The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-04-25
The Greatness of Simplicity.

thoughts are clothed. Inferior or semi
cultured minds often lead us into labyrinths
Of tangled sentences, where the thoughts
are so confused and mingled, and the
expressions so involved and intricate,
that it is an almost hopeless task to dis
cover their drift. Sometimes this is
mistaken for profundity of thought, and
the reader or listener blames his own
dullness Of intellect for failing to discover
the hidden meaning, when the real cause
is that the writer or speaker has not
learned the happy art of thinking clearly
and expressing himself plainly.
What is thus true of the expression of
thoughts in words, is also true of the ex-
preston of character in conduct. 1t will
ever be found that the lives Of the nobest
specimens of human nature are character
lied by the utmost simplicity. Take
physical life for example. The strong,
robust, well-proportioned and healthful
individual, with energy bounding in every
pulse, will be found to live wisely indeed,
but simply. His food will be moderate,
his drink pure, his pleasures temperate,
all his bodily habits simple. He does not
indulge in excess, or strain his nerves and
brain to their utmost tension, and then
endeavor to restore the equilibrium by a
course of medicine. He does not first
stimulate and then depress the SYSTEM
first overwork and then enervate it, He
takes no roundabout road to health, but
follows the straight line of obedience to
natures laws, and thus through habits of
the utmost simplicity is training his body
to the greatest perfection.
So in the life of labor, the most perma-
nently successful workman is he who, with
steady aim and a single purpose, takes the
straightforward and simple steps that lead
to success. He depends on no complicated
expedients, subtle devices and intricate
plans for accomplishing his ends, but
rather on industry, patience, skill aud
integrity. These, steadily practiced, will
in the end outdo all the schemes and
intrigues that allure men by promises of
gain without labor There are men of
business who delight in managing their
peeuniary affairs by secret and circuitous
methods, and scorn natural, simple, direct
means. They suspect those with whom
they deal of duplicity, and strive to cir
cumvent them by still greater cunning.
The wise merchant knows that trickery
and artiice are shallow and ephemeral
that simplicity aud truth are the only steps
to permanent success, for thay alone can
infuse that faith in character that is the
soul of all commercial prosperity.
The same is true in our social and
domestic relations, Much annoyance and
many Misunderstanding would bo avoided,
and true friendship preserved and purified,
did We free our minds from the coils of
suspicion, and our conduct from the arts
that now foster insincerity and hypocrisy.
What is it that we most value in our dear
est friends? Is it not the perfect natural
ness and spontancity of their affection for
us2 Simplicity is the soul of friendship,
the one element in it which we can by no
means spare.
The law of simplicity is one which all
the educators of mankind would do well
to study. There is a sad want of faith in
nature, which leads many to hide or sap
press natural instincts from an unworthy
fear Of the consequences. Some parents
are forever restraining the natural flow of
their affection, and substituting an artificial
severity and reserve towards their children,
which is most preiudicial. Some teachers
assume tone and demcanor wholly foreign
TO their own natures, while engaged in
teaching, and suppress or exaggerate their
real sentiments, in the mistaken hope of
thus benefitting their pupils The wise
instructor, however, does not thus dishonor
youth and nature. He knows that insin-
cerity Of every kind contains the elements
of failure, and that in simplicity and truth
is the highest wisdom.
In public life the great benefactors of
the world have been euinently men of
simplicity. Petty politicians may plot and
scheme, aud resort to expedients of all
sorts to promote their ends-may hatter
their constituents, buy and sell votes and
influence, bribe officials, or cheat their
country in hundred ways in order to
serve themselves-but the true statesman
stoops to none of these things. His polit-
ical character is one of integrity and sim
plicity. lie fixes his mind on his country's
needs; he sees before him some definite
good to bo accomplished, and directs all
his energies, without circumlocution, to
this end
In fact, there is no real greatness nor
permanent success in any of the affairs of
life, where the law of simplicity 10 infring-
ed. Candor, truth, honesty, straight-for-
wardness are essential elements in all pros.
pcrity. 1t is true there may be simple
ness of conduct, which arises from the
want of far reaching conceptions, and notes
a childishness rather than maturity of
character. This is, however, quite differ
ent from the simplicity which implies a
thorough faith in truth and nature, and
accompanies maturity of mind, and per-
fcction of character. just as the highest
elevation in mental power win seek the
purest simplicity Of language to express
itself, so the further we advance In the
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