San Andreas independent., 1857-03-28
Reputation is rot Character.

" Strive to be worthy" said an old cler-
gyman toayoung man; it is better to have
character than reputation" Rarely are
great truths SO pithily put. If reputation
was less frequently confounded with char
acter the aims of the young would be no
bier, men more virtuous, society altogether
better. For reputation is often false, which
character can never be- The one is but "a
sham, the other a living fact. Reputation
is what men think Of us; character is what
we really are.
Yet too many prefer the shadow to the
substance. Toenjoy the good report OF men,
even when undeseryed, is sufficient to sat
isfy the majority Hence, instead of striv-
ing to be really worthy, thousands intrigue
only to appear so. They shine in tinsel
when they ought to wear real gold. They
try every art to be thought rich, or fash
ionable, or cultivated, neglecting, very
often, the means which might make them
what they wish. They wear out their lives
in pursuit of a delusion They practice
keeping up appearances till they confound
the sham with the reality, the shadow
with the substance, forgetting that the
world soon pierces through their mask,
discovers what they are, and despises them
for false coin.
Take the case Of young lawyer, who,
instead Of mastering his profession, trusts
to a fatal facility Of words, and thinks to
soar to eminence and fortune without assid-
uity Or real merit. He gets, perhaps,
sort Of reputation by practicing in petit
Jogging cases, but he never rises above
this and at the end of twenty years he is
10 further on the road to fame than he was
at first. Take the mere trading politician,
who, instead Of seeking to establish anamc
for craftsmanship; prefers what he thinks
the easier paths of cunning and corruption,
and who, though he may secure some petty
Office, never becomes truly great; though
he may juggle himself into feeting rep
utation, never leaves behind the fame of
" ebster or Clay. Take the plausible,
but incompetent merchant, who though he
may for while obtain credit, finally col
lapses, recording to all the world what a
bubble he has been. We might 90 through
life in the same way; we might select ex-
amples from every class and profession, and
the result would always be the same
Sooner or later the charlatan is found out,
be his stage-tricks what they may Rep
utation cannot stand, in the long run,
against character
Honesty is the best policy even in re-
gard to ones good name. 10 be, not to
seem, is wiser, even for the " children of
this world" than to seem and not to be-
IF a>man has really no oelevated aims, if he
cares not to be worthy for the sake of yir-
tue itself, it will yet pay him better, per-
to be true and good than merely
to put on the semblance of it. Hunting
ton, the forger, appeared, for while, to
thrive on evil. Dishonesty, in his case,
was ostensibly lucrative. But where is he
now? !? Where are all the forgers, embez-
elers and other false diamonds Of the finan-
eial world ? The honest, who have plod-
led along, and who are spending their old
lge in comfort and honor, even when not
IN luxury, have no cause to complain
hat scoundrels have prospered more than
themselves.
But the lure of mere worldly success is
put a base motive at the best. True man
hood seeks nobleness for it's own sake; as
pircs to be, not to seem; is prouder of char
acter, even when unappreciated, than of
if undeserved. In proportion
Is men are real coin, and not counterfeits. T
hey scorn to enjoy credit for what they
nave not. Paint me-" said Cromwell,
wrinkles and all. Even on canvas the
yret hero despised falsehood.
A COOP REAsoN.-A lady was asked
he other day, why she choseto live SIN
lie Life. and simnlv renlied. 6 Rncansa 7