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DOME3TIC MANNEKS OF THE PRUSSIANS.

of manners is regarded as a social, ratlier than a moraloffence. We may infer that there is a want of refinementon the part of the people when we see gentlefolks, as withthe Germans, picking their teeth with the prongs of theirforks; but no man regards another as either a fool or aknave for such acts. Diogenes could have conformed butlittle to the various modes of action enjoined in the Grccian" Complimentir-bikk ;" nevertheless, we must admit that hewas at least thoughtful and honest.

Up to the present point we have dealt rather with thetaste of the Germans than their principles. So to speak,we have criticised, as yet, but the conformation of theirsocial palates and senses, rather than that of their heartsor brains ; and though we may have found even the"superior classes" among them—as Jenkins loves to stylethe well-to-do — deficient in a sense of what is innatelyoffensive to every refined nature, they may bo a very goodsort of folk, and a clever, sharp-witted race, notwithstanding.

Let us see, then, how they will bear looking at from thelatter point of view.

In order to contemplate the inner spirit of a nation (foreven those who go through Germany with opera-glasses cansee the outside character of the natives — mere mannersbeing patent to all), we must seek out, not only what theythink to be eitlier fashionable or godly, but also what theyhold to be wise, and good, and noble in the World.

Nor is it our desire to regard even the German sense ofwhat is acceptable to the Almighty from any sectarian andcatechetical point of sight. We know too well that theworld upon all such matters is divided into two large anddistinct classes — those who believe that two-and-two make