But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 2 CORINTHIANS IV. 7.

PERSUASION, the act of persuading; of influencing by expostulation. JOHNSON.

By long forbearance is a prince persuaded.

PROVERBS Xxv. 15.

PERSUASION also means the state of being persuaded; opinion.

The most certain token of evident goodness is, if the general persuasion of all men does so account it.

HOOKER.

This word is derived from the Latin verb Persuadeo, which means, I use entreaties, or arguments, to bring to an opinion. "A superior exhorts or commands, his words carry authority with them, and rouse to action; a friend and equal persuades, he wins and draws by the agreeableness or kindness of his expressions." SUASIVE is mild, gentle, and the prefix PER, signifying BY, gives the full meaning; by mildness, by GENTLENESS do I lead, and not drive by FORCE.

This latter word is derived from the Latin noun Fortis, strong; from thence we have also FORCIBLE; FORCIBLY; FORCIBLENESS; FORT; FORTRESS; FORTIFY; FORTITUDE, &c., &c.

We do indeed see the principle of force so universal through the world, that it is difficult to many persons to imagine how the frame of society would be kept together, if the common motives of interest, praise, and terror, were to be given up. And yet the authority which sets forth the superior power of gentleness is the highest acknowledged by enlightened man; and he almost every day sees before his face, in his domestic and social existence, circumstances in which that power is practically shown in a more or less striking light, see Herald of Peace, vol. i., (New Series), p. 168, where will be found some remarkable exemplifications of the power of gentleness.

Of WILLIAM LADD, it is said, "that his gentle heartedness came alike from his good nature, and the influence of his peace principles." He used to relate a story which

fully illustrates this moulding of his character. He was a cultivator of land, and had a fine field of grain growing upon an out-farm at some distance from his residence. Whenever he rode that way, he was annoyed to observe some sheep, which belonged to a neighbour, among the grain, destroying all his hopes of a harvest; these sheep were of the gaunt, long-legged kind, and very active, so that they could leap over the highest fence. He complained to his neighbour of this trespass, and sent many messages, but all without avail. At length he became very angry, and told his men to set the dogs on the sheep, and if that would not do, even to shoot them. As he rode away from the spot after giving these orders, he was much agitated, and, as he himself expressed it, "felt literally full of fight," but suddenly a light seemed to flash on him, and he thought it would be better to try, in his own case, the influence of those principles of peace and good-will which he had been preaching to others. He therefore rode over to his neighbour, who, having heard of his orders to shoot the sheep, did not receive him very courteously. Nothing offended at this, he told his neighbour that, as it would not do to let his sheep eat up all the grain, he had come to propose that they should be sent to his home-pasture, where they could be fed for the season with LADD's own sheep, from the best of which he should have liberty to pick, to make up for any that might be missing. The man was confounded; he had determined on retaliation should any of his sheep be killed; revenge and other evil passions were uppermost in his mind, and this proposal was so perfectly unexpected, so strange and inexplicable, that he knew not what to say. He could scarcely believe that LADD was in earnest, but being assured that he was, said to him, after a pause, during which it was evident he was deeply affected." My sheep shall not trouble you any more, I will fetter them all; but I will let you know, that when any man talks of shooting, I can shoot too; and when they are kind and neighbourly, I can be so too." The sheep never trespassed again, and the narrator of the story would continue, addressing his audience, "Remember, that when you talk of injuring your neighbours, they will talk of injuring you. When nations threaten to fight, other nations will be ready too. Love will beget love; a wish

to be at peace will keep you in peace. You can overcome evil only with good, there is no other way.

PEACE ADVOCATE, No. 7.

MOTIVES TO THE PRACTICE OF GENTLENESS.-To promote the virtue of gentleness we ought to view our character with an impartial eye; and to learn from our own feelings, to give that indulgence which, in our turn we claim. It is pride that fills the world with so much harshness and severity. In the fulness of self-estimation, we forget what we are. We claim attention to which we are not entitled. We are rigorous to offences, as if we had never offended; unfeeling to distress, as if we knew not what it was to suffer. From those airy regions of pride and folly, let us descend to our proper level. Let us survey the natural equality on which Providence has placed man with man, and reflect on the infirmities common to all. If the reflection on natural equality and mutual offences be insufficient to prompt humanity, let us at least remember what we are in the sight of our Creator. Have we none of that forbearance to give one another, which we all so earnestly entreat from heaven? Can we look for clemency or gentleness from our Judge, when we are so backward to show it to our own brother?

