The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-11-06
SHAM DIGNITY.

Among the thousand deceptions passed off
ola our >ham-rilden race let ME direct vour
attention to the dcrcntion of dignity. as IT *
one which includes manr,o'hrrs. Among
tho>, terms whi-h have long ceased to have
5my vital meaning. the word dignity deserves
a di>-rarrtul prominence No word has fal-
len so readily "a this into the DESIGNS Of cant,
imp">turr ami pretcncr. none has PLAYED 81
well the place of verbal scarecrowto frich'cn
children OF all areS and 10th sexes. II * at
once the thinn,>t and most effective of all the
coverings rn,lrr which luncclom sneaks and
skulls M>t oi the men Of dli-nitv. who awe
or tor, their more. genial brethren. are sim
pix men who possess the art ot' 'paSSinr of
their in>cn>ililitv t;,r wisdom. their dnlinr~s
for depth: and OF rnncraling imhrrili1y - i'll
tcll-rt under hangniiu,.>> Of manner Their
>Irre>< in this small rame i one a. the Strr,.-
otvp-j >afire> unon mankind Once strip
from these pr"ten.ierS thri~ stolen garments
once di>ronnrct their show ot dignity from
their real m,annesS-and they wonl stand
>hivcring ami DETER .cl,~. tiect~ OF the tears
OF pity. or ,ar.rt> Tor rhc arrows ot ~corn- But
il Is The misfortune OF this worlds afliairs.that
Offices. fitiy occupied only hy talent and zen
ius, which ic>pi>e prctencc. should he filled
hv respectable stupidity and di@nifird cmTti-
ness. Ia whom pretenre l. the Very soul of
life. Manner triumphs over matter. and
throughout >ocirtv, politics. letters AMI SCI
ence. We are doomed To meet swarm ofdun-
r>and windhaG>, disguised As gentlemen,
statesmen and scholars Colcridge once saw
at a dinner-table. a di"nitcd man with a face
As wise As the moons. The awful charm ot'
his manner was not broken until the mullins
appeared, and then the imp of gluttonv forced
from him the exclamation, "Them'S the Jock
ev> for me-" \ good number OF such digni-
tarians remain undiscovered.
1t Is curio1> TO note how these t,umpous
gentlemen rule in society and government
How often do history ;nd the newspapers cN-
hihit to lis the spectacle Of hcavv-headed
: >tuiiditarian in official station. yelling the
>trictc>t inrompctcncy in the mysterious sub
( limitv nt' carria@e. solemnly triiiing away the
e interests of the state. the dupc Of his own ob-
= siinatr ignorance, and engaged, year after
{ wear, in running reope after the most di"-
Ia miiicd fashion, You have all seen the in>crri-
t table cli>pcnsation known by the name of the
t. dignifird gentleman: an embodied tc,iiousneS:
h which society Is apt not only TO tolerate, but
= worship; a person who announces the stal,
c commonplacc> of conversation with the awful
= precision of one bringing down 10 the valley,
t "i'th"ught, bright truth pluckcd on Its >nm
Y mit>; who Is 81 profoundly deep and painful
"a " solid on the weather. the last novel. nr
L. some other nothing of the day; who l. mex
Is prcs>hlv shocked if ynur eternal gratitud,
al does not repay him for the tri,c information
h. he consumed vour hour in impariing: an,
N who. If Won in>inuatc thar Tins calm. routrnt
a ed. imperturhallr stupidity, Is proving nl'"i
III your patience, instantly stands upon Li> dig
Id niiv. and puts on face. Yet this man. will
p Just enough knowledge ito raise himself tron
the in>ignifccnre oi Ounce to the di-mtl
IA of a bore. i still in high favor with ihn~,
+, whose animation he checks and clnll> why
IL Because hr has. all >av. - mach of the char
e. artcr Of a gentleman The poor, bright, good
Id na,urcd man, who has dome all IN hi> power
h- to be agreeable joins in the cry OF prai>c,an,
~ tcclin"lv regrets that nature has not aI"rnc'
him. too. with dullnrSS as a robe. - that h
of likewise, might freeze the volatile into re
as >pcct, aud bc held up As a mulrl sIoon toral
N. ounces to initiate This dignity, whirh -
IS. many view with rcvcrcniial dc>Pair,must have
ct twinncd, two at a birth" with that nr>in'
he vanity mentioned hy Colcrid-c, (which keep
If itself alive bv sucking the paws ot IL own set
+v in,,ortance." The Duke of Somerset WI
n, one of these ,ligniiir,l gentlemen. lliSScron,
wife. wa, the most beautiful woman in En-"
49, land. She once suddenly threw her arm
ho around his neck, and gave him kiss whicl
Il might have eladlcncd the heart Of an cmpc
.d ror. The ,luk", lifting his shoulders with Al
O. arstocratic square, slowly sail Madam, m,
first wife was a Howard, and she never woul,
al have taken such liberty Wiiprle