Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1853-07-21
Simplicity of Greatness.

We have often been led to observe that
the pervading Characteristic of genuine
greatness is humility. The truly great
man is never presumptuous or ostenta-
tious. With all his wisdom there is no
pendantry; with all his wealth there is
no Boosting display. His speech is SIM
pie as wise, his life undissemblingly as
pure; and his habits all marked by plain
ness rather than by pretension. The in
nate nobility of the truly great mind.
scorns the pomp and pretence which pass
for greatness with the vulgar and indis-
eliminating multitude. The practiced
dignity of men-the studied preciseness
of speech; the decorum which seldom
smiles-the gravity that never jests--
these palpable induces of assumed great
ness. are held in contempt By the truly
great man. He is always simple and nat
ural--his language unadorned. and his
manners unaffected. Not the iaborer in
his poverty is more humble-nor the I'M
tutored child in his purity more uncon-
strained. No man is beneath his love
and sympathy. and he fears no base me n t
from associa ton with those whose social
rank is less conspicuous than his own
In his intercourse with his fellows, he
never betrays a consciousness Of his su.
periority. He has reverence for virtue
in rags, and quick discrimination OF
worth in obscurity. His venerati ton foi
manly character is impulsively shown
but he has no respect for the condition:
| Of n !, a Il e.,
that mushroom greatness which grow:
out of illustrious mems graves. or for tina
which is more willingly recognized
springing from crowded Golfers.
IN the worlds estimate of men. the
pretension of ignorance, and opinona
tive pride OF little learning, pass 70
more than the transformations acquire
ments of knowledge and the ailrontery O
conceit wins the distinction due to shrink
ing merit The world should remem be
that much pretence is The infallible ssr
of little possessions; and that the ele
spring up beneath the shadows of life
and shun the glare in which ARROGANCE
thrives. The person who by genius o
shrewdness, or good fortune. has attained
a position above his fellow men, am
seeks constantly to impress upon observ
ers the immeasurable distance between
them and himself, however great his emf
mence, is devoid the highest attributes O
, a great man. He has not the Unborn no
bility which is satisfied with a sense O
its own existence. The magnanimity Q
! spirit which is above the vanity of eclat
and the genlleness of heart which shrink
from inhlttlng pain, or awakening env
in his humber fellows. The arstocra
who suffers his wealth to be barrier be
tween him and less fortunate humanity
however respected, is but base minde
egotist. The scholar in whose wiSdol
is drowned His sympathy for the unle'
tered world, is more profound in his re
search than in his understanding Th
man into whom is borne great soul, ca
never be separated by wealth from tn
poor, nor will learning raise him abov
an Acknowledgements of his intimate rela
tions to those favored with a less degre
of mental cultivation. The quality {
y his greatness which adds grace and spler
dor to more brilliant attributes in hi
unaffected simplicity and freedom frol
pride.-Portland transcript.