Let us also accustom ourselves to reflect on the small moment of those things, which are the usual incentives to violence and contention. In the ruffled and angry hour, we view every appearance through a false medium. The most inconsiderable point of interest or honour swells into a momentous object; and the slightest attack seems to threaten immediate ruin. But after passion or pride has subsided, we look around in vain for the mighty mischiefs we dreaded. The fabric which our disturbed imagination had reared, usually disappears. But though the cause of contention has dwindled away, its consequences remain. We have alienated a friend; we have embittered an enemy; we have sown the seeds of future suspicion, malevolence, or disgust. Let us suspend our violence for a moment when causes of discord occur. Let us anticipate that period of coolness which, of itself, will soon arrive. Let us reflect how little we have any prospect of gaining by fierce contention ; but how much of the true happiness of life we are certain of throwing away. Easily, and from the smallest chink, the bitter waters of strife are let

forth; but their course cannot be foreseen; and he seldom fails of suffering most from their poisonous effect, who first allowed them to flow. BLAIR.

POWER AND GENTLENESS, OR THE CATARACT AND THE STREAMLET.

Noble the mountain stream,

Bursting in grandeur from its vantage ground;
Glory is in its gleam

Of brightness;-thunder in its deafening sound.
Mark, how its foamy spray,

Tinged by the sunbeams with reflected dyes,
Mimics the bow of day-

Arching in majesty the vaulted skies.

Thence, in a summer shower,

Steeping the rocks around :-O! tell me where
Could majesty and power

Be clothed in forms more beautifully fair?
Yet lovelier, in my view,

The Streamlet, flowing silently serene;
Traced by the brighter hue,

And livelier growth it gives ;-itself unseen!
It flows through flowery meads,

Gladdening the herds which on its margin browse;
Its quiet beauty feeds

The elders that o'ershade it with their boughs.

Gently it murmurs by

The village churchyard :-its low plaintive tone,
A dirge-like melody,

For worth and beauty modest as its own.

More gaily now it sweeps

By the small school-house, in the sunshine bright;
And o'er the pebbles leaps,

Like happy hearts by holiday made light.

May not its course express,

In characters which they who run may read,
The charms of gentleness,

Were but its still small voice allowed to plead ?
What are the trophies gained

By power alone, with all its noise and strife,
To that meek wreath, unstained,

Won by the charities that gladden life?

Niagara's streams might fail,

And human happiness be undisturbed;
But Egypt would turn pale,

Were her still Nile's o'erflowing bounty curbed!

BERNARD BARTON.

HERO, HEROISM.

HERO; 1. A man eminent for bravery.

2. A man of the highest class in any respect.

JOHNSON.

These are thy honours, not that here thy bust
Is mixed with heroes, or with kings thy dust.

POPE.

HEROISM, the qualities or character of a hero. JOHNSON.

The Hero best example gives of toil
Unsanctified. One word his history writes:
He was a murderer above the law,

And greatly praised for doing murderous deeds.

POLLOK.

These words, with HEROIC; HEROICAL; HEROICALLY; and HEROINE, a female hero, come from the Greek noun Heros, which has the same signification as HERO.

War, pestilence, and famine, have been the greatest scourges of mankind. The two latter are always mentioned with horror, while the former is so blazoned with the trophies of heroism and valorous exploits, that while patriots exclaim loudly against the conduct of war, and all complain of its expenditure, and wish for peace, but few are found who object to its principle. CICERO.

Things which, if men had done in their private capacities they would have paid for with their lives; the very same things are extolled to the skies, when performed in their war-habiliments. SENECA.

One murder makes a villain, millions a hero.

There are heroes in ill as well as in good.

PORTEUS.

ROCHEFOUCAULT.

CONQUERORS NOT THE TRUE HEROES.-It is not known where he who invented the plough was born, nor where he died; yet he has effected more for the happiness of the world, than the whole race of heroes and conquerors who have drenched it with tears, and manured it with blood; and whose birth, parentage, and education have been handed down to us with a precision proportionate to the mischief they have done. REV. C. C. COLTON.

Truly it is a mortifying thing for your conqueror to