Charity envieth not--ου ζηλοι. It is free from those little jealousies, and rivalries, and emulations, which, where they are admitted, sometimes give sourness to the temper, and bitterness to the behaviour. Charity _vaunteth not itself_--ου περευεται; it is not rash or over hasty; it is not overbearing, positive, and peremptory, in language or manner; _is not puffed up_--ου φυσιουται; is not inflated with an opinion of its own worth or consequence; and, that being the case, it doth not behave itself unseemly--ουκ ασχημονει; it does not treat other men with disdain and superciliousness. Charity _seeketh not her own_--ου ζητει τα ἑαυτης--that is, she is not _selfish_. Charity neglects not altogether her own concerns, or her own interests, but does not attend to them exclusively; does not _so_ attend to them, as to be unmindful of, or inattentive to, the interests and welfare of others. Charity is not easily provoked--ου παροξυνεται. Nothing more disturbs the peace and comfort of society than the being easily provoked. When a man is touchy and waspish, he is always looking out for, and catching at, occasions of offence. Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; it does not take pleasure in hearing of misdoings and evil conduct, but delights in accounts of praiseworthy actions, and in the spread of sound religious principles. Charity _beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things_; παντα στεγει, παντα πιστευει, παντα ελπιζει, παντα ὑπομενει. I will not, my dear nephew, lengthen a long letter, by endeavouring to point out the precise meaning of these expressions. You may understand from them, that charity is patient of ill-usage; that instead of being suspicious and disposed to cavil and carp at every thing, it is open and ingenuous, ready to give men credit for speaking the truth, when there is no good reason to think otherwise; and that it is disposed to hope the best, to think as favourably as it can of those with whom it comes in contact; and if it cannot actually think well of them at present, to _hope_ for their amendment and reformation. I think you will agree with me, that a man influenced by this spirit would be an acceptable man in society, and that the best practical Christian would be the best gentleman[26:1]. I remain, Your affectionate Uncle. FOOTNOTES: [14:1] Prov. x. 7. [20:1] See Numbers 72, 74, and 98, of the Rambler. [22:1] See Village Sermons. [26:1] See Jones's Letters from a Tutor to his Pupils. LETTER III. CONVERSATION. MY DEAR NEPHEW,