Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-10-17
VIEWS OF LIFE.
From the Paris spectator, Of February
1S, 1914.
ON EG0TISM.

| ON EGOTISM.
| was once acquainted with NJ. a
AreeyilIe. an officer of dragons, who liy-
led very pleasantly among bis comrades,
without any other secret thanthat OF
neither couierring or receiving favor
Iron any person whatever. Nature had
| at made him an egotist he had become
Iso- by system in consequence OF two or
three unlucky adventures, which ap..
Ipeared to him to have equally originated
lin the integrity of his heart, be had lost
his best friend, by having rendered him
an essential service in lending him an es-
Isential sum, which he was unable to re
claim but by quarfellipg with the borr ow--
Ter. LIN attempting to aibitrate one affair
of honor, he made himself two; from enc
| of his adyersaries be received wound
which confined him six months to his bed;
HE killed the other. and was in conse-
Iqnence obliged TO quit his country for
tive years Some other niisiortllnes OF
1.-The same kind had suifced to extlngulsh
This natural beneyolence; in order 70 de-
Istroy those feelings be had adopted pfln-
Iciples towhich he SO firmly adhered, that
Inc would neither have lent crown to
his brother, nor have uttered word to
Save the lives of two of his comrades: he
repeated that : in this world
lit was necessary to center ores self
within circle of1ot more than two feet
diameter"
IT is painful to reflect that enc Of our
most celebrated wits and distinguished
bhilosopers--that Fontenelle, whose long
life must, of all others, have furnished Al
train of experience in the human heart ];
III is painful, | say, to think that this So
celebrated man was tainted or rather con-
|tamlnated with egotism, to such. degree
as to have sanctioned, under his name,
|thatanti-social aphoeism, that here is moi
perfect happiness without Gallon heart
and good stomach. This expression,l
which might have escaped the ingenuity
of an egotist, or even the caprice of al
|phiianthropisl. could not have acquired al
dangerous authority. except in the mouth
|of man whose brilliant and fortunate|
career supple, in the opinion of manyI
persons but long commentary on it.
Among the famous cyclists OF the last
age. we cannot forget the Warehouses;
Deffaut, who during the last month Of tie
life Of her old friend, the President He.
nault, passed all her evenings with him
She made her appearance at Madame de
Forcalquier's every one concluded thai
the President was better, but on his
health being inquired after, g Alas III
said she, 6 had the misfortune to lose
him this morning, or you would not have
seen me here"
Every one knows the, reply made by|
Colardeau, when dying, to his friend |
Barthe, who requested his opinion on his
comedy of the Selfish Man, which he
came tore4d at his pillow :" You NAV
add an excellent trait to the character Of
your Sfinc,pal parsonage, ''replied Collar
deau, (" Say that he obliged an old friend,I
on the eve of his death, to hear him read!
a five act comedy
should compose book instead of a
paper, did attempt to trace even in out
line the different p,rtraits of egotism, forI
which society through all its gradations.
supplies me with models. shall confinel,
myself to one only, which | have accu.
rately obserscd, and which appears to
me to have at,ained perfection, or ratheI .
to have reached the ideal eeformity of a
defect, to which know few vices which,
are no. preferable.
ST. Chaumant has arrived at the are of
forty, without having formed An idea. or
felt one sentiment estranged from his
own person. In order to give full force
to that expression,
Myself lcth HIM, exceeds single word.Il
He always takes care to couple il With
I; I myself begin all his phrases: he|s
knows no evils but those which lie feels.
no 2ratificatiohbut those which he eniovs:i
il he is abroad. and it rains-the shower.
lie is convinced falls only for him he is
on foot IN the streets--he cannot con-
GIVE why carriages are tolerated is he
in carriage, he complains of the riser
OF the police which does not allow footll
passengers to be run over with impunity !:
all his actions, thoughts and opinions. are
SO many answers to those questions
which he continually addresses to him
self: !" What Inconvenience will IL occa
sion me What advantage shall derived
from 1t In what way can it serve me so
Saint Chaumont has, in the world, the
reputation OF an honest man: what then
I. { L ] IL