The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-07-26
CONCElTED PEOPLE.
Wen md Women OF Talent aiU avs
Charged with THnity.--f'reIIy
Women Open 10 The Charge
--.Gsiy Ones Hardly
Escape.

There is general outcry against con.
ceited people, often raised by those who
have a mote, if not "A beam, of the same
kind in their own eyes. Is there fault
SO common
To begin with Every man who pos
sesses talent of any description, is
charged by his detractors with vanity. If
| they can fluid no other fault they invaria-
bly, bring forward this one. In many
cases it is no more than the truth but
if a conceited genius is distastful thing,
how much worse is a conceited fool? 1t is
my steadfast belief that for one clever
man who rates himself more highly than
the world agrees to do, there are twenty
may, hundred dull men who do like
wise Three-fourths of civilized human
ity cherish their little private idolatries
Some have tact enough to conceal them );
the fools are not suspected Of such
audacity, but all unite with the remain
ing fourth in falling upon the poor
geniuses, who have at least some excuse
for their vanity.
Beauty as we'll as talent, pretty
women as we'll as clever men, are
alike open to the charge, and in my
opinion those who are ugly and stupid,
too Do we not all know people who are
intensely and obnoxiously proud of their
riding, or shooting, or billiard playing,
their singing, their painting, their
personal fascination, ETC.; sometimes with
reason, but quite as often without?
When they have no such accomplish
ments it is curious to remark what special
form their vanity takes. A supposed
knowledge of the world, or conversational
ability, which is apt to be ridculously
oVerrated ; or perhaps the idea of a subtle
personal charm that wins upon every
BODY. Who has not received the
condolences of these latter? How they
construe the smallest kindness, the most
trifing attention, into warm friendship
on the part of their own sex, and into
something like love on the part of the
other | know a lady who was extrava-
gantly vain of her amiability. She had
a settled, calm conviction that no one
ever was so good tempered as herself,
and she plumed herself and twittered az
complacently as a little bird that never
hears a song so sweet as its own.
How many religious people think
themselves saints of holiness? They
would canonize themselves at once if they
could do so without derogating from
beautiful show of outward humility. Yet
they are not always the most charitable,
not always the most unseltish, not always
the most unfounded of their order. Far
from it.
There are others of different class who
are vain, not Of what they can do if
we'll, ia hundred contingencies should
occur. People possess wonderful talents,
only, unfortunately, they have not been
cultivated and brought forward in the
world. People who would have been
great lawyers, great generals, great
Iovelists, but hang all their lives on the
fatal " if" Consequently, yo@ might
remain forever ignorant of the treasures
that lie hidden beneath the unpromising
surface, were it not that you are perpet-
ually informed Of their existence.
After all, the fault lies greatly with
society itself. Society fosters oonoeit,
not only in wise men, who have something
within them to warrant it, but to a
deplorable extent in the majority, the
enormous majority Of fools. The people
who write lame verses, the people who
bawl out of tune, the people who cover
their walls with their own feeble daubs,
exhibit their performances with an air
of conscious pride that exasperates you,
while social politeness c0mpels you to
say, Every pretty" Every nice indeed, 3"
| though it may be sorely against judgment
and conscience. Sometimes the performer,
glowing with pride, will actually ask,
'Do you like it," Is any one bold
enough to say in such case, itNot at
all" we all lhe know the story Of the
lady who said to DIR. johnson, as she
rose from the pianatoFte, ''This is a very
difficult piece, and the doctors answer
Madam, wish it had been impossible -
but, then, nobody would wish to be
considered an ill-mannered bear in socie-
| ty, as the worthy doctor undoubtedly was.
There are such things IS social lies, and
they come perpetualIy to our lips, whether
we will or no, from those who 1 have just
mentioned to others that result, perhaps,
| from the ili-tined visits of acquaintance
who 'hope they are not disturbing you.
Hereupon you call up smile, assure
them that it is not so, and that you
are very glad TO see them, all
the time wishing they were at the bottom
of the sea. What can YOU do? If you
tell them the truth, or lett be perceived
in the GOODNESS of your manner. they
would be grievouslY offended, and you
would not have friend left.
| Besides the need of politeness, there is
friendly feeling. You would 40. ..ot wish tc
! "otin@ nc ...o 1eenngs of yoor best friend BY
telling him his singing is little short q
painful to tbs musical ear. You fee
sorry to see his vanity fed by praise,
either from unmusical listeners who know
no better, or from kind-hearted friends
who like to please him, especially wha
it costs so little trouble so when he look
to you for word of appreciation, wher
can you do but give it? Thus it is tina
the world encourages the vanity it con
dennis even in the poor units Of ordinar,
life.
An Apoorinoo GIRL EulIa Sipola;r l,a