Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-08-21


time you were. Take as many airs up
on you as you can-the hen perches all
the summer night upon the fence, and
takes no cold. Are you not ashamed to
be more delicate than a hen?
TACT AND TALENT Talent is some
thing, but tact is every thing. Talent is
serious, sober, grave and respectable;
tact is all that, and more too. 1t is. not
a seventh sense, but it is the life of all
the five. 1t is the open eye, the quick
ear, the JUG ging taste, the keen smell,
and the lively touch; it is the Interpreter
of all riddles--the surmountcr of all dit
cultjes--the remover Of all Obstacles. 1t
is useful in all places, and at all times ;
it is useful in solitude, for ii shows a
man his way into the world it is useful
in society, for it shows him his way
through the world. Talent is power
tact is skill; talent is weight-tact is mo-
mentum; talent knows to do-tact knows
how. to do it: talent makes man respec-
table-tact will make him respected !;
talent is wealth-tact is ready money.
For all the practical purposes Of life tact
carries it against talent, ten 10 one. Take
them to the theatre, put them against each
other on the stage, and talent shall pro-
duce tragedy that will scarcely live long
enough to he damned, while tact keeps
the house in a roar night after night with
his successful farces. There is no want
If dramatic tact, but they are seldom to-
gether; so we have successful pieces which
are not respectable g. respectable pieces
which are not successful. Take them to the
bar, and let them shake their learned
curls at each other in real rivalry; talent
sees it clearly, but tact is first at his
journeys end. Talent has many com
pliment from the bench, but tact touches
fees from attorneys and clients. Talent
speaks learnedly and logically, tact tri
umphantly. Talent makes the world
wonder that it gets on no faster, tact ex-
cites establishment that it gets on so fast; ;
and the secret is, that it has no weight to
carry; it makes no false steps; ii hits the
right nail on the head; it loses no time;
it takes all hints; and by keeping its eye
on the weathercock, is ready to take ad
vantage of every wind that blows. Take
them into the church. Talent has al
ways something worth hearing, tact is
sure of abundance of hearers. Talent
may obtain d living, tact will make one.
Talent gets good name, tact great one.
Talent convlnces, tact converts. Talent
is an honor to the profession, tact gains
honour from the profession. Take them
to court. Talent feels its weight, tact
finds its way. Talent commands, tact is
obeyed. Talent is honoured with appro-
baton, and tact is blessed by preferment.
Place them IN the Senate. Talent has the
ear of the House, but tact wins lis heart
and has its votes. Talent is fit for en-
pIoyment, but tact is fitted forit. 1t has
a knack of slipping into place with a
sweet silence and glibness Of movement,
as billiard ball insnuates itself into the
pocket. 1t seems to know every thing
without learning any thing. 1t has SER
we'd an invisible and extemporary appren.
ticeship. Ii wants no drilling. 1t never
ranks in the awkward squad. 1t has no
left hand, no deaf ear, no blind side. 1t
puts on no looks of wondrous wisdom, it
has no air of profundity; but plays with
the details of place as dexterously as
well taught hand plays over the keys of
a piano forte. 1t has all the air of COM
mon place, and all the force and power