Rabelais when speaking of the education of Gargantua. Live with
persons of elevated characters, and you will feel lifted and
lighted up in them: "Live with wolves," says the Spanish proverb,
"and you will learn to howl."

Intercourse with even commonplace, selfish persons, may prove most
injurious, by inducing a dry, dull reserved, and selfish condition
of mind, more or less inimical to true manliness and breadth of
character. The mind soon learns to run in small grooves, the
heart grows narrow and contracted, and the moral nature becomes
weak, irresolute, and accommodating, which is fatal to all
generous ambition or real excellence.

On the other hand, association with persons wiser, better, and
more experienced than ourselves, is always more or less inspiring
and invigorating. They enhance our own knowledge of life. We
correct our estimates by theirs, and become partners in their
wisdom. We enlarge our field of observation through their eyes,
profit by their experience, and learn not only from what they have
enjoyed, but--which is still more instructive--from what they
have suffered. If they are stronger than ourselves, we become
participators in their strength. Hence companionship with the
wise and energetic never fails to have a most valuable influence
on the formation of character--increasing our resources,
strengthening our resolves, elevating our aims, and enabling us to
exercise greater dexterity and ability in our own affairs, as well
as more effective helpfulness of others.

"I have often deeply regretted in myself," says Mrs.
Schimmelpenninck, "the great loss I have experienced from the