20 THE BATTALION.
self in the place of the moral leper will soon be incurably ef
fected. On the other hand, what a power for the propaga
tion of truth, purity, moral beauty and good, lies in cultured
speech ! I mentioned awhile ago the salons of Paris. At a
period when licentiosuness of living was infecting all classes
of French social life, from the court to the humblest of homes
certain ladies of startling character and intellectual preemi
nence and graceful manners,opened their drawing rooms to the
learned and witty of the gay capitol. The hostess set the
style of conversation, frowning upon anything that was low,
encouraging all that was refined, and so gave tone to that part
at least of fashionable life that an atmosphere of tasteful ele
gance took the place of the tainted air of loose living in which
the city had been steeped. If you have any good to impart,
if you feel that aesthetics, literature, art, ethics, Christianity,
might receive a new rendering at your hands; if you feel that
it is at all your province to teach others as you yourself have
learned; if God has given you that lofty and distinguishing
characteristic'of humanity, social inclinations, make the most
of your calling and gift by forming a style of speech at once
pure, original, and hightoned. To do so, read the best and
cleanest literature only, have a few sprightly and intelligent
correspondents of both sexes, above all, frequent the society
of intelligent people and the plans of amusement which are
edifying. Form the habit of judging men and things with
the nicety and discernment that true intelligence imparts.
Cultivate a delicate tact. Even St Paul felt the necessity of
being at proper times “ all things to all men ” not for selfish
ends, but to win them to that higher and better life for which
men so often strive in vain because they have unsafe guides
and no self experience.
The young man is suffering under great disadvantages
who has not a few lady friends of the proper maturity to
whom he can with confidence open up his experiences. I
speak not of the frivolous butterflies of society and fashion,
pretty to look at, but as aimless and devoid of all that is ele-