his, and to love fair play and not to cheat; but I don't know what policy is."

"Policy," said his uncle, "is just the way of managing; and the meaning of the lesson. which Philip's grandfather taught him so well, is that honesty is the best way of managing our affairs, for we are most certain to do well in the end if we do honestly."

"But sometimes people get on well who are not honest, don't they?" inquired James. "I know there was a grocer beside us, who, they say, made a lot of money by using light weights. I remember quite well when he gave up his shop; and he has gone away to live at a distance; for those round about, all thought him a cheat.”

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Why, my dear boy," his uncle answered, "don't you see that if he has gained money by being dishonest, he has lost his character, and is so ashamed, that he is obliged to go and live where nobody knows him? Then, you know, there are persons appointed to look

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after the weights used in shops, and very few who use light weights can go on without being found out, and then they are disgraced and fined, and have to pay, perhaps, more money than they gained by cheating, and lose their customers into the bargain. And even

if they are not found out, they must always feel afraid of being detected, and this will give them more trouble and uneasiness than their dishonest gain is worth. Besides, remember the lesson of Philip's grandfather was, that honesty was the best policy. There are many other ways of getting on and growing rich in the world, some of them much faster and less laborious than that of honesty but it is notwithstanding the best."

"Then, why is not every one honest, uncle?" asked the boys, "if honesty is best."

"Can you not answer that question yourselves?" he replied; “think now, why would the grocer use light weights?"

"I suppose," said James, "because he thought he would make money faster."

"Just so," rejoined the uncle; "that was just the reason. People see a chance of succeeding in something with very little trouble, if they practise dishonesty, when it would need long labour to succeed by honest means; and so they take the short cut. But honesty is best in the long run; for even if we did get on well by dishonesty, God will punish us for it at last."

"Ah! now I remember, at school, a boy got a good mark because he said he had done seventeen sums right; but when his slate was examined it was found that he had only twelve right, and he got no mark at all, for trying to cheat, and was well laughed at by all of us. And he always cheats at his lessons, and everything else; he copies his exercises; he looks on when all books ought to be shut; and in this way he sometimes gets above the others; and in the play

ground he acts so unfairly at cricket and marbles, that we often won't let him play with us. I am sure it would be far better for him to be honest than to hear every one call him a cheat; and besides, uncle, he often cheats when he does not gain anything by it. I wonder what makes him do that."

"It is because he has learned the habit of being dishonest, my dear boy," said the uncle; and when one learns to be dishonest, he finds it very hard to leave off. It is just like telling lies, when you once begin, you don't know how far you may go; and therefore the only safe plan is not to begin at all. Never fear to be honest; you may lose by it at the time, but you will have the approval of your conscience, and all who love what is right; you will never be ashamed to look any one in the face; and it will be very strange indeed if, in the long run, you don't find honesty the best policy."

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THE TWO LITTLE MERCHANTS.

PART I.

THE streets of Naples are at all times crowded with boys earning a livelihood by selling fish, fruit, sweetmeats, sticks, and other articles. These little merchants are not long in finding out the advantage of truth and honesty in their dealings; for even the most cunning cheat is sure to be at last detected and disgraced. Peter and Francis, two of these merchants, were equal in birth, fortune, and capacity, but different in their education, and consequently in their habits and conduct. Francis was the son of an honest gardener, who, from the time he could speak, taught him to love to speak the truth; shewed him that liars are never believedthat cheats and thieves cannot be trusted, and that the shortest way to obtain a good character was to deserve it. The boy pro