The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-07-11

When they talk loudly there is Quaver
and hardness in their voices, showing
that they are departing from their ordi-
nary rule of life. While attempting any
extravagant manifestations of good feel
ing it is customary for their faces to
assume a sheepish expression, and the
evidence of their uncomfortableness is
completed by series of bushes. New
ertheless, 1t must be admitted that those
who know most about human nature, and
are the greatest adopts at studying char
acter, have justly decided Partially for
many quiet people, feeling that genius is
apt to be shy, and that sincerity is often
difhdent, while, on the other hand, an
excess OF clatter often only hides innate
weakness or serves as a cloak for Interior
designs or mean motives. Certain it is
that the man who gushes upon slight
provocation is invariably but a broken
reed to rely on when one has to battle
with the fierce waves of adversely; while
the retiring individual often proves
tower OF strength, and shows himself
possessed of depths of character of which
no one has hitherto been disposed to
give him credit.
Why is it that these retiring people
whom we have taken the liberty of CON-
pairing with mice are so fond of being
lett to themselves, as they most undoubt-
eddy are? How is it when they enter a
room filled with people to most of whom
they are comparative strangers they
have weakness for getting into some
obscure corner, and of screening them
selves from general observation by a
book or collection of prints or photo
graphs, the probability being that the
books, prints, or photographs interest
them but little? 1t seems likely that all
this is owing, not so much to want of ca
pacity, or natural shyness, or timidity-
! though it may in some cases be largely
due to this-as to their inability to
adapt themselves to promiscuous as
semblage, an inability which they proba-
bly, feel and lament over Addison was
a bashful man when in company, but
there is no reason for supposing that his
shyness arose from sense of his in
feriority to the majority of people whom
he was called upon to meet Indeed,
there is no doubt that in richness of idea
and power of expression few who came
near him were anything like his equals,
much less his superiors. Yet the fact
remains that he was undoubtedly shy.
His case is illustrative of the fact that
timid men are not necessarily noodles,
as some superficial observers seem in.
clined to imagine. Probably if the truth
were known many of the quiet people
under notice feel the most profound
contempt tor the majority of those
who contribute to the noisy gable
which passes current in drawing rooms
and at dinner parties. More probable
still, at the same time they are aware
| thot thou no1,1o to
lstactory share thereto. Somehow OF
other, the few sentences they do hazard
do not seem to fit in with the flow OF
talk, and their only effect appears to be
an unpleasant one, which recOils on the
heads of the speakers. This simply
arises from the fact that they cannot
adapt themselves to all circumstances
the result being that they are only able
to talk satisfactorily and well with those
who thoroughly understand them, anG
whom they thoroughly understand The,
may sometimes be above the generality
OF folk, they may occasionally be below
but it is not so much question of high
ness or lowness as it is of adaptability
In witness thereof may be cited the fac
that 4 host Of mediocrities are in thu
habit of talking at almost all times will
singular ease, albeit the greater portion
OF what they utter is conventional non
sense. Still, nonsense is better thar
nothing, and the order of beings under
notice would do well to be less severe il
their condemnation of it. They ma,
rest assured that they would appear tt
more advantage when engaging in the
most vapid of dialogues than they de
when retiring in corners and building
castles in the air, or thinking contempt
uously of the intellectual weakness OF
those whom they are regarding. A little
attention to the matter would soon en-
able man to cease to attract attention
on account of his quietness without caus
ing him to become boisterous.-LiDeru
Revseao.