither family worship, nor a sneer at his neighbor. He will neither milk his cows on the first day of the week without a Sabbath mask on his face, nor remove it while he waters the milk for his customers.--GEORGE MACDONALD.

If Satan ever laughs, it must be at hypocrites; they are the greatest dupes he has.--COLTON.

IDLENESS.--I look upon indolence as a sort of suicide.--CHESTERFIELD.

Some people have a perfect genius for doing nothing, and doing it a.s.siduously.--HALIBURTON.

Laziness grows on people; it begins in cobwebs, and ends in iron chains. The more business a man has to do, the more he is able to accomplish; for he learns to economize his time.--JUDGE HALE.

If you ask me which is the real hereditary sin of human nature, do you imagine I shall answer pride or luxury or ambition or egotism? No; I shall say indolence. Who conquers indolence will conquer all the rest.

Indeed, all good principles must stagnate without mental activity.

--ZIMMERMANN.

A poor idle man cannot be an honest man.--ACHILLES POINCELOT.

Absence of occupation is not rest, A mind quite vacant is a mind distress'd.

--COWPER.

Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy; and he that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him.--FRANKLIN.

Evil thoughts intrude in an unemployed mind, as naturally as worms are generated in a stagnant pool.--FROM THE LATIN.

An idle man's brain is the devil's workshop.--BUNYAN.

If you are idle, you are on the road to ruin; and there are few stopping-places upon it. It is rather a precipice than a road.--BEECHER.

The ruin of most men dates from some idle moment.--HILLARD.

Time, with all its celerity, moves slowly on to him whose whole employment is to watch its flight.--DR. JOHNSON.

An idler is a watch that wants both hands, As useless if it goes as when it stands.

--COWPER.