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Show 148 THE LIBERTY BELL. sons, will sometimes be t-ouched by the simplest virtue and sweetness in those who have no power to offer more substantial aid. In ancient Rome there wa.s nn order of women consccroted to servo God in tbe temples, and culled V cstal Virgins, and whenever the V estnl Virgins met a criminal on l1is wo.y to execution, he was at once released ; the theory being, that their mere presence would inslinntly reform him. And I have known some V cstal Virgins in modern times, whoso presence I have thought might almost l1avo this unconscious influence. The real value of men and women to us consists only in their wisdom and virtue. Without this they arc simply convenient to us, mere tools to promoto our fortune or our comfort, nothing more. A man without honor or virtue may help us to build our bouso or cook our food, but we gladly dismiss him afterwards ; it is a. drawback on the comfort of bouse or food that we bad to go to him for it. But if be bad been wise and noble, we 149 should have found t t1 0 house l~lcasantcr d food sweeter because 1 . . , an the . . us socwty ~as adlled . which lS evidently the proper relation of tl . ' it is more agreeable t h ungs. F' it. . o a\'C poor food and t.,~' . ' house, even m tho literal sense tl pom society of good men If ' mn to forego tho . . our brothers cannot kco us well m all ways 't . b P • • ' ' IS otter that they should keep us low m body tban low in mind It is so w'th to . l wns and states. St.:'ltesmen sa that a country is prosperous when its e t y coed its imports, for then it rn. . xpor s ex-of co . lSCS tts own articles cot nsumptwn and more too . B ut t. f t. t only raises ton, and exports that and d . conscience to su . ' oes not r~usc enough pply Itself and assist its nci hb also then •t · g ors, fro ' l IS poor, and muat begin to import that m any quarter and at any })rice. ' u What constitutes a State? Not cities proud, with spires nnd t Thick wall, or moated gate, urrets crowned, Dut men, high minded men.'' 13• |