are not only expedient but laudable. One
stone of an arch may fit its fellow-stones
perfectly,but a little cement does their union no
harm.

As there is a reciprocal social attraction
between individuals of respectability and worth,
so also there ought to be a gravitation of every
individual towards certain excellences of
character and conduct. And here likewise small
inducements, trifling bribes, minor temptations,
help to increase the force of the tendency.
Virtue is, and ought to be, its own reward;
still, an additional bonus of extraneous recompense
cannot but help the moral progress of
mankind. It sounds like a truism to say that
a motive is useful as a mover to the performance
of any act or course of action. The fact is
implied by the meaning of the word itself. If
good deeds can be rendered more frequent by
increasing the motives to their practice, the
world in general will be all the better and the
happier for that increase.

The problem in ethics to be solved is, simply,
how men and women may be most easily led to
behave like very good boys and girls. We urge
children to do their best by rewards of merit.
Why should not the minds of adults be stimulated
by similar persuasive forces? Nor can
worldly motives, if pulling in the same direction
as moral and religious motives, be productive
of anything but good. And we want motives
to excite the good to become still more
persistently and exemplarily good, all the more that
terror of punishment is unfortunately insufficient
to make the bad abstain from deeds of wickedness.

With this view, a philanthropic Frenchman,
M. de Montyon, founded in 1819 annual prizes
for acts of benevolence and devotedness, which,
besides addressing our higher feelings, appeal to
two strong passions, interest and vanity. And
why should integrity pass unrewarded? Why
should bright conduct be hid under a bushel?
In a darksome night, how far the little candle
throws his beams! So ought to shine a good
deed in a naughty world. Most undoubtedly,
to do good by stealth is highly praiseworthy;
but there is no reason why the blush which
arises on finding it fame should necessarily be a
painful blush. Far better that it should be a
glow of pleasure.

More than forty years have now elapsed since
these prizes for virtue were instituted, during
which period more than seven hundred persons
have received the reward of their exemplary
conduct. The French Academy, which distributes
the prizes, has decided (doing violence to
the modesty of the recipients) to publish their
good deeds to the world. After the announcement
of their awards, a livret or list in the form
of a pamphlet is issued, recounting each specific
case with the same simplicity with which it was
performed. These lists are spread throughout
all France and further, in the belief that
the more widely meritorious actions are known,
the greater chance there is of their being
imitated

The awards made by the French Academy up
to the present day to virtuous actions give an
average of about eighteen per annum. These
eighteen annual "crowns" have been competed
for by more than seventy memorials coming
from every point of France, mostly without the
knowledge of the persons interested. In short,
since the foundation of the prizes, the Academy
has had to read several thousand memorials.

To Monsieur V. P. Demay (Secretary and
Chef des Bureaux of the Mairie of the 18th
Arrondissement of Paris) the idea occurred of
collecting the whole of these livrets into a
volume, so as to furnish an analytical summary
of the distribution of the prizes throughout
the empire, and of appending to it flowers
of philanthropic eloquence culled from the
speeches made at the Academic meetings. The
result is a book entitled "Les Fastes de la Vertu
Pauvre en France," "Annals of the Virtuous
Poor in France."

No one, before M. Demay, thought of
undertaking the Statistics of Virtue. The subject has
not found a place on any scientific programme,
French or international; whether through
forgetfulness or not, the fact remains indisputable.
And be it remarked that the seven hundred and
thirty-two laureats to whom rewards have been
decreed, represent only a fraction of the number
of highly deserving persons. In all their reports
ever since 1820, the French Academy has
declared that it had only the embarrassment of
choosing between the candidates while awarding
the prizes, so equally meritorious were their acts.
Therefore, to the seven hundred and thirty-two
nominees ought to be added the two thousand
four hundred and forty competitors whose cases
were considered during that period, making
altogether a total of three thousand one hundred
and seventy-two instances of conduct worthy of
imitation which had been brought to light by
the agency of the prizes.

The book, not more amusing than other
statistics, is nevertheless highly suggestive.
Serious thought is the consequence of opening
its pages. It is a touching book, and goes to
the heart, as the acts it records came from the
heart. After reading it, many will feel prompted
to go and do likewise by some effort of generosity
or self-denial. In any case, it cannot be other
than a moralising work to bring to light so
many instances of devotion, and to set them
forth as public examples.

In some of his speculations our author,
perhaps, may be considered as just a little too
sanguine. Certainly, if there are tribunals
for the infliction of punishment, there is no
reason why tribunals should not exist for the
conferring of recompenses. How far they are
likely to become general, is a question for
consideration. Also, it is true that newspapers
give the fullest details of horrid crimes, while
they are brief in their usual mention of
meritorious actions. But before M. Demay, somebody
said, "Men's evil manners live in brass,
their virtues we write in water;" and it is to
be feared he is somewhat too bright-visioned a