EXPERIENCES OF MR. STALE. 
arrange some dispute, and meant what was said, 
thev did not come, and had be ordered to make their 
appearance. They would then say Shummaf shumma^i 
which just means, tuts^ t%ts^ it was all nonsense, 
it was all settled. Now the previous day, it cer- 
tainly appeared the very reverse of nonsense to them, 
and if master had tried to make any satisfactory 
settlement, do, or try what he could, he could not, 
but nalalcu va did it.” But don’t mistake our mean- 
ing ; don’t for a moment suppose that this otf 
put should be adopted when any matter of conse- 
quence is complained, is of any consequence, settle 
it at once with promptitude and decision 
and 'don’t for an instant attempt to escape from 
responsibility, by putting it off, such cases must be 
dealt with at some time, the sooner the better, 
Nalalcu va” will merely increase the difficulty of 
doing so. If any thing is worth doing at all, if any 
thing is to be settled, or requires to be, do not pro. 
crastinate, never defer till to-morrow what can be easily 
done to-day. For without promptitude and decision, 
a man is little better than an animal, with two legs, 
and one of them sprained I 
We have all heard of, or met with people, who very 
suddenly, and in some apparently unaccountable man- 
ner, suddenly changed their opinions. We make light of 
them, as being of no fixed principle, and call them 
^‘weathercocks,” or “turn-coats.” But the question 
really is, what has induced them to turn their coats ?, 
If they have done it, from increased investigation on 
the subject, or from any additional source of know- 
ledge having been revealed, if they have changed their 
opinion from a decided conviction that their former 
line of conduct was wrong, instead of being sneered 
at, they are worthy of all honour and applause, as 
having not been ashamed to own an error, after they 
discovered it was one. Are reformed thieves, drunkards 
and profligates “turmcoats”? Of course they are, but 
they have turned their coats from the wrong side to 
the right, and instead of holding them, and others, 
in contempt, who have changed their course of action, 
upon* decided convictions of errors, we ought, on the 
contrary, to point them out as examples well worthy 
of imitation to those, who have not the strength 
and force of miud, freely and frankly to confess, 
/ was wrong, in case his friends and neighbours should 
call him turn-coat, or one without a mind of his own ; 
for it does at times, require a good deal of strength 
of mind, both to shew and prove that you possess one, 
and intend to keep it. Only take care and don't become 
obstinate, a state of mind that is very often mistaken, 
(by its victim) for “ promptitude and decision.” The 
foUowmg short and true anecdote, will dearly illustrat 
