New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-23
FOR the New Orleans Republican.
CYNfCIaM.

| There is . class of people whom we &c
| casiOnally meet with, so norose in their &C
| tiOns, SO urcharitable in their views of life,
s, unbelieving in unseltish goodness, that
we iDvoluntarily shun them. We see them
coming and cross the street TO avoid meet
ing them We discover them at a social
gathering and keep the otheg side of the
room.
This elias. OF people seem TO have one end,
one ambition in life, which they stive for,
and that. to keep as much sunlight from the
earth as possible. They are called cynics
Whether persons of this DISPOSE ton we're
known before the ancient sece founded By
AntistheneE came intoexistence or not is IN
certain. bus in all probability they were
Although this school Of so-called philosophy
had its origin with Antisthenes. its doctrines
We're much more fully promulsa by his
scholar and follower. Diogenes.
Diosenes has made himself immortal,
but It IL 81 Nnenvlable noto,iety which at.
taehes itself 70 his name. Far more 20 Ice
desired Is the tender leeo!iectons spr!n giag
from one noble action, one Instance 9. sell:
denial fox the good OF others. though the
nobility be found in peasant and I'll. self.
.iecia. come i;oM the Iumb!ess q: ea:..e
children.
With the nc:t;oE og the Gas,.e O.: Do
ogenes two thing. are Immediately euy-
gested-:he wei! known lantern and the
equally ce!eb ated :ub--i,o.h reminding
one at & seltsh. morbid. narrow minded
man: nothing eAnobing, refining or eleyst-
ing to the moral or mental ;acultie. Of aay
one-on tho contrary tendin. TO lebase
man ID his own eyes and 10 lower his es,.-
nation OF goodness in his fellow men.
All persons inclined to cynicis;n are NOT
necessarily cynics. however. To be COM
plete and thorough follower Of the tulSy
Of i philosopher, one must !enouuce all be
lief ID the goodness OF God: in tie honesty
o: man. and IN the virtue o: woman. must
believe that az! men have a selfish motive
IN their actions that true virtue is q ,n:til,
and that thc.. who eeem to posses. il are
really impure at heart. only .wautins an
% exhibit their natural .enCiene
csls. = pleasant belief, in truth. go won.
h'' s"ch I'toGt~ d!e aidGiA satO.e Oh cGtk -
:aig creation.
However. az remarked before. There are
persons inclined to be cynical Who have not
wholly lost faith in mankind Eo. these
there is hope.
One fault 81 society is that i. pets and
upholds those who have a dash of cynicism
in their characters. 1t is flavor it is spice
Society points to young man just entering
upon life who has confidence in his fellow
men, reverence for purity and high ideas |
of life generally, with the finger OF rdIcule. |
They say he will soon lower his lofty IDEAS |
when he comes IN contact with the world. |
Instead Of encouragement he receives con- |
tempt: while on the other hand they wei |
come with admiration and open arms the |
man who 6urls his lip at goodness and |
laughs at honesty. They introduce to their
wives and daughters men who denounce
the sex: men who may border On the roue.
who may be fast becoming blasf, it makes
Dut little difference, such is the relish for
1ickedness relieved by piquancy.
Then again some people school themselves
~ y
stupidity, deem it mark of intellectually.
such peoples synicism is ludcrous. They
'rlde themselves upon it They indulge in
weak irony, supposing 10 to be whitening
arcasm. They assume consequential air
nd save u am very cynical; have long
ince lost faith in everybody and every
hing" AZ srch a person one citLer laughs
# feels like IL, Knowing that they are con
emptib!e lGmsugs, themselves their GREAT
st dupeo Such feeble attempts as syssesa-
tic seltishHess never do any harno
There IS another ciass-ethosc who are
a'nF"ls' .Mbuei with lofty sentiments
9Th s.sslG to iiteo nio would be glad 20 |
laintaln this noble and loly ssate Of feel. |
~: tut they receive som. miY llty shock |
hl"A :a:eys' changes e!.e .u:!.H. e ,Iei:
Ne ''?hs'!sass Asreo 2. il s.!e, ~ snre.
''Ine, a iolS ii .o.!es. herein dweils .Le |
10! which "e adore. We .G.r license Ola ,
Cd nl2hfo as slsG- ies perfume oyer OUR :
hole Siyeso Wsa.i.d will the tir..ogpe !
t necessary isacticalites o: life. we Setire =
worship IN secreS. IL is holy, it is sacred ,
Joking out into ehe world and Judging t
'm the reflection Of our own brightness. Z,
think what happy world; true, there :
misery, there is soyIew, there are heart.