The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-13

with q certain stigma. But II Is too bad that
cultivated beings should 60 on quoting at US
their little hoard OF maNims, which at pest are
gross anaChTOnisms, as though they were eter-
nal truths; and thar even the most modest OF
men should 90 about running over with ill-con-
cealed cOmplacency because they nave ar
ranged their day on an obsolete hypnthesis.
If man comes down few minutes late ihey
covertly or openly twit him with lazlness; but
they would be as much shocked II tue same
charge we're tetOtted upon them iOr going 20
bed prematurcly, as a preacher OF charity Is
sometimes shocked at being called uncharta-
Bile: it is true, he objects to his enc
mics ss much as they object to him, but
that Is because his enemies are In the wrong
H. however, we should be disposed to Grant
that there is really something in the claim
which early risers put forth so pretentiously TO
the virtue OF activity, we should still wish to
know why it is of so specially offensive and
aggressive a type Why must they be always
dasbing it in our faces, and giving thanks al
every turn that they are not as other men?
Why should a. early riser walk through the
world wrapped in an invisible cloak of moral
pre-eminence? After all we are fellow.
creatures, even If we are too fond of our beds in
the morning. The most rabid OF the sect must
admit that man is not necessarily drunkard
or an abandoned slave to his passions because
ne does not get up at SIX o'clock; and yet, while
mixing with the outer world, they always con-
trive to make il felt that all but themselves are
more or less publlcans and sinners.
An explanation of the abnormal development
OF seli-esteem to which this and some other
second-rate virtues give rise, may perhaps be
found in the very fact of their sDallness.
man who has performed some great and heroic
action Is bound in nonor not to boast of it; he
may generally assume, too, that other people
will be sufficiently disposed to recognize his
claims without requiring them to be put OBJ
trusively forward; but the family OF petty vir-
tues to which early rising beloDes-puntuality,
order, etc.-require some additional induce
ments for their practice They are not amiqble
qualities. Nobody loves man the better for
always remembering that procrastination is the
thief of time, that stitch in time saves nine,
and that penny saved is penny Eot
on the contrary, we are rather apt to consider
him as a stanGITg insult to us for our own def
CienCies in those respects 1t is. therefore, pro-
vided as a natural compensation, that they
should give rise to u disprOportionate amount
OF seltsatlsiactlon. AS man gets no thanks
from anybody else, and feels chat the virtue is
one which will gain its whole reward IN an
extra share OF material prosperity, he tries to
make up the difference by constant contempa.
ton OF his Cwn excellence.
The character which embCdies all these
characteristics in the highest degree is generally
known by the name OF good man of business.
That title, which sone etimes implies very useful
qualities, is not seldom applied to merely mega
tive virtues. 1t is applied to a man who ties up
all his letters in red tape, never misses a train,
and always answers by return of post. Il may
also imply a sound judgment. But large num-
Der of those who claim it are merely remark
able for their habit OF going through all the
forms OF extreme precision and Careiulness
Such men are generally more couceited than
any other class OF meritorous citizens. They
look Gown with a contempt sometimes affable
ana sometimes simply arrogant, upon any one
whom they fancy to Oe less OF a walking ledger
than themselves. Fortunately, this is a kind of
conceit which can seldom find opportunities for
display IN private ne. The one virtue of the
bundle which go to form the character is capa-
bic of making itself so offensive that il is Just as
well that we have, as a rule, 10 search counting
houses or lawyers offices for full-bown specI-
mems OF the whole Early rsers are so capable
of trampling US under foot on the strength of
the virtues of the complete man of business,
they would become unbearable. e.-LoRdon 6dtt1'-
dag he0ietC.