The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-05-27
Tact and Talent.

Talent is something, but tact is every
thing. Talent is serious, sober grave
and respectable; tact is that, and more,
too. 1t is not seventh sense, but is the
life of all the five. 1t is the open eye,
the quick ear, the judging taste, the keen
smell, and the lively touch. 1t is the in
terpreter of riddles, the surmOunter of
all difficulties, the remover of all obsta-
cles. 1t is useful in all places, and at all
times. 1t is useful in solitude, for it
shows man his way into the world
Talent is power, tact is skill; talent is
weight, tact is momentum talent makes
a man respectable, 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
to one. Take them to the theatre, and
put them against each other on the stage,
and talent shall produce you tragedy
that will scarcely live long enough to be
damned, while tact keeps the house in a
roar, night after night, with its success
ful farces. There is no want of drama
tic talent--there is no want of dramatic
tact-but they are seldom together; so
We have successful pieces which are not
successful. Take them to the bar, and
let them shake their learned curls at each
other in legal rivalry. Talent sees its
way clearly, but tact is at its journeys
end. Talent has many compliment
from the bench, but tact touches fees
from attorneys and clients. Talent speaks
learnedly and logically; Tact triumph
antly. Talent makes the world wonder
that it gets on no faster; tact excites as
tonishment that it gets on so fast. And
the secret is, that it has no weight to car
ry; it makes no steps; it hits the right
nail ON the head it loses no time; it
takes all hints; and, by keeping its eyes
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
snre of abundance of hearers. Take
them into journalism. Talent writes
for the paper; tact makes it succeed
Talent may obtain a living tact will
make one. Talent convinces tact con-
verts. Talent is an honor to the profes-
sion tact gains honor from the profess
sion Take them to the court Talent
feels its weight; tact finds its way. Tai
ent commands; tact is obeyed. Talent
is honored with appreciation and tact is
blessed by preferment. Place them in
the senate. Talent has the ear of the
house but tact wins its votes. Talent
is fit for employment; but tact is fitted
for it, IT has knack of slipping into
place with sweet silence and glibness
of movement, as a .billiard-ball insinu-
ates itself into the pocket. 1t seems to
know everything without learning any
thing. 1t has served an invisible and
extemporary apprenticeship. 1t wants
no drilling. 1t never ranks in the awk-
ward squad. 1t has no left hand, no
deaf ear, no blind side. 1t puts on looks
of wondrous wisdom it has no air of pro-
fundity, but plays with the details of pla-
ces as dexterously as well-taught hand
hourishes over the keys of piano-forte.
1t has all the air of commonplace, and
all the force and power of genius. 1t
can change sides with heypresto move
ment and be at all points of the compass,
while taleut is ponderously and learnedly
sitting single point. Talent calculates
clearly, reasons logically, makes out a
case as clear as daylight, and utters its
oracles with all the weight of justice and
reason. Tact refutes without contradict
ing, puzzles the eprofound with profundi-
ty, and without wit outwits the wise-
Set them together on race for populari- |
ty, pen in hand, and tact will distance
talent by half the course. Talent brings
to market that which is wanted; tact
produces that which is wished for. Tai
ent instructs tact aplightens. Talent
leads where no one follows; tact follows
where the humor leads. Talent is pleas
ed that it ought to have succeeded, tact
is delighted that it has succeeded. Tai
ent tolls for a posterity which will never
repay it; tact throws away no pains, but
catches the passion of the passing hour.
Talent builds for eternity; tact on a
short lease, and gets good interest. Tai
ent is certainly a very fine thing to talk
about, a very good thing to be proud Of,
a very glorious eminence to look down
from but tact is useful, portable, appli-
cable, always alive, always alert, always |
marketable : it is the talent of talents, the |
availableness of recources, the applica-
bility of power, the eye of discrimination,
the right hand of intellect.
Essays and Sketches.
Lynched.-The Coahoma (La.) Citi-
zen, of the 1st inst states that one Joe
Dono, hailing from Chicago, was, on
Thursday, the 10th ult, tied to sapling
in that vicinity, and lashed with hicko-ries
for tampering with slaves. The castiga-
ton was administered by anegro woman,
whom he had tried to induce to run
away. T