Pernicious Generosity

When comparad wtth otber nations the American people present tnany pointe of dUbrenoe. There is Uttle diffrenc in the conservative spiiit, peculier to the Engliah, orthe económica! habita of lifc wblch cnaracterize the people of France. The lack of these two tradea oatiM man; dlfferences in the manner of living, and givc rise to social customs aimost peculiar to ourselves' Amone these there is none more prominent than tlie habit of ti Tlüaspepki wrell ior oni MaerositT yct the reenlt and the general tendem the habit are not for good. To a foreigner, tlic extent of tbe cuatom la aurpriaing. Aa Englishman goea tbroagb Ufe pnying his own expenses, allowlng bis frinnd to do likewisc bat Ameiteani must sharp, and be hospitable in everything. The Germán can dn ik his beer alone, and enjoy it, whlle tbe American ia not content unlesa he li wrrounded by a erowd of aatociatea. Tlüs cavsei more drankneu and general eril than we imagine. Ifltwere not for tbe anociatlont of drinking, there would lic fewer men soffering ander the curse of Intempermnce. li often happeiu thal mm lomewhal addlctod to tbuaeof stimuianta enter ¦ aUoon with no idea of drinking to , and were it not for the rcsult of treating, thcy would leave it lober, aiul, perhapa, llttiethe worae for the Indulgence, Howerer, every friend nMitt l; Inrtted to juin and -in. e all lcbt3 of this kind nm.-t I"' i'aiil, tbe orden continue, not to Mtisfy iipctitc, imt tu keep np with cmtom. In tbn niaiiniT men nakebéaatt oftbemselves, not ao muca trom an inward deatre to drink, a.s from tbe deaire to appear social. It' tbe habit of treating were aboliihed, the retnita would be lurprisJna The fact that it not to somcextent laid aaide la due to false ideas of generoeity and soclability. Tbe ouatom, aa acustom, is sensclcss. and without logical support. Becanae one man ia thirsty it not l'ollow that every onc cl-c ia AVlicn men want dinner they do not thinkof inviting a friend who hasjust dlned to agaln partaka, ju.-t to be social. Wliy do men do 80 when tbiraty :J How far etutom may be carried cannot be estiniatcil. The day may come when we shall not be penaitted to purcbaae a suit of clotlie without bnying one alaofortbe friend wbo may aooompany us. It may ia time be (xmaideied a breacn of etiquette to Indulge in a tiipto Europe without QfEering a gratis paai to all the aoqnalntances present, when tbe plan is fonned. We to think of (hc. gerated forma ol geoeroaity, bat yet there aboul aa mncb senae In one aa toe otber, aild mach leaa evil. lt roald do a friend nobarmto preaant hhn wltb a tot coat, but it does harm liim to compel him to Indulge In drink, when their is no natural demand for it. Il U to be noped tliat popular ideas will change on this inbjeot, and that the time will come when men, even Ifthey mnat Indulge, will do so aenai bly. and not be eoverned bv false ideas