The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-13
CHEEK.

tIIHEh.
Or all the terms used in the English Ian
guage to express an idea, the word 'scheek'
is, perhaps, the least understood and the most
abused. Ability, confidence in ones own
powers, understanding, and absolute talent
are all usually placed under the one common
head of ''cheek;" and yet there is really as
great difference between the real meaning
of the terms as there is between darkness
and daylight.
Talent, as usually understood, is a culture
OF those ideas engenderedby deep study and re-
search. Tact is a natural gift with which
some men are endowed by their Creator, and
differs from talent, because it grasps all things
as 1t finds them, and makes use OF them,
while talent is pondering over the probabili-
ties. Tact is the natural bud of thriving
plant; talent is the artificial flower of plant
which, but for the care bestowed upon it,
would droop and be crushed before it had
vitality enough to make itself heard. Tact is
the element which makes the really great
man. Talent is the faithful servant.
''Cheek" is talent. Tt comes from cult
walton, and is generally found where the
ground is least fruitful. Confidence is most
usually put under the head of ''cheek, aud
vet it is vastly different from it. ''Cheek"
will force it's way to places where it is not
wanted, and when unmasked will be kicked
out for it's trouble. Confidence demands its
right to be heard, and will win plaudits and
encouragement from those of understanding
for its unceasing watcbfuness, care, and
courage.
Cheek is the natural production of igno-
rance and want of understanding, but is sell
dom, if ever, innate in anybody. AS an OK
ample, or rather as a simile, we take George
Francis Train as man of ''cheel. He is
clustering, noisy, and, after all, carries no
mental weight with MIN. We could easily
select a living simile, of the other idea, but
it will answer the purpose to simply state
that Rufus Choate was an excellent ex-
ample of the man of tact, or confidence.
Added to his natural tact, he had cultiva-
tion, and what his natural abilities pointed
out he invariably carried to successful
conclusion. We select these two names
Train and Choate-because they are both
known to our day and generation.
''Cheek" never made Astor, Peabody, or
Girard the men they were. Confidence, tact,
did! "Cheek" made Barnum, and countless
other men like him, who have or will sink to
the grave without leaving mark behind
them, save of their deceit and humbuggery.
Among the statesmen of the present age,
Douglas and Lincoln We're the men of tact
and confidence. 1t is said that questions fre-
quently came before Mr.. Douglas of which he
was almost entirely ignorant, and yet we find
him grasping the line of argument and mas
tering the subject while still in course of con-
sideration, and finally expressing himself
upon it as clearly and as learnedly as those
who gave it lengthy considera-
ton. Mr.. Lincoln never preten0ed
to understand subject which he
really knew nothing about, but every man,
woman, and child in the land knows that no
sooner was the matter placed before him than
he would select his own analysis, and nine
times out of ten his grounds were secure.
He, like Douglass, was confident, but nc
man ever saw in either, anything that could
be called ''cheek.' H
Nowhere than in politicians is ''cheeli'
more plainly visible. In fact, it would ap-
pear, and no doubt is, one of the prime ele
ments of success The art of fawning and
playing the lickspittal is the natural accom-
paniment of ''cheell;" and there again it diff
fers from confidence, because the man who
is confident of his own ability never stoop'
to cultivate the acquaintance of MAJ
who does not himself desire the ac
quaintance. ''Cheek' is submissive and ser
vant-like i'll the presence of those who emplo,
him; but he is heartless, and when the for
tune of his present master is on the wane, he
quickly flies to the other sde and adds hi
kick to those already being administered t.
the man who, up to this time, has been hi
friend. Confidence is always manly. Conf
dent that he is right, he fears no man, and i
the same before yourface that he is behindyou
back. 'Cheez' will tatter and cajole; conf
dence expresseshis opinion, whenasked, plpinl
and without deceit. But few men are in
pervious to flattery-it is far more pleasan
than blunt opinion, no matter how true tn
, Opinion may be-and this is one reason WIN
: the man Of ''cheek" is generally the most sue
! cessfm man in the political arena. The put
lie, the good, dear, easily-gulled public love
fattery much better than an individual doei
although its effects are not so visible, and th
man who pampers the public by telling ther
= that they are all good people, without regaI
+ to caste ss0', nm Invariably MP, n2a y