Correspondents and Critics. 269 



two, now and then, to temperance! My critical 

 correspondents should first wait until I have 

 advocated some practice objectionable to them 

 before assuming what is my attitude towards it, 

 and commenting thereupon. 



" What stand hast thou taken with reference 

 to liquor? I fear thee does not look upon it 

 with unalterable disapproval, from a remark in 

 one of thy books." Here is an instance of a 

 solid shot sent point-blank into my unsuspecting 

 self. The page or chapter is not given, so I 

 know not where to look, and would not take 

 the trouble if I did. I do not make a practice 

 of asking people for advice or information, if I 

 can get the former through experience or the 

 latter from the encyclopaedia, but here is some- 

 thing different. I would that some one would 

 tell me, and give me logical reasons, why I 

 should forego my glass of currant wine on 

 Christmas eve, to which I have been accustomed 

 from my youth up. That glass never led me 

 to empty the bottle any more than the accom- 

 panying bit of fruit-cake led to the demolition, 

 by me, of the whole loaf. I note that my cor- 

 respondent is a Friend, and I further note that 



