The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-07-09
Meteorological Record for June, 1875.
The Tendency to ExaggeratiOn.

NO propensity III the human mind seems more
generally developed, more actively and con-
stantly exercised than the tendency to repre-
sent or repeat what is heard in language that
gives deeper shade or conveys different i'm
preston from that given by the first relation
humanity seems, as it were, TO feed on excite.
ment, to rcvel amid the groundless fancies of its
own nasty creation, and to grow res tless when
these tancifnl productions of the Imagination
cease to furnish the desired stimulatiye
Few, II any minds are entirely free from this
propensity TO cXaggeratc; some, however, eX-
hlbit It much more clearly than others, and
make less effort to suppress or control it, and
not o few even seek for opportunities to swell
the most trivial circumstances into events of
the greatest moment; to excite the minds of
Others by giving them their own distorted yer.
slons OF whatever transpires, and to magnify
both the praiaeworthy qualities of the rood and
the censurable qualities of the wicked. The
| casual remark is repeated with force that rem
ders 1t impressive; the faintest whisper of sus.
picion falling upon some ears is loudly proclaim.
Ell to others in tones of bold accusation Prob
abilities ripen into certainties if nurtured for n
single moment IN the mind of him who loves to
helghten the coloring of whatever he paints
10 say the least this practice of eXaggeration
since 1t necessarily leads beyond the limits of
truth, must, when wilful, be denominated false.
| hood, aud therefore becomes highly censurnble
| With some, it appears almost irreprcssible. So
innate seems the bent of mind to paint in glow
| ing colors the most common picture; with 9th
ers, 1t is an utter disregard for simple facts and
| studied purpose to magnify the proportions
Oh every circumstance related In the one class,
TINS tendency may be deplored as misfortune !:
IN the other 1t must be condemned as fault
| HOW eager IRE men to be the first to convey tn
their fellows the intelligence of some startling
occurrence, and what satisfaction 1t gives the
bearer of this exciting information to sac look
OF astonishment upon the countenance of his
nearer. This inordinate desire to impart strange
Intelligence often leads to exaggeration, and too
frequently to absolute falsehood.
This most deplorabc tendency of the human
nina renders " almost impossible to procure
OF any distant occurrence, an ACCOUNT upou
which we may rely Us strictly correct Coming
| 10 us through so many mediums and beipo sub
Jected 10 the additions or deductions of each
we receive it materially changed, and very often
retaining scarcely trace of its original form
Distance, however, is not essential to the recep-
ton Of overweight pictures.
communities as well Us nations are some.
| times startled by the report of some frghtful
accident or disaster, or the appearance and
| spread OF some malignant and infectious dis
ease. slow Is Mr.. b. to-day w asks one.
'He is not SO well, and the physician saws If he
is not careful his diseasemay result in typhoid -
Soon after the first one receiving this informa-
ton Is asked how Mr.. B. is. His reply is, Gle
is very poorly, and the doctor says he has the
typhoid fever.h Immediately it spreads ' that hat
.. 10 dying of typhoid and the community will
believe nothing else until it is surprised TO sec
Mr.. u. walking about in the possession of
his usual health. Thus our ears are consta ntIv
listening to idle rumors, and we frequently find
ourselves frightened into the belief of stories
for which no facts ever existed.
LII Is true, that the world is at no time free
from calamity and excitement and real disaster:
put seldom, we think, is it shaken by such
direful visitations of misfortune as rumor will
al It's distortion bears to our affrighted ears.
Inc plaques OF Egypt must seem light, compar.
atiVely, to those who place full confidence In
Inc irightful newspaper pictures of the rayages
OF modern insects Kansas, no doubt feels se
riously In sections the invasion of the grass
hopper; but when simultaneously pour into
our ears from those stricken fields The cry of
distress and the call for laborers to garner the
wasting abundance, how are we to believe that
Kansas is infested with plague repntedIv
worse than Pharaoh's locustsp Editors are NOT
to be censured for this, as they do not and can
not ascertain real truth any more than we. and
must publish intelligence as they receive IT: bnt
somewhere lies fault, somewhere exists this
morbid love of the marvellous; somewhere cam
tlously whispered rumors begin to assume the
holiness OF certaintios, and to inflame the minds
OF the credulous with their swollen tijjngs of
the wonderful. Numerous instances in films.
tration of the manner in which many unwnr.
rantable stories originate, might be given. but
1t is unnecessary, as all must know that many
OF them can be traced to no foundation. WIN
indulge this habit of exaggeration when no good
can result? Why step beyond the limits OF fact
when fact itself Is painfully Why swell the crv
of distress when already its tones are far tod
bittery Why add fuel to the already cons,im.
Ing flame of human excitement, when the very
life-chords of humanity are now too often strain
ed TO their greatest tension.