Foster, the distinguished essayist, said to a friend one day,
“There is a want of continuity in your social character. You
seem broken into fragments.” To this plain dealing the gentleman
replied good-naturedly, “Well, I sparkle in fragments.” “But,”
rejoined Foster, “how much better to shine whole, like a mirror.”
As the glory of gems is realized best when shown in a splendid
necklace, so virtues impress most when many are combined in unity in
the one character.
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