an excess in these particulars—let us avow that we often find them in our way—but let us not practise them. People judge us much more by what we say than by what we do. We are taken upon our word."
"Whence I infer that we ought to be very careful of what we say."
"For once we agree—words alike make the destiny of empires and of individuals. Ambition, love, hate, interest, vanity, have words for their engines, and need none more powerful. Language is a fifth element—the one by which all the others are swayed. The king addresses his people, and the heaviest impost is levied with acclamations—the general harangues his troops, and thousands rush upon the smoking cannon and the gleaming bayonets—the lover whispers his mistress, and she forgets even herself for his sake. A word will part friends, and for ever—a word floats down the stream of time when all else has perished: in short, how do we persuade, invent, create, and live, but by words?—they are at once our subjects and our masters. Judicious those who devote at least half their life to their study."
"After all, they are but the outward signs."
"And is not the outside everything in this world?" interrupted Madame de Soissons. "Why,
