mental than a characteristic, more significant than a habit. In
summing up a character we must give some indication of the subject's "ways." If we would make the estimate at all adequate, we cannot confine ourselves to reckoning up his qualities, just as in painting a portrait we must suggest the sitter's carriage as well as give a delineation of his features. All the same, a man's "ways "—according to the colloquial use of the word—re by no means always a key to his real self. How often do we hear some one abused by an acquaint- ance for certain faults, and defended by a friend on the gr mind that the conduct objected to is" only his way," and
in no sense represents his true character. Probably the acquaintance remains unconvinced, and says to himself: " It was a small matter that I took up, yet straws show which way the wind blows." An apposite proverb is, however, a bad proof. There are eddies in the wind of character. That fact is one of the revelations of friendship. Often, for instance, we may see some small, strict economy practised by one who is in most things open- handed, in many things extravagant. This little piece of saving assumes an absurd importance in the minds of both actor and spectator. It becomes the conspicuous thing about the man who does it, but it does not show him as he is. Perhaps it is the remnant of a passed-away necessity ; or—for extremes meet—the economy may have some connection with the extravagance, and be nothing else than the expression of a scruple. Again, there are those whose "ways," though quite unaffected, may be said to be or to have been intentionally misleading. Even as children they instinctively made use of " ways " to shield a too sensitive character from exposure. Such men and women assume roughness, over-politeness, a humorous reticence, even in bad cases a superficial cynicism, to screen their hearts. Defensive " ways " have their roots in shyness. We do not mean social shyness, for they are often employed by people who, socially speaking, are as bold as brass, but some more intimate and subtle form of moral timidity. Then there are opposite types of character who are constitutionally indifferent to whether their acquaint. mice like or dislike them. These singular natures are rich in 0 ways." They are as a rale whimsical, as those who do not regard man in the least are apt to be. It rather amuses them to see the desultory student of character—and every person who loves society is such a student—going off on the wrong tack. They will not try to be all things to all men so that they may be understood by as many as possible. They are themselves to everybody. Consequently they make innumerable false impressions. A fruitful cause of " ways " which have no direct bearing upon character is pure perversity. Almost all boys and very young men have such "ways." Some- times, alas ! they stick by them through life. What per- versity is who shall tell us P Perhaps it is possession ! Seriously, though, it does sometimes seem as if the citadel of self were shared by a sort of little, very inferior partner, who had no word in the graver transactions of life, but who made his disagreeable little voice heard every day in little things. Some delightful natures manage to chuck him out of the window in that hour of depression when they perceive the departure of their very first youth, but not all. It is curious how much commoner perversity is in boys than in girls. Every woman knows, both by training and instinct, that part of her duty in life is to be agreeable, or at any rate that her happiness depends greatly upon her success in that undertaking. In a very attractive woman, firmly convinced of her powers, we see it now and then. We excuse it for the sake of her charm, and.— " All that's madly wild or oddly gay,
We call it only pretty Fanny's way."
But for the most part it is not excused by the world, and, therefore, not indulged by the individual Some "ways," while they do not truly indicate present character, are the direct outcome of that which is past, for character changes to a certain extent, just as the body changes, though identity remains. There are uncon- ventional "ways" which commemorate an original lawlessness,
There can be, we think, no doubt that what we call "ways" are connected with what are, at any rate at first sight, faults of character; and yet we think the best beloved men and women have most of them. Are people, then, loved for their faults, and the worse more loved than the better ? That is an ethical question which, like so many other ethical questions, admits of no direct answer. Virtue and vice are sometimes arbitrary terms. All qualities cannot be scheduled under two heads. There are some ill-balanced virtues which do not manage to hit off the happy mean between two vices, and which not only the outside world, but even those who possess them, often regard as faults. A mixture of impulsive- ness, sensitiveness, and zealous high-mindedness is often spoken of simply as "a hot temper." For these qualities— summed up as a fault—both men and women are loved. There are some people whom the virtue of pity leads to be always in favour of the " under-dog "; they cannot believe that he is sometimes in the wrong, that he began the quarrel and deserves the licking. The effect of their pity is sometimes injustice, which is a serious fault; but it is not surprising that when through their ill-judged assistance the " under-dog " gets free of his enemy, he conceives a strong and unchangeable affection for them. Very spacious characters generally have faults, and " ways " which are connected with them. Also they sometimes possess those unprofitable qualities which men call virtues or vices, according as they love or hate the person who has them. A man ought properly to be called good or bad according to the large or small amount of good there is in him rather than according to the proportion of evil. Some small characters are very symmetrical, and are therefore mistakenly supposed to be perfect. So are some inferior faces ; but correct in- feriority is a cold thing, and delights no one. Shakespeare says in Measure for Measure
They say, best men are moulded out of faults ; And, for the most, become much more the better For being s little bad."
As a matter of theoretical ethics, the statement might perhaps be argued to be false, but it contains much practical truth, and is only one more witness to Shakespeare's immense insight into human affairs.
IN DEFENCE OF THE OTTER.
ACONTRIBUTOR to the County Gentleman of last Saturday gives a fascinating account of the family life of a pair of otters inhabiting a remote pool on a Scotch river. By concealing himself in the branches of a tree, he was able to watch their habits, both by day and at dusk. A pair of otter kittens were born, and in time these were allowed by their mother to play at the mouth of the "bolt,' and learnt to take food from their visitor. The old otter was also seen teaching them to swim. They were very reluctant to enter the water, and were dropped in by their mother, the first being nearly drowned before its stern parent rescued it. After the lesson they were rewarded by being presented with a very small eel to eat. The reluc- tance of the young to enter the water may possibly be a survival of the days before otters became water-mammals. Many years ago some otter kittens were born at the "Zoo," and showed just the same fear of what later seems their natural element, though their parents took the greatest pains to induce them to make the trial.
As might be expected from the numbers of coarse fish in
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