The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-06-24

!
by all sensible persons. He is for
ever prating of his own powers or abili-
ties. In whatever field of knowledge or
path of life he may be found he is eter-
nally Boosting of his own superiority,
and depreciating the talents and capaci-
ties, and actions of his neighbors. His
buster becomes offensive, and although
he may really be endowed with all the
qualities, the possession of which he SO
immodestly boasts, good people come at
length to hate and avoid him as pub
Renaissance, and refuse to give him credit
for any ability whatever. We may sum
it up in one idea men of sense despise a
| silly "blOwer," and avoid him as they
do any other intolerable bore. The
practice, besides, is very vulgar, highly
indecent, and shows bad breeding. 1t
proves that the individual who INDUCES
in it is not sure of his position, and
thinks that by putting himself, he can
convince the world of his worth, when
in fact he only succeeds in convincing it
OF his wOrthleSSnesS.
In general way let us apply this the
Ory to our country. We have surely
done enough to convince the world
that whatever re- we may choose to
adopt, we have the ability and strength
of purpose to carry it through to sue
cessful issue-whether il be in the quiet
pursuits of peace, or on the sanguinary
fields of war. We have arrived
at that period in our national
history when we can afford to dispense
with such I'D captond,tm as frequent al
lusions to our national greatness, the in
vincibility of the American eagle, and
the vast superiority of our people over
every other people in the known world
and the frequent insults to the sensi-
bilities of our susceptible neighbors in
other portions of the world, which we
are wont to indulge in. We ought now
to be sure of our position; and we hold
it to be a departure from dignity to boast
of that fact so frequently as to convey
the impression that we have still some
lingering doubts as to whether we are
great nation or not. The merchant who
has fully established his name and char
acter and attained to wealth and posi-
ton, never goes forth into the market
placa 10 bid for custom, nor does he post
large handbills at the street corners to
tell the world, ~ am the great John
Jones, the wealthest, most reliable,
ableet, and most honest and upright
merchant in the world, and all others
are cheats and swindlers." The estab-
lished physician orlawyer never heralds
his own praise, as the quack and petit
logger are compelled to do. The states
man does not go among the people
and say to them, 81 alone understand
the crue principles of government, and
all others are but fools and demagogues,
and will mislead YOU" The great author
does not place in the preface of his
work, :" am the greatest writer of this
or any other age" The minister of the
Gospel, who has established his reputa-
oh"ii ~ MS wins, uoco uOt nllu IL ueceS-
sary to shout his qualifications each Sab
bath from the pulpit; the editors of
newspapers, recognized for ability, do
not usually occupy half their space with
puftii of their prosperous condition. 1t
is an old and true. saying that actions
spead louder than words--and this is the
fact us well in the case of nations as of
individuals. No country or person who
has gained true position in the world
has any necessity to become the trum-
peter of his own glory and renown.-
They feel sure of their position, MAIN
tain dignified reserve, and leave to
others, who observe their actions and re-
cognize their worth, the work of bestow-
ing praise when found to be well-de-
served.
( We trust that this evil-this growing
disposition ons the part of our fellow
countrymen. and especially of our breth-
rem of the Press-may be speedily re-
fornied. Reform it altogether. Modesty,
dignity, and self-respect alike demand
at least some modification, if not a total
abolition of the vulgar and ill-bred
practice.
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