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mistake usually made is to attribute that to hypo- 

 crisy which really arises from stupidity. The 

 Indian Thug-, before he strangles his victim, offers 

 up prayers to his deity for a blessing- on his work. 

 A religious pirate, we read of, always summoned 

 his crew on deck for prayers before committing- his 

 deeds of murder and plunder, and whenever there 

 was a woman among-st his captives, he always 

 compelled her immediately to walk the plank, for 

 fear any of his ship's company should be led into 

 sin. 



"Mr. Stig-g-ins/' said Sam Weller, "what is your 

 tap?" 



" Oh, my young- friend," said the shepherd, a all 

 taps is vanities/' 



" Yes, yes, I know that," said Sam j " but what 

 is your particular wanity?" 



Before the evening- was over Mr. Stig-g'ms was 

 exceedingly drunk. 



" Boy/' said the country primitive, who was 

 lord of a village grocery, "has thee sanded the 

 sug-ar ?" 

 " Yes, sir." 



" Has thee watered the rum ?" 

 "Yes, sir." 



" Then coom to prayers." 



Now, in all such cases the common way to ac- 

 count for the incongruities and inconsistencies 



O 



displayed, is by accusations of hypocrisy ; but the 

 wise in human nature know that in general it ull 



