Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-11-12
For The STANDARD.

Nh. EDITOR: Among the various trouhes NJ oa>h-
full men, not the least il the DEMONSTRATION 81 mo-
tives and feelings often attributed to them BY the
world. An illustration of this hss lately met my
eve in well written article in the New York Ledger.
by Anna Cora Richie; in which article the accom-
piished authoress endcavors to draw broad distnc-
ton between aalf1iSess and medesfy. The former
Is attributed to ,ridc selfconscioasncs ovcrseosi.
tiveness, and the latter regarded a. charming
virtue. But after all she has written ia'l to sec
any distinction and believe still with Webster, the
great Lexicographer. that bashfulness h excessive
modcsty.
The two words d. not define two distinct charse.
tcristics but they simply express different desTrcs
Of the same thing
Hfidence, mo.iesty and hashinlncss may all hc
used to convey the same meaning and Il Is not the
modcsty, iffidencc or bashfulncss of the man that
fixes his character, but the motive from which Il
results.
I acknowledge that there arc two kinds 81 dlifR-
dence and Il requires hut little experience Of char
acter to enable US to judge Of their secret springs OF
causes.
There are persons Of great egofism. or sg"isss
rather Of ovcrweening love Of self who arc sseiesf
in selposession and such persons arc always alarm
cd when called on to address, the public, and arc
often much embarrassed in private conversation.
But in such cases none but the most superficial
Observers would mistake the true character of the
persons concerned for however timid and backward
they may be in expressing themselves they plainly
indicate in all their manners and actions. their high
opinion Of themselves while they manifest eorrrs
ponding disposition to detract from the merits Of
others.
There are other instances Of hashfulncss ffrm .
moderate estimate Of self and high regard for
others; and these causes Of tnidity arc easily seen
and understood BY those who have the least kncwl.
edge Of character The former kind of hsshful per.
sons deal much in the personal pronoun f-sr fond
"f exhibiting themselves on all occasions-har'ilv
speak we'll Of others and seem TO have power
to think Of or admire any thing in the wosh hat
themselves. They have no vencration-,hcy are
selfish and icklc-and they cannot be relied on ~
lovers friends patriots, they recognize cause
so sacred As their own personal display, comfort and
promotion.
On the other hand the latter class Of bashful men
are sclfsacri6cing msgnanimous and generous
Their modesty is the result of disposition to dcprr
ciatc themselves and on this account they arc ever
inclined to do full Justice to others and thinking
much Of the merits the claims and the characters Of
Others they are sincere and constant in their acc-
TONS appreciate great Causes and are often ready to
sacrifice their lives and fortunes Tor principle, With
| out the hope or desire for fame or admiration.
Now both these classes are often 6aslfsl but while
great actions and great OCCASIONS call out the energies
Of the class who forget their timidty In their
generous devotion to the interests Of others and to
the public welfare, the other in such trials Of man.
| hood, become more timid and uncertain from the
fact that they in great doubt a. tn what may c
personal or selfish interests in such emergencies
These two classes Of persons are o. FAR apart ~
generosity and sehshness, love and hatred and with
all possible respect for Anna Cora Ri,rhic Il seems
to me at least mere chrs play to undertake tn dc.
fine their relative characters by two words which
often mean the same thing. and which, In their moas
critical sense only express different degrees II one
Characteristic is unjust to say that ono Is modes,
and bashful-for IL it Is to be understood that
lashfuncss defines the unworthy disposition above
referred to- then it will often happen that the bcs,
men will be condemned by mere name. The mo-,
| noble man woman may. from the feelings slrratiy
described be backward ~ to sequiTe the epithct
Of 6asA,aLand then, forsooth. when your Mis-
Ritchies hear that the person is 50 called they clas
sfy him or her with the most dcspcsbc OF our race
simply for the sake Of their own pet nomenclature
Deliver me from such methods Of Judgment; and be
fore condemn or approve let me have not name.
but things, not the fancfu classicaiions Of pocis
but the secret springs and motives Of sction-sh,
reason obvious in all his ways why an individual 1
modest or backward, and not the mere fact that b,
IS called bashful C.