True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-08-26
Repntation is mot Character.

"Strive to be worthy. said an old
clergyman to a young man "it is better
TO have character than reputation. -
Rarely are great truths SO pilhily put. If
reputation was less frequently conlounded
with character the aims of the young
would be nobler, men more virtuous, So
cety 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. TO enjoy the good report Of
men, even when undeserved. is sufficient
to satisfy the majority. Hence, instead
of striving TO be really worthy, thousands
intrigue only to appear SO. They shine
in tinsel when they ought TO wear real
gold. They try every ar, to be thought
rich, fashionable, or cultivated, neglecl-
ing, very often, the means which might
make them what they wish. They wear
out their lives in persuit Of delusen.--
They practice keeping up appearances
till they confound the sham with the reah-
ty, the shadow with the substance, for
getting that the world soon pierces
through their mask discovers what they
are, and despises them for false coin.
Take the case Of a young lawyor, who,
instead Of mastering his profession, trusts
to fatal facility of words. and thinks to
soar to .eminence and fortune without
assiduity or other real merit He gets
perhaps sort Of reputation by practicinG
pettifogglng cases, but he never rise
I above This; and at the end of twent,
years be is no further on the road 10 fan
than he was at first. Take the mer
trading politician, who instead of seekin.
10 establish a name for craftsmanship
peters what he thinks the easier path
of cunning and corruption, and who
though he may secure some petty Office
never becomes truly great; though h,
may juggle himsefinlo Aeeting reputa
ton, never leaves behind the flames of
Webster or a Clay. Take the plausible
but incompetent merchant, who thougI
he may for while obtain credit, final
collapsed recording to all the world what
bubble he has BEEN We might g
Though lille in the same way; we Nigh
celect examples IRON every class and pro
fession, and the result would always b
the same, sooner or later the charatan
found ont, be his stage.tricks what the
may. Reputation cannot stand in III
long run, aglnst character.
Honesty is the best policy even in re
gard TO ones good name. TO be, not
seem, is wiser, even for the "cbildren {
this world" than 10 seem and not 10 bt
! If man has really no elevated aims,
he care not to be worthy for the sake {
virtue itself, it will yet pay him bette
permanently to be true and good tha
merely to put on the semblance Of it,
/ Huntington, the forger, appeared, for
awhile, to thrive on evil. Dishonesty
in his case was os,ensibly lucrative
} But where is he now ! Where are all tn
forgers, embezzlers and other false di
monds Of the financial world The hol
est, who have plodded along, and VIII
are spending their old age in comfort an
honor, even when not in luxury, haS
prospered more than themselves.
, But the lure Of mere worldly succe:
is but base motive at the best. 'pru
manhood seeks nobleness for its ov
sake; aspires to be, not to seem
, prouder Of character, even when una
| preciated, than Of reputation. if undese
I we'd.
In proportion as men are real coin ar
! not counterfels, they scorn to enjc
credit for what they have not. "Pail
me-" said Cromwell, wrinkles and all
Even on canvass the great hero despis,
i falsehood.