ations, have surely a sufficient similarity of posture and sameness of animating spirit for one instance to have served for all; and my relentless multiplication of examples has been aimed chiefly to show that essential sameness under various conditions. It remains for us, before we move to other aspects of our survey, briefly to remark the characteristics of this bond. A mere naming of them would suffice, and probably prove quite superfluous, if our modern minds were not in large degree shut to their deeper meaning and the message that it holds. Whereof the evidence shall be forthcoming. Now for the thing itself.

The bond, then, as we have been told, began in the need of chief for fighting-men and the wish of landless warriors who disliked work to be kept by one who could afford to keep them. Clearly not a very noble,- rather a most business-like and mutually beneficial bond. "You keep us in time. of peace; we'll keep you in time of war: meanwhile we are ornamental and enlarge your dignity." "Give' and 'Give back," " Northern gnomist," make the longest friends - if there be luck withal."

says some

But, this business-like bond established, better things grow out of it. For, as the thanes have given themselves over to a leader's keeping, it becomes his place, and only safe policy, to keep them kindly, to be mild and gracious toward them, and above all generous in treasure-giving. "Ring-giver" is the regular epithet of princes,

who gave not the slight finger sort but broad armrings and bracelets and neck-rings curiously wrought of gold. Such a one, possessed also of bravery, was the ideal lord, best typified, perhaps, by Beowulf, who "slew not at all when drunk his hearth-companions," and when sober showed more positive appreciation of his obligations. Such a one was not King Heremod of Denmark, stock example of a bad, cruel king. He did slay his hearth-companions, without fit excuse of drunkenness, and did not dispense rings as became his high estate. He disappointed the popular expectation of his father's son, lived joyless, and was finally left lonely to his foes. "Be not like him, dear Beowulf," Hrothgar advises the departing hero, "but lay hold on manly worth."

But this too is in turn only the beginning of better and of best. For, whether or not this generosity came primarily from pure affection was the outflow of a naturally kind lord's love, it led eventually to that very love, or largened it if previously present. Strange, perhaps, but not at all unnatural, for it is a commonplace of practical psychology that not only does emotion lead to action, but that action tends to the development of its appropriate emotion. "Grin long enough," says this psychology," and you will end by growing glad; sigh if you desire to be sad; gnash your teeth if you are anxious to become enraged; so in time the feeling that you have by certain actions wakened will itself take charge and be the

cause of action." Or, somewhat more consonantly with the case of Companionship, if for any reason, worthy or unworthy, one seek the welfare of his friends, he will at length have grown a love for them which will itself thereafter urge and guide him. A truly wonderful law of mind, this seems to me, applicable to both the olive-habit and the highest philanthropy, and to what things are between; a strong capability of soul, underlying all real spiritual progress whatsoever.

Such a progress our ancient princelings must often have exemplified. Their long beneficence and its close personal relations could not fail, except perhaps in utterly perverted cases, to grow in them a warm, effusive love. Thanes are the dear comrades of their lord, his care through life and in the face of deathful possibilities. "Be thou guardian to my kinsman thanes, O Hrothgar, -to my close companions, if the strife shall take me," urges Beowulf, who was not, we may therefrom infer, of entirely utilitarian temperament, but, unbusinesslike, wanted his thanes treated well even when he should have no further use for them. And had not "glorious Hrothgar" during the ascendency of Grendel, into whom there had descended some five dozen of select retainers, suffered "thane-sorrow," pined for the Companionship thus scattered or consumed? Hard to doubt the genuineness of such affection.

Or if one should insist on doubting that, there is no suspecting the response it could call into

common practice. Of this responsiveness on part of various Companionships we have recently had several views, and now need little more than name its character and note its reputation. It was for the most part a pure loyalty, not paid according to punctilious agreement merely, or from moral reverence or meaner fear, but from the warrior's heart and soul, urged by his grateful love. Such love the average Germanic warrior felt for his "friendly lord "how could he fail to feel it? Strange indeed if their free-handed daily fellowship and shoulder-comradeship in fight should not develop such a bond and strengthen it against the very stroke of death! The comrade, mindful of a dear lord's love, "may not hold back," must give the life bought long before by lordly giving. Behind the bargained, visible debt, non-payment whereof might expect swift social penalties, had thus sprung up a spirit of pure love which could even joyously achieve the utmost payment. And, furthermore, men feel in time that such love is no less a part of duty than is actual service; that spiritual payment is quite as incumbent as material; and that a man must love his lord as well as serve him. There comes, in fact, to be a final test of this affection: the loving servant dies not only for his master's life but for his master's death; his vain defense turns to a violent despair, and death alone can calm him. Revengefulness and dutiful observance of the law of vengeance were doubtless also in the fighting,

but in the suffering and dying was balm to grief. Consider Chochiliacus and Company once more: the voluntary captives could not hope to rescue or revenge their lord; they hoped to share the worst that he expected. And be sure the tribe thereby diminished did not disapprove the manner of its diminution. Quite painfully, no doubt, it would have shown its disapproval to returned Comrades, deserters of their lord. Life-long infamy for them and theirs, outlawry and the loss of all but life: a generously revengeful indignation.

Well, I have now done with my dissection of Companionship, and must prepare to meet the question of why it was worth while going back among barbaric usages to show that men are sometimes generous, and often grateful.

Perhaps, however, one part of the defense is aided by the implicit accusation. The very fact that in societies so crude,- so fond of slaughter, and not afraid of cruelty, for there were numerous hard-driven slaves; so fond of sodden drunkenness and violent conversation; and fonder far of plunder than of principles, that in such societies there could spring up this pure and lofty feeling, is a luminous comment on the ethical constitution of mankind, and as such not without some bearing on the moral business of our present social state and a message discoverable by the investigative mind.

But besides determining just what Companionship was in respect particularly of its spirit, it