arishioners were of a more civilised stamp."

"More `civil' would perhaps be a more correct term," said Mr Maltby,
"at least so far as touchings of the hat and smooth speeches were
concerned. But, in truth, with all the roughness of these people, there
is that sterling courtesy and consideration in many of them which I
rarely meet with in more cultivated districts."

"Well," said the other, "I suppose that is owing to the increased
intelligence produced by habits of reading, attending lectures, and
studying mechanism."

"I think not," replied the vicar. "I have not, in my own experience,
found true courtesy and consideration to be the fruit of increased
intelligence. On the contrary, the keener the intellectual edge, as a
rule, the keener the pursuit of selfish ends, and the more conspicuous
the absence of a regard to the interests and a respect for the feelings
of others."

"Then you don't credit education with this improvement in courtesy and
consideration."

"Certainly not. I believe that with increased intelligence there is
also an increased sensitiveness in all our faculties, and so an
increased appreciation of what is beautiful and becoming; but it is the
heart that must be touched if there is to be that real concern for the
welfare and comfort of others which I have observed in many of my
present parishioners. They are rough extremely, but there is an honest
and warm heart beneath the surface; and when the love of Christ gets
down into these hearts, and the grace of Christ dwells there, I do not
know a nobler material to work with."

Dr Prosser was silent for a minute, then he said, "I suppose we are all
agreed that true religion has a very humanising and refining influence.
I only feel a wish, at times, that Religion herself were less hampered
by creeds and dogmas, so that her full power might be felt, and to a far
wider extent. I think that then religious and intellectual advancement
would keep steady pace side by side."

"Do you, my dear friend?" said Mr Maltby sadly. "I must confess I am
quite of a different opinion. People seem to me to have gone wild on
this subject, and to have lost their senses in their over-anxiety to
cultivate them. Intellect-worship is to my mind the master snare of our
day. Cram the mind and starve the heart--this is the great popular
idolatry. And so religion must be a misty, dreamy sort of thing; not
well-defined truth, plainly and sharply taught in God's Word, re