TO be continued.

A SELFISH AGE.
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1t is true, perhaps, thatwe are deformed,
by no gigantic vices, in the present age
that men do not commit the crimes that
were so frightful in the French Revolution
causing the air 10 rain blood, and the
very earth to heave with the fires of mo-
raj desoation-but this condition of utter
lenormity is not necessary TO cause us TO
sigh and mourn over the degeneracy of our
species, and invoke the better spirit of our
nature, to timely reform. Too many be-
lieve that there is nothing to reform in So
cety, as long as the stupendous atrocities
of vilany, do not horriiy us by their hourly
preparation. To show the fallacy Of this
reasoning, we have only to trace the pre-
existing state ofmorals, which in countries
shaken by revolutions, have been the uni
form forerunners ofsocinl exp osions. Prior
to 1870, what was the state Of French Sc
,iety' Men could then exclaim, as we
do now, we havenothing to reform, because
we are cursed by no gigantic crimes. Eve
ry thing at that era of moral corruption,
was soft, HAND, venial, and refined No
violence shocked good taste No enormi-
ties startled the world with horror. All
was calm, beautiful, polished. But it was
the age of petty and silent vice, that was
active in breeding the gigantic crimes that
followed. Had the French seen the neces-
|sity of a reform prior to their Revolution,
they would have averted the explosion that
crushed them beneath the weight of an ac-
cumula,ion of petty vices, all ending in one
grand performance of human tragedy. A
sensual age begets hollow-heaited gene
ration. All feeling, all humanity, all cha
rty, all love, is lost and overwhelmed in
the cold sel6shness of voluptuous and
vicious generation. Unhallowed epioyments
tprepare the minds. of people for unnatural
crimes, by rendering them csllous, cruel,
and unfeelng. The silent corruption that
eats away the moral stamina of people,
| gives no shock, but that moral Stamina
once destroyed, gigantic passions break out,
and colossal crimes take the place Of petty
vices. The great art.of moral preservation,
lies in averling the habit of selfish enjoy
ment. Minds once thoroughly selfish, have


20 mercy, no clemency, no sympathy Tor
others Selfish enjoyment made Nero
1 monster, Tiberius hyena, and Domlilan
tiger. Political oppression may accelerate
THE revllsion which convulses communities
in the giant throes of unrestralned passion
but the principle Of retribution is silently
!, at work in every moral system, that is in
lIected by vicious and sensual sellshness.
/, All vice is nothing but unmixed yselhshness
4 land when the mind loses the power Of
. sympathy, it lies exposed TO the inroads of
all the giant passions, without compunction
or remorse-Phh Sun. g e1