, 1877-01-06

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impertinence by o cranky person. So.
also, they may not realize that their anx.
xiety to puff themselves induces them
to play The parts OF braggsrts and liars.
Indeed. it is just possible that they them.
selves may imagine that their decidedly
apocryphal stories are true albeit that no
one else does. But, admitting ell this.
their conduct 10 terribly aggraVatiug, and
It is greatly to be deplored that they
cannot be taught to amend their ways.
1t must, however, be admitted. on be.
half of the class to whom we have so faE
referred, that they are infinitely preferable
to those individuals who are not only
wrapped ia Themselves but are offensive
DULLES into the bargain. These social
ENTHUSIASTICALLY, they cannot fairly
be called anything else-are positive pests
to any society into which they are intro
duced. They do more than unconsciously
ignore the claims OF those by whom they
are surrounded ; they discount, In q pecu'
liar and offensive manner, the pretensions
of their neighbours. 81 did it I alone
did II - such Is the weatisome song whlsh
they are perpetually dining into the sars
of those who are 30 unfortunate 40 to have
to listen to them, @ song which 10 only
relieved by dismal variations OF how /
did it, and when / did il, and how nobody
else could have done IT," Their wrath
when they are crossed in any way 10 sw"
full in its intensity II it 10 contemplate IN
Its form. Yet there 10 every reason why
social s~washbucklers should be OCCASION
ally shown that their claims to be recog-
Missed lions" rest upon anything but sta
BILE foundations. Nine times out OF cen
the achievements of which they boast
have had no existence except in their
imaglnations, and the victories OF which
they brag have been very much like de"
feSts. They will represent that they are
the sources from which public men
draw their inspiration ; that they are che
authors Of books and newspaper srtiN
Giles which have been published anony'
mously and that o crowd OF celebrities
in the artistic world have crouched hum"
bly, at their feet and derived Instruction
and encouragement from them. Yet the
truth probably Is that the public mon
alluded to look upon them With disgust
that they could not write o readable
book or article il they tried /; and that the
artists whom they alIegs that they have
patronissd know nothing whatever about
them and do not want TO do 90. AgaiOs
when they are parties TO the confederation of
any scheme or are assisting in the promotion
OF any work they will attempt to bully the@
colleagues into silence and will belloW
about their immense experience end their
tremendous knowledge. But, If you take
the trouble to investigate the matter. you
will 6od THAI they have had no experience
worth speaking Of, and that sheir know:
ledge is Of che moot absurdly mythical
character. Your inquiries will also cons
vince you that they are good for very
little except talking and that the only
time that they can shine 10 when ehey are
disparsging their neighbours or bombas.
tically sounding their own praisaP'
Perhaps nothing will more convince you
of the r~idiculousness of their pretensions
than an encounter between two heroes.
of the swashbuckliug type. It is amusing
to see how they endesvour to snub each
other how they become enraged as they
are mutually foiled time after time ; and
how they idiotically appeal to b~ystandsFs
for sympathy. u is said that it takes Q
thief to catch a thief it certainly needs q
social swashbuckler to bring about the
humiliation Of O social ~swashbuckler.