The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-01-22
C!)c Cssanist.
HIpROCRISN.
a. man may snil, and smile, aid may still be
Inin


Hypocrisy is peculiarly detcstablc because
it may be allied to all the other vices promote
their development and snhsrrve their ends
There are moral defects, rcprchensible
enough. that may still coexist in the same
character with good qualities and even emf
lntnt virtues. man may be protanc and
yet just and generous in his dealings with his
fellows; may be passionate and Yet benevolent;
may even be avaricious and yet entertain and
advance the noblrSt projects for human i'm
rr"ve!ncnt. But hypocrisy tends to eradicate
every ruaimcnt Of good in the soul. Its
pnrpos, is to accomplish the purely personal
ends Of interest or revenge regardless of the
rights OF others, Of the claims Of humanity and
of every Christian requirement and the
means it employs are invariably those Of
flschood. Hence it is an enemy of society
itself, for it wars against all the interests
that bind it togth and that inspire that
confidence between man and man without
which it cannot exist.
There is Il constant necessity imposed upon
the hypocritc Of being Il liar. Ills schemes
and devices are always gilded with some
form Of talsehood; now it is discrimination,
then the sneaking inucndo- the whispered
defamation of character and the snake like and
Shiny crawling into the confidence he intends
to deceive when deception will accrue to his
advantage. III is very prctcnccs Of friendship
are nntruhs, for, as he is incapable of graft
tudc, which requires some sense of moral OBJ
legation and warmth Of feeling for its basis
dcspcabe wretch ready to revilc his bene-
factor and cXut at his msiortuncs-he is
equally incapable Of that magnanmity which
can admirimgly recognise merit in another and
originate attachment.
Hypocrisy and honesty are Incompatible
For purposes Of self interest. indeed, the
hypocrite may discharge his current legal Oh
legations aud acquire the reputation of e man
who pays his debts with promptitudc. especial
~ II his circumstances are such, that to do So
requires neither excrton nor sacrifice. But
in large affairs, that are tempting occasions.
the jndicious will rcposc confidence rather in
the security which is presented by such a man,
than in his most plaus lble promises and dec
larhtions. Even in minor dealings, insuscep-
tibIS VI pIuol, caution SnOHiu Hul Ue allowed
to play the sleepy sentinel.
The hopocrite is always coward. Courage
which is among the first because it is the
safeguard of all the virtues, disdaus stealthy
approaches and covert insinuations. Not
that physical courage which may be but a
modified fcrocity, and which man shares
with the Unframed brutcs, but the moral
bravery which is an attribute of sou and in
all ages the pioneer of human progress, before
which mere animal daring quals and retreats
Usually, however, the hypocrtc is wanting
in both.
| have preferred to term hypocrisy the
ally, rather than the slave of the vices as it is
often designated, because it is not only the
cloak Of offences committed, but the screen
which conccals the advance of those contcm-
plated; and have described an intensified
rermeatng hypocrisy, when the prevailing
rule of conduct. But there are modified
forms Of this depravity, more frequently en-
countcred and worthy Of condcration.
The putting on of SO the livery Of heaven to
serve the devil in (" has been abundantly de-
nounccd in every strain ofpulpit apprehension
and vigorous satire. But think this imputa-
ton Of hypocrisy is too literally and indis-
criminatcly bestowed. Men of sincere con-
victons-right as to principlc-may yet be
vacillating and lax in their conduct. Such,
while holding to the external obsrrvanccs of
religion, are reproachcd for the inconsistency
which their contrasted shortcomings in life I'M
plies and stigmatised as deliberate deceivcrs.
/ suspect it would be more charitable to con-
cludc that, in many such instances, there is a
continual conflict of conscience and conduct ;
and TO hope that, where the one is right the
other will not always continue wrong
Nevertheless, the injunction of the Evangelist
is ever pertinent, &c Beware ye Of the leavcn
Of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."
Another and an opposite type Of the vice
is often exhibited by men of the world in y
simulated contempt for things that are invest
ed by the sentiment of Christendom with
sacrcdness. This is sometimes, in its origin
the expression Of that adherence felt by the
ingenious mind for the duplicity which fastens
itself like L foul eXcrcscnce upon the Church
and being received with applause, as an evil
dcnce ola liberal understanding, is finally cnl-
tva'ed as a habit. There is also the vanity OF
grttilicd wit to stimulate an assumption OF
disbelief, for happy sarcasm will always
command an audience even if be at the ex.
pensc Of truth.
In still more mitigated form hypocrisy
borders upon virtue. There are some temper.
aments hypocritcally constituted. Micaw
bcr's was always dcluding his Judgement
with the expectation that something would
turn up" fertile fancy, a good digestion
and an intense enjoyment of existence, would
seem essential to this condition of mind
Hope, indeed, is often a hypocrte and
arrides us all. Love, too, is styled by the
poets Ga gay dissembler," but their amator,
experience being of desultory sort, the au
thorities may be called in question.
The conyentionalitcs of society exact {
tribute of hypocrisy. We often, to conform
to the occasion, assume an appearance OF
greater sorrow, sympathy or mrth, than w
feel; for who would laugh at a funeral or b,
fearful (uncss he Were the bridcgroom) at ;
wedding. " There is something" says Roche
fouciuld, &c in the Affections of om hes
friends that does not displease u.s." If th
ver; so, it would indeed indicate an all
pervading hypocrisy. But the Maximist
suspect, is mistaken. We ale not pleased Il
the suffering, but by the consciousness Of cx
emption from it.
The frequent theme of sairical poetry, the
portraitnre ofno other vice is SO often encoun
tered in tn drama and in fiction, tromIM olere'
Tartuie to the Chadband of Charles Dickens
from II e representations of Congreve and thu