The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1860-11-16
Egotisn.

Eg0tlsI1l.
Loquacity, in conversation, is not more
offensive than egotisn. The egotist is a
selfsacrifcing person. He takes on him
self the chief part, in the social hour,
whether his kindness is likely to prove ac-
ceptable or not. He is resolved to occupy
the centre of the conversing circle, in de-
spite of whatever centrifugal tendenccshe
may cause to be felt at the circumference
Every topic, not introduced by himself,
he deems of little account. Does some
one PROFOUND novel question? He in
stantly assumes, that it is propounded to
him, and undertakes to give an all-satisfy
ing answer Does some one venture q
rare observation?r Heis first to comment
on it. Swelling with conceit of self, he
extends his remarks. Now, he utters a
turgid sentence, beginning with capital l;
and now he utters another, ending with
an emphasized myself. If the beauty
of some distant place slould be describ-
ed, his answer, according to Mrs. Ellie,
might be, III never was there, but my un-
Gle once was within ten miles of it; and
had it not been for the miscarriage of
letter, Ishould have been his companion
on that journey My uncle was always
fond. of taking me with him. Dear, good
man, I was.a great favorte of hisw
The egotist rarely improves on any
cutting hint, designed to check him in his
offensive forwardness. Little change
would you see in him, tomorrow, though
you should to-day, cause the Asiatic gen.
eralization to ring in his ear, "He who has
least wisdom has most vanity" Laugh
ter, though really in ridicule, he construes
into an expression Of applause; and silence,
though in fact the result of disgust, he re-
CARDS as an evidence that he is the admir-
ed cynosure of all eyes. When the talk
is discontinued, he fatters himself with
the thought, that it has come to an end,
because he, the great sun Of the company
has stopped shining.
/ find on record q little anecdotc con-
cerning Robert Hall, which illustrates the
fattering effect, produced in many instan-
ces, even by the philosophic taciturnity of
genius, on the mind of a conceited tallScr.
Mr.. Hall had somewhere, become engaged
in conversation with one of that class of
dogmatic ministers whose dog-matism is,
in Jerrold's phrase, "only puoy-ism come
to its full growth" The minister having,
afterward, met Mr.. Jay, said to him, 1
wonder you think SO highly of Mr.. Halls
talents. I was some time ago travelling
with him into Wales, and we had several
disputes and I more than once soon 81
.lenced him."
Mr. Jay, not long after this interview;
happened to meet Robert Hall; and, On
alluding to the egotistic minister who, not
withstanding his egotism, had become
somewhatpopular as preacher, Mr.. Hall
replied, ~ lately travelled with him, and
it was wonderful, sir, how such a baggage
of ignorance and confidence could have
been squeezed into his vehicle. He dis
gusted and wearied me, with his dogma
tism and perverscness, till God was good
enough to enable me to go to Sleep"
1t may not be amiss to present, in this
place summary of injudicious and un-
pleasant takers. There is the gossipping
talker, for whom Solomon, undoubtedly,
meant that wise saying of his:
s.Take care how you speak all you
know" There is the zoquacious or ramb-
ling talker, whom the Grecian sage Cleo
bulus probably had in mind when he spoke
the maxim: "Many words and more ig-
nerance." To this talker may, also, be
applied to those words from an Asiatic
proyerb "Behold the drum; notwith-
standing all its noise, it is empty within"
There is the egotistic tall1er, whom the
admirable Chinese saying should teach a
lesson: "True merit, like the pearl inside
an oyster, is content to remain quiet till it