The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-10-30

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source of hasty Inference AMI tlcEllsivc
misconception.s May not one see illus
trations of this tendency in thcSgrcat lia-
bi!ity OF both men AMI women to tlclu,lc
themselves with respect to the characters
(which they choose for the matrimonial
relation? 1t is not only the ill, ocen. girl
which commits this error, by tondly i'm
agining in the absence of evidence, that
her lover must necessarily share her own
pure thoughts; the highly cultivated man,
too, may fall into it, by taking it for
granted that the young woman whom
he selects as his most intimate companion
feel the same high aspirations that he
himself feels.
/ The other influences which appear to
favour this inipatic1cc of belief with re-
Spcct to the characters of others are 4pc-
cial emotional forces. The operation of
feeling III sustaining assurance even
when there is the minimum of evidence
has been Il tavoritc theme philosophers
There are two modes of this operation,
according as the feeling prcdisposcs to
belief i'll any shape or t;lvors some par
ticular VI, ,2ty of conviction. Both of
these modes may be illustrated in the
speaking. An example Of the first is
on our observation of others characters
y readiness in llnravclling the threads of
human sentiment and purpose has al
ways been looked on as Il ground for self
grat;,ation and for the admiration OF
others. A man who thinks himself ca
pablc Of divining nstantancously, an
others unspokcn thoughts has not only
the pleasing consciousness of power
which every supposition Of knowledge
brings with it, but also 4 gratifying feel
ing of equality with this second person
That is To say, he thinks himself on Il
level with this other in respect to thc(
knowledge of any thoughts or impulses
which may occur to him. Not only 50,
but the assumption of this omnscicnt
insight into character will pretty Ger
tainly inspire awe, if not dread, in many
other minds, so that the man or woman
who can make any rrctcnsions to this
fine penetration will I've able to indulge
in the most delicious emotions of power
and superiority y Supposition so in
tcnsely gratifying as this must be will !
pretty certainly he secure from that
close scrutiny and careful vcrilication
which alone would prove its validity.
The feelings which predispose men to
entertain 11riori Il certain kind of notion (:
the character Of others are
tG2 t,3 rs;i,,s sain9s If ha awelt eW
There is the desire for sympathy, which
is very strong in most minds, and which
prompts Il person to anticipate that
every new character will respond in Il
kind of grateful resonance to his indivi-
dual sentiments Then there are the
impulses Of love and admiration which
predisrosc the mind to believe in human
goodness and render it optimistic i'll its
conceptions of character. On the other .
hand, there are the less pleasing sent-
mcnts of distrust, hostility, and con-
tempt, which sustain the conception
that everybody is mean and ignoblc till
he has proved himself to be the contrary.
These and other feelings always dispose
their pOssessols to form certain opinions
respecting any new character long before
lhes have the necessary foundation for
such opinions. TO any one who will
give himself the trouble of working out
the many and complicated influences
which tend to produce conviction re-
spccting matters of character, quite apart
from the force of evidence, it can not be
surprising that peoples judgments on
the ideas and motives Of others are often
SO crude and incXact, and 50 little de-
serving to be called intuitions.