The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-11-20
Clever People.

usage to which these are sometimes sub
iected is of such character that they
may readily he excused if they occ;l-
sionally devoutly wish that they were
stupid. Their less brilliant neigh
bors are continually trying to pick
holes in their coats, with the view of
showing the world that they are not
deserving of such high praise as the
world seems disposed to award them.
Critics who will graciously permit per-
sons of a commonplace character to
escape the lash of censure, pounce upon
IA man who is popularity supposed to be
above the average in point of intellect
ual attainments and savagely fagellate
him to the extent of their power. At
one time they endeavour to prove that
he is a rank impostor: at another time
they hint that he is a dangerous charac-
ter, who is doing more harm than good
in the world; and, in exceptional cases,
when he outrages their selfish pref
udices, they go so far as to cast a doubt
upon his sanity. The individual who
has made a fortune by grinding the life
out of his employees and constantly get
ting the better of those who have had
business transactions with him, will
inform you, with unctuous self satisfac-
ton, that certain clever people are
lacking in the most important of all
things, viz, common sense. The per-
son who never reads anything but the
most mwhelesome columns of daily
newspaper, will sheer at the produc-
tions of master minds and declare that
the same are mischievous rubbish.
And so it is with large portion of
mankind. Unless man has the
talent of amassing money-even
though he possesses ten others which
are of higher and purer character
even though he has painted pictures,
written books, made scientific investiga-
tons, and formulated systems of phi
losophy which represent more actual
FRAMEWORK and integrity of purpose
than hundred fortunes society
deems itself at liberty to make light of
him and to sheer at him if it feels dis
posed to do so. When it does conde-
scend to recognize his claims, it often
does so in manner which may well
inspire him with the most profound
disgust. In nine cases out of ten,
people exalt him-when they doso-be-
cause they wish to be exalted them
selves. They would like it to be I'M
derstood that they are OH terms of in
timacy with this man of genius, and
that they have been graciously pleased
to patronize that other person Of talent.
No doubt, indeed, there are enterpris-
ing beings who would keep a recog-
nized man of talent about their prem
ises, just as they keep prize cattle, if the
expenditure of money would. enable
them to do so. At the same time nine
tenths of those who sound the praises
of their clever friends-or, rather,
those whom they are pleased to say
are their friends-are very careful to
point out that the said friends are
peculiar, and eccentric, and so on, as if
the "strange creatures" could do the
work which they are doing, if they
were continually pausing in their
labors to see that they were not outrag-
ing any of the laws to which the
plutocracy pay a slavish Difference.
Then when man of ability comes
to grief, there is a wagging of heads
and time of rejoicing. Stupid peo-
pie gloat over the fact that he has not
been able to look after himself better
than they have been able to look after
themselves; and the chances are that
they begin to think themselves quite
clever upon the score of his solitary
failure in a matter which is, in their
eyes, of paramount Importance, but to
which he has devoted little attention.
Clever people, in addition to being as
class disliked, are feared. Very few
ordinary persons are at their ease when
talking to them; and great many
consider that the less intercourse they
hold with them the better will it be for
their peace of mind. Often they
fancy that the stupendous beings cannot
take an interest in the matters which
most delight ordinary natures. In all
this they are very foolish. A weak
mind is always benefited when it comes
in contact with a strong mind; and it
will be found that in numerous cases
those who possess the most powerful
intellects possess the gentleness and, in
many respects, the simplicity of child
rem. OF course, there are so-called
clever people who will not condescend
to consort with those who are assumed
to be humber mentally than them
selves and make a point of snubbing
those who will consent to be snubbed by
them; but it will be found that these
naughty tvrants are, in ii general way,
impostors and that their arrogant
assumption of superiority to most of
those with whom they are brought in
contact is as unjustifable as it is
abominable 1t will be well if those
who are now crushed by the position
and reputed knowledge of these DULLES
will take heart, in the event Of their
doing which it may happen that they
will find that their adversaries are-in
spite of their store of technical knowl-
edge-;,s incapable of original thought
as they are of consideration for the feel
ings of others. Unfortunately, many
people are not only afraid to have much
to do with clever people in their individ-
ual capacities, but they look with the
most profound suspicion upon much
that clever people do. As a great
number of clever people are constantly
making important discoveries, as they
are in the habit of promulgating what
appear novelideas, and us they fail to sub
scribe to that comfortable doctrine that
all is for the best, and therefore do not
argue that amodern institution, whether
it be good or bad, should be preserved
simply because it is an institution, this
Is not surprising. But it is to the last
degree absurd: that men should greet
with bowls of eXecration veiws of things
which do not coinside with their notions
and appear calculated to revolutionize
great deal Of what they are accustom-
ed to- The spirit which led to the
go s,Ial is,,,,6l,l tl.a