to acquire learning, to speak the truth, to suppress anger, to be patient and contented, to be friendly, to feel shame, to pay due respect to the old and young, to be pious, to respect our parents, and teachers. All these are the friends of the good men and enemies of the bad men.*

QUESTION. What are those things by which man is lost and degraded.

ANSWER.

To tell untruths, to steal, to gamble, to look with wicked eye upon a woman, to commit treachery to abuse, to be angry, to wish ill to another, to be proud, to mock, to be idle, to slander, to be avaricious, to be disrespectful, to be shameless, to be hot-tempered, to take what is another's property, to be revengeful, unclean, obstinate, envious, to do harm to any man, to be superstitious, and do any other wicked and iniquitous action. These are all the friends of the wicked, and the enemies of the virtuous.*

MORAL INJUNCTIONS.

Do not utter falsehood, do not disclose the draw-backs of others;

Look not at others with an evil eye, beware, you do not forfeit public confidence;

* From a Catechism of the Parsi Religion, quoted by Mr. Dadabhai Naoroji in his article in Religious Systems of the World.

Do not cherish malice at your heart, do not speak evil words;

Desire no gain covetously, to the wicked do not give charitable gifts;

Let not prosperity elate you, let not adversity make you despond;

Entertain no unreasonable hopes, do not use stolen things;

Do not encourage sinful persons, do not preserve a harmful animal like the serpent;

Never speak evil of a person behind his back, do not choose the company of evil men;

Do not go astray from the right path, do not eat tho bread obtained by begging;

Do not yield yourself up to anger, do not blow your own trumpet.

-"ZOROASTRIAN DHARMANÎTI, No. 5."*

A theory of religion or any other subject can be propagated among the people more successfully through the medium of woman than through that of man. Men attend to outdoor duties and earn money; but the manager of domestic affairs is woman. Again a man does not pay as much attention to a subject like religion as a woman does. Woman's faith in religion is stronger than man's not only in our community or in our country, but it is invariably so in all countries and at all times. Again a woman knowing a religious truth can spread it more rapidly than a man knowing the same does, and another reason why this is so is that the children of a woman imbibe the faith which she has embraced. In the matter of giving religious instruction to children the father

* By Erwad Sheheriarji Dadabhai Bharucha.

is unable to do as much as the mother can do. What patience, forbearance and softness of speech are essential in giving lessons in religion, or in pointing out the path of religion, are seen to a greater extent in woman than in man. For example a baby annoys the mother, and keeps her sleepless one whole night, and again in the morning it gives her the same amount of trouble; nevertheless the mother is unwearied in her exertion, and with undiminished affection she continues to nurse it. This bespeaks no little patience on the part of the fair sex. Again a sweet tongue is necessary to effectually guide a man in the path of religion, and this also is a distinctive attribute of woman. When the father engages a child for the purpose of explaining or enquiring on some point, the child is very likely confounded, but the soft and tender accents of the mother and her sweet face fix the attention of the young listener to the subject in hand, and draw out a reply.

-KHURSHEDJI RUSTAMJI Kama.

I think one important reason why they (the Parsis) occupy so large a space in the mind of the world is that influence of their religion, which imposed upon them love of God, love of truth, of charity in all its senses, and an earnest striving after doing some good as the mission of life, and which embraced their morality of life in pure thought, word and deed. May they always continue to follow in these paths!

-DADABHAI NAOROJI.

166. MISCELLANEOUS.

ADVICE.

What is the largest room in the world?
The room for improvement.

Never despise counsels, from whatever quarter they reach you. Remember that the pearl is keenly sought for, in spite of the coarse shell which envelopes it.

He who will not listen to counsel may expect to

hear reproach.

-SADI'S GULISTÂN. †

• From Ancient Iranian and Zoroastrian Morals, by D. J. Medhora.

† Translated by Platts.

He who takes advice is secure from falling; but whoso is obstinate in his own opinion falleth into the pit of destruction.

-"JAVIDAN-KHIRAD."*

Why is advice like a policeman? Because though continually met with when not wanted, when it is really wanted it can seldom be found.

Too many cooks spoil the broth.

-PROVERB.

He who builds according to every man's advice, will have a crooked house.

The worst advice is that which comes after (the occasion for it has elapsed).

-ARABIC PROVERB.

There is nothing of which we are so liberal as

advice.

-ROCHEFOUCauld.

Anger and haste hinder good counsel.

-MAXIM.

Advise not what is most pleasant, but what is most

useful.

The saying that "there is more pleasure in giving than receiving" is supposed to refer chiefly to

1. kicks

2. medicine

3. advice.

*From Ancient Iranian and Zoroastrian Morals, by D. J.

Medhora.