and　morality　place　between　you　and　your　self…indulgence。　To　those
  who　hold　this　view　of　society；　the　problem　of　making　their
  fortune；　my　dear　friend；　resolves　itself　into　playing　a　game　where
  the　stakes　are　millions　or　the　galleys；　political　triumphs　or
  dishonor。　Still；　the　green　cloth　is　not　long　enough　for　all　the
  players；　and　a　certain　kind　of　genius　is　required　to　play　the
  game。　I　say　nothing　of　religious　beliefs；　nor　yet　of　feelings；
  what　concerns　us　now　is　the　running…gear　of　the　great　machine　of
  gold　and　iron；　and　its　practical　results　with　which　men's　lives
  are　occupied。　Dear　child　of　my　heart；　if　you　share　my　horror　at
  this　criminal　theory　of　the　world；　society　will　present　to　your
  mind；　as　it　does　to　all　sane　minds；　the　opposite　theory　of　duty。
  Yes；　you　will　see　that　man　owes　himself　to　man　in　a　thousand
  differing　ways。　To　my　mind；　the　duke　and　peer　owe　far　more　to　the
  workman　and　the　pauper　than　the　pauper　and　the　workman　owe　to　the
  duke。　The　obligations　of　duty　enlarge　in　proportion　to　the
  benefits　which　society　bestows　on　men；　in　accordance　with　the
  maxim；　as　true　in　social　politics　as　in　business；　that　the　burden
  of　care　and　vigilance　is　everywhere　in　proportion　to　profits。　Each
  man　pays　his　debt　in　his　own　way。　When　our　poor　toiler　at　the
  Rhetoriere　comes　home　weary　with　his　day's　work　has　he　not　done
  his　duty？　Assuredly　he　has　done　it　better　than　many　in　the　ranks
  above　him。
  If　you　take　this　view　of　society；　in　which　you　are　about　to　seek　a
  place　in　keeping　with　your　intellect　and　your　faculties；　you　must
  set　before　you　as　a　generating　principle　and　mainspring；　this
  maxim：　never　permit　yourself　to　act　against　either　your　own
  conscience　or　the　public　conscience。　Though　my　entreaty　may　seem
  to　you　superfluous；　yet　I　entreat；　yes；　your　Henriette　implores
  you　to　ponder　the　meaning　of　that　rule。　It　seems　simple　but；　dear；
  it　means　that　integrity；　loyalty；　honor；　and　courtesy　are　the
  safest　and　surest　instruments　for　your　success。　In　this　selfish
  world　you　will　find　many　to　tell　you　that　a　man　cannot　make　his
  way　by　sentiments；　that　too　much　respect　for　moral　considerations
  will　hinder　his　advance。　It　is　not　so；　you　will　see　men　ill…
  trained；　ill…taught；　incapable　of　measuring　the　future；　who　are
  rough　to　a　child；　rude　to　an　old　woman；　unwilling　to　be　irked　by
  some　worthy　old　man　on　the　ground　that　they　can　do　nothing　for
  him；　later；　you　will　find　the　same　men　caught　by　the　thorns　which
  they　might　have　rendered　pointless；　and　missing　their　triumph　for
  some　trivial　reason；　whereas　the　man　who　is　early　trained　to　a
  sense　of　duty　does　not　meet　the　same　obstacles；　he　may　attain
  success　less　rapidly；　but　when　attained　it　is　solid　and　does　not
  crumble　like　that　of　others。
  When　I　show　you　that　the　application　of　this　doctrine　demands　in
  the　first　place　a　mastery　of　the　science　of　manners；　you　may　think
  my　jurisprudence　has　a　flavor　of　the　court　and　of　the　training　I
  received　as　a　Lenoncourt。　My　dear　friend；　I　do　attach　great
  importance　to　that　training；　trifling　as　it　seems。　You　will　find
  that　the　habits　of　the　great　world　are　as　important　to　you　as　the
  wide　and　varied　knowledge　that　you　possess。　Often　they　take　the
  place　of　such　knowledge；　for　some　really　ignorant　men；　born　with
  natural　gifts　and　accustomed　to　give　connection　to　their　ideas；
  have　been　known　to　attain　a　grandeur　never　reached　by　others　far
  more　worthy　of　it。　I　have　studied　you　thoroughly；　Felix；　wishing
  to　know　if　your　education；　derived　wholly　from　schools；　has
  injured　your　nature。　God　knows　the　joy　with　which　I　find　you　fit
  for　that　further　education　of　which　I　speak。
  The　manners　of　many　who　are　brought　up　in　the　traditions　of　the
  great　world　are　purely　external；　true　politeness；　perfect　manners；
  come　from　the　heart；　and　from　a　deep　sense　of　personal　dignity。
  This　is　why　some　men　of　noble　birth　are；　in　spite　of　their
  training；　ill…mannered；　while　others；　among　the　middle　classes；
  have　instinctive　good　taste　and　only　need　a　few　lessons　to　give
  them　excellent　manners　without　any　signs　of　awkward　imitation。
  Believe　a　poor　woman　who　no　longer　leaves　her　valley　when　she
  tells　you　that　this　dignity　of　tone；　this　courteous　simplicity　in
  words；　in　gesture；　in　bearing；　and　even　in　the　character　of　the
  home；　is　a　living　and　material　poem；　the　charm　of　which　is
  irresistible；　imagine　therefore　what　it　is　when　it　takes　its
  inspiration　from　the　heart。　Politeness；　dear；　consists　in　seeming
  to　forget　ourselves　for　others；　with　many　it　is　social　cant；　laid
  aside　when　personal　self…interest　shows　its　cloven…foot；　a　noble
  then　becomes　ignoble。　Butand　this　is　what　I　want　you　to
  practise；　Felixtrue　politeness　involves　a　Christian　principle；
  it　is　the　flower　of　Love；　it　requires　that　we　forget　ourselves
  really。　In　memory　of　your　Henriette；　for　her　sake；　be　not　a
  fountain　without　water；　have　the　essence　and　the　form　of　true
  courtesy。　Never　fear　to　be　the　dupe　and　victim　of　this　social
  virtue；　you　will　some　day　gather　the　fruit　of　seeds　scattered
  apparently　to　the　winds。
  My　father　used　to　say　that　one　of　the　great　offences　of　sham
  politeness　was　the　neglect　of　promises。　When　anything　is　demanded
  of　you　that　you　cannot　do；　refuse　positively　and　leave　no
  loopholes　for　false　hopes；　on　the　other　hand；　grant　at　once
  whatever　you　are　willing　to　bestow。　Your　prompt　refusal　will　make
  you　friends　as　well　as　your　prompt　benefit；　and　your　character
  will　stand　the　higher；　for　it　is　hard　to　say　whether　a　promise
  forgotten；　a　hope　deceived　does　not　make　us　more　enemies　than　a
  favor　granted　brings　us　friends。
  Dear　friend；　there　are　certain　little　matters　on　which　I　may
  dwell；　for　I　know　them；　and　it　comes　within　my　province　to　impart
  them。　Be　not　too　confiding；　nor　frivolous；　nor　over　enthusiastic；
  three　rocks　on　which　youth　often　strikes。　Too　confiding　a　nature
  loses　respect；　frivolity　brings　contempt；　and　others　take
  advantage　of　excessive　enthusiasm。　In　the　first　place；　Felix；　you
  will　never　have　more　than　two　or　three　friends　in　the　course　of
  your　life。　Your　entire　confidence　is　their　right；　to　give　it　to
  many　is　to　betray　your　real　friends。　If　you　are　more　intimate　with
  some　men　than　with　others　keep　guard　over　yourself；　be　as　cautious
  as　though　you　knew　they　would　one　day　be　your　rivals；　or　your
  enemies；　the　chances　and　changes　of　life　require　this。　Maintain　an
  attitude　which　is　neither　cold　nor　hot；　find　the　medium　point　at
  which　a　man　can　safely　hold　intercourse　with　others　without
  compromising　himself。　Yes；　believe　me；　the　honest　man　is　as　far
  from　the　base　cowardice　of　Philinte　as　he　is　from　the　harsh　virtue
  of　Alceste。　The　genius　of　the　poet　is　displayed　in　the　mind　of
  this　true　medium；　certainly　all　minds　do　enjoy　more　the　ridicule
  of　virtue　than　the　sovereign　contempt　of　easy…going　selfishness
  which　underlies　that　picture　of　it；　but　all；　nevertheless；　are
  prompted　to　keep　themselves　from　either　extreme。
  As　to　frivolity；　if　it　causes　fools　to　proclaim　you　a　charming
  man；　others　who　are　accustomed　to　judge　of　men's　capacities　and
  fathom　character；　will　winnow　out　your　tare　and　bring　you　to
  disrepute；　for　frivolity　is　the　resource　of　weak　natures；　and
  weakness　is　soon　appraised　in　a　society　which　regards　its　members
  as　nothing　more　than　organsand　perhaps　justly；　for　nature
  herself　puts　to　death　imperfect　beings。　A　woman's　protecting
  instincts　may　be　roused　by　the　pleasure　she　feels　in　supporting
  the　weak　against　the　strong；　and　in　leading　the　intelligence　of
  the　heart　to　victory　over　the　brutality　of　matter；　but　society；
  less　a　mother　than　a　stepmother；　adores　only　the　children　who
  flatter　her　vanity。
  As　to　ardent　enthusiasm；　that　first　sublime　mistake　of　youth；
  which　finds　true　happiness　in　using　its　powers；　and　begins　by
  being　its　own　dupe　before　it　is　the　dupe　of　others；　keep　it　within
  the　region　of　the　heart's　communion；　keep　it　for　woman　and　for
  God。　Do　not　hawk　its　treasures　in　the　bazaars　of　society　or　of
  politics；　where　trumpery　will　be　offered　in　exchange　for　them。
  Believe　the　voice　which　commands　you　to　be　noble　in　all　things
  when　it　also　prays　you　not　to　expend　your　forces　uselessly。
  Unhappily；　men　will　rate　you　according　to　your　usefulness；　and　not
  according　to　your　worth。　To　use　an　image　which　I　think　will　strike
  your　poetic　mind；　let　a　cipher　be　what　it　may；　immeasurable　in
  size；　written　in　gold；　or　written　in　pencil；　it　is　only　a　cipher
  after　all。　A　man　of　our　times　has　said；　〃No　zeal；　above　all；　no
  zeal！〃　The　lesson　may　be　sad；　but　it　is　true；　and　it　saves　the
  soul　from　wasting　its　bloom。　Hide　your　pure　sentiments；　or　put
  them　in　regions　inaccessible；　where　their　blossom