Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-07-09
The Power OF SulkIness.

GREAT is the power of sulkiness. For
tunstely for the world, 1t rarely exists in
its highest and most concentrated form,
for, if united to real intellectual or moral
force, it would be despotism 80 thorough
as to be injurious t. the general welfare of
humanity. But in u less and more ignoble
form 1t is not uncommon, and the dead
weight and steady, choking pressure which
mankind endure in consequence go to
make up an almost intolerable grievance,
There are people who have the gilt of be-
ing sulky for an indefinite length of time,
and assert that they act thus on principle I;
but it is almost invariably found that the
principle harmonizes with the nature, for
to tempers that are short and sweet, hot,
Inconsistent, or quickly placable, and any
of these are liable to be suddenly vexed
for an hour or two,-it is always a diff
ticulty to sulk. 1t is bit of acting, and
not reality, even when carried out, and
the assumption of it is felt to be burden
too heavy TO be borne.
The capacity for steady, solid, concen
trated sulkiness is a mighty power to him
VINO possesses it; 1t implies many curious
and varied accomplishments and gifts
among others that of the complete mastery
( the five senses. 1t is for a man to be
blind when 1t is desired that he should
open his eyes, dumb whenever words
would be acceptable, deaf to all allure
ments or submission, insensible to every
effort at conciliation. 1t can create gloom
and, having created it, it can perpetuatt
and deepen it until it becomes a
clioging atmosphere as unwholesome al
malaria. 1t comprehends an abso
lutte control over the facial muscles
81 that TO softness or sign o.
yielding, not a ripple of smile or an ex
preston of pleasure, may replace even
for moment the sullen apathy or illu
mine the habitual scowl of the confirmed
sulker. In a word, it is the faculty ol
stimulation to such degree that person
shall appear to be blind, deaf, dumb, stu
pid, paralyzed. i'll, or dead, whenever and
| for as long as he chooses Mr.. Helps has
| truly said, "Unreason always governs
Nothing prevents your having your own
way 80 much as being at all amenable tc
reason" And sulkiness neither gives reR
sons nor listens to them. The sulky being
sometimes wears q depressed, splritless
and utterly detected appearance, as though
crushed and heartbrOken by long
ued oppression sometimes a heavy, dis
pleased, dragging step, and black ant
lowering brow are the chief signs which
indicate the disturbance within, and tn,
form of the vengeance which is to b.
taken in respect of it. The latter is tn,
masculine type; the former is, properly
speaking, feminine. Mr.. N. p. Willis, IL
one of his. earlier volumes, has cleve
little tale describing the power of an " in
jured look" By virtue of it a younl
American lady contrived to persuade
whole house full OF boarders to regarC
-. a NxN l. h
and think the worst they could of he
ing one word herself, was produce,
solely by the "ipjured look" And if ther
Ia an injured look" there is also such
thing as a dumb devil; if the powe
of the one is great, the proVocstiOn in
duced by the latter is unutterable. 1t is
curious, and to some will appear an IN
accountable, circumstance that In sulkines
a woman is more often possessed with
dumb devil than is man.
Sulkiness Is visible even in the nursery
where it exists, 30 to speak, in the form q
a bud; but it Is merely an outbreak of ba
temper, for at that age a child has NO
learned the method OF using Il as an In
strument with which to punish his play
mates. And the wisest way is TO leave
entirely unnoticed, "efface" the offender
as the French say, until there is an obViou
return to a more amiSble disposition. Blu
boys and girls soon learn to estimate tn
power of sulkiness, either by practice O
endurance, and large school is the bee
check on despotism of this kind. SHlk
ness is not tyranny which can be safel.
exercised in society at large, and 1t is CON
monty reserved for private or home ez
hibition. The smaller the circle the NOR
concentrated its force; in family, in
house, in one room, the power Of sulkinei
oppresses, searches, and pervades ever
corner of it. In love-msking sulkiness
a deplorable blInder Smile or strike, @
smile and strike, too, If that seems MOI
advisable; but no good ever follows a su
len enmity, which chills, disconcerts, an
often actually destroys love. Even this
simulated sulkiness, that toOthless VeI
geanoe, which consists Ia pouting colo
nesss, Is an experiment full Of danger, an
la the worst possible taste. But II betwee
lovers 1t Is blunder, In married life it !
simply the greatest madness OF which
human being can be guilty. There the
are man and women yOked together hk
goats, and as the country man justl
observed, "that's been q trouble to NOR
than goats" and If either OF theI
Is endowed with the faculty of persisten
eulkineas Ono Rhudder6 to think of ID