The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-02-28
SELF-ESTiaiATioS.

There arc few thing, more iiGicali 70 acquire
/ AMI more rarely pqsse..ei than fair aud true
estimate g uncs character abiliiie. aEd per.
| formarces. II is not strange tha; the Young
| Ierislly shoull rank them much - highly. Ab-
.orhcl as they are in their own bright ho',o. in
the iisus and scheme which they "a -erly embrace
AMI in their very limited experience Il life. il
D. n wu1icr TIA; they rate thsis own powcrs
AMI form an exaggerated notion 6 their oan
| arh;eVweuts