Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-05-24
Uses of Fools.

OOOo Va 4OOA0.
Stupidity acts as good stcadying influ.
ence 1t enables people to turn co:iiers by
ii graceful curve instc1d of an abrupt an
Gle, and generally softcns the shocks and
collisions to which the world would other
wise be exposed. We may often observe
on IL small scale the same pleasant and, so
to say, luhricating influence Of stupidity
in society. IT two clevermch come tOget-
er who differ in opinion upon some cXcit-
ing topic. such as the Jamaica prosecutions,
they probably begin to argue, as il argu-
ment were not the very band Of all agree
able conversation. They manage to pierce
each others armor at the weak places. to
hit upon the most irratating topics, and to
to be yeyatious ; 70, if two logical people
really keep to the point, they must ulti-
mately end by something like giving each
other the lie. Now a man acts in such a
case as an admirable buffer He is prob
ably argumentativc, but he prevents the
argument ever tending to a conclusion. 1t
ralnbles vaguely about. and stirs up clouds
of irrcvclent topics, and gets bewillnrcd
and cntanglrd till every one is glad to drop
it, The fool behaves like the blunderer
who intericfes between two skillful Oppo-
nents, and prevents them from ever closing;
probably he is run through the body hi;n-
self, but as it is in Il merely logical sense.
hc is perfectly nscnsible to the wound,
In short. the presence of Il few fools on
such occasions duls the force OF tile blows
delivered. They act the part of the COM
pound which when mixed with gunpowder,
renders it non-cxplosve and society,
which, if exclusively formed of clever men.
would be a mere arena for intellectual
gladators, becomes tolerably tranquil by
reason of its fools.
1t must be admitted that the clever fool
does not possess this admirably tranqnliz-
influence. On the contrary he is one of the
disturbing elements of society. \ man
who has plenty of brains. butlittlc wisdom.
must of course pursue an incalculable
course. His political function is obvious.
He may be used to demonstrate the futiity
of new reforms, VIXEN he acts as a leader ;
or when acting under more capable gui-
dance, to supply the rank and file Of for
iorn hopes There are many clever men
who have a talent for making any cause
they adopt ridiculous whether vegetarian
ism, or the conversion of the Jews or man
llbbu anu IL Is IL tUIilCi
dencc when such men adopt a couse ride
ulous IN itself. The best way of making
its absurdity conspicuous to the popular
is to associate it irrctrirvably with an alb
surd character. In the case of genuine re-
forms. which have vitality enough to sur
vive the satire directed against most incp-
lent reforms, the clever fool is equally use
ful as a rldicue-conductor. He is an in
voluntary martvr who advertises his cause
| sufficiently to attract the attention of ADLER
supporters. Ii lhc cause survives him, he
has the chance Of being canOnzed accord
ingly and perhaps a good many OF those
admirable enthusiasts upon whom We look
back as wise beyond their time merely had
the luck to blundcr into the right position.
Fools may be useful rs ballast. but very
nconvcnient whcl their weight is placed
in more exalted stations. In fact there is
a good deal of Treason for holding that brains
are more important than virtue in high po-
>tions. In private life it is probably true.
according to sundry respectable aphorisms,
that virtue in moderation is Oh the whole a
good thiiy even in this lic hut virtue
" hen it tkcs thc common form of wrong
headed conSclcntloaSncsS is Il highly OBJ
irctionahe peeularltv in rulers. A man
of iirstrate ability generally does more
good than harm as !; ruler, because it is
obviously his interest to make things work
well. and to yet rid of obsolete machinery.
Even when his personal motives are bad, a
Caesar or Napoleon has a sincere respect
for facts aud Il tendency to demolish tic
tons whereas Il ruler with Il strong CON
science and an inferior brain is the most
likely of all men to justify II RESOLUTION
Hence the use Of Ioals has Very strictly de-
fined limits and We need never be afraid
that the supply will not he quito equal to
the dcnand.-Saturday Retiew,