156 THE BEST POLICY. 



all ; we are being guided simply in tins matter by 

 expediency and self-interest, not by high principle 

 and due regard for the ultimate prevalence of ab- 

 stract justice. The imaginary Quaker in the old 

 story who knew that honesty was a better policy 

 than dishonesty because he had "tried both" could 

 not properly be considered os honest at all ; he 

 was merely a clever and intelligent, but unscru- 

 pulous trader, who had found out by dint of 

 experiment the best way of attracting and keep- 

 ing a large connection of customers in this com- 

 mercial universe of ours. A man who was honest 

 on this ground alone would, of course, yield to 

 temptation immediately, if in any particular case it 

 became quite clear to him that by some single act 

 of great dishonesty — say by forging a signature or 

 by destroying a will — he could make himself com- 

 fortable in worldly circumstances for ever after- 

 wards. 



No ; the only kind of honesty really worthy of 

 the name is that which proceeds not from a delib- 

 erate calculation of i)ersonal consequences, but 

 from a genuine and deep-seated hatred and loath- 

 ing for any dirty, mean, or questionable conduct. 

 The truly honest man is the one who will not do 

 a wrong act because the act itself excites in his 

 mind, apart from consequences, an immediate dis- 

 gust and almost instinctive lepugnance. In this 

 matter a great many estimable people really de- 



