The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-08-15

only his thoughts present themselves to
him in more quaint form, with variety
of side lights upon them, which in your
own mind either nature or training has
blocked up. 1t does not follow that be-
cause man is able to change his point OF
view, and to shed light upon his subject
from many angles, therefore he sees every
thing crooked and distorted. Just tho
reverse, in fact. The more points OF view
he can command the better, and the more
useful he is to persons whose VISION IS
narrower than his own happens to be.
One of the most grievous confuslons Oh
thought in our estimates of character IS 70
mistake exactness for hardness. Anybody
who insists on precision, punctuality, OF
der. and upon the rigid recognition OF iacts'
is inevitably set down by nine out OF ecu
acuuaintances as of cold, hard, sellsl
nature. Unless man is little weak auu
a little blind, men will not have it thar MS
character has single plant or tender hoIe
in it. 1t is so profoundly distasteiul " ' he
weak people-that is, to most people-son
brought into contact with strong PEI oon1
who knows what he is aiming a1, an
keeps a cool eye upon the means oy WIZ .So
he is to reach it, that no experience " NV
contrary to convince them that nian n,IS
he firm. resolute, punctual, indefaI'gao,!
;ndnstrious. shade exacting, and YET osel-
aowino with the milk of human KINDNESS,
md always ready to bestow generously
,r;tb h;c lett hand all that he has seduiouSlJ
ro ~, hv the toll of his right. 1t IS hoI
aortoin that the base emotion OF envy ooeS
NJ nj enter largely into this confusion OF d
noi1ection of most useful virtues Win
rerv odious vice. If You find that a man
&c making irresistible way by his steadlasl-
nass If is some comfort to meaner nature
to believe, or pretend to beleve' tiiat tlis
steadfastness is the product OF nollleu
congelation of all the finer and Wider - VI
pathies. OF course, where envy COMES
in. the confusion between slngleness Vi
pnrposc and hardness of heart IS some
thing much more malignant than mere
blnnderer of observation. But, apart from
this vile intruder, men are too willing TO
believe that cool head usually implies a
cold heart. 1t is superstition. There is
no d priori reason why we should expect
the one to accompany the other. Still, the
prejudice remains. The purposeless are
ant to quake in the face of the man
who has a purpose, who knows clear
ly what it is, and steadily does his
best to carry it out to the end.
This quaking makes them willing to think
that there must be something sinister
in the person who is the occasion of it. II
such a conviction does anything to console
them for their alarms, perhaps the cool
headed ones will not grudge it them. Still,
all false measurements of this sort are
worth avoiding. 1t is not of very much
importance to stole whether people judge
him rightly or wrongly. But as we live in
world with others, it is of Importance te
man not to carry his stoicism too far. Il
he does, he is pretty sure to end by enjoy,
ing the mistakes which his neighbors make
about him, and encouraging them. And
this is form Of ai1ectation which is sure te
engender a very hurtful amount of self:
consciousness the mental condition which
is about the most hurtful to good work that
is possible to the human mind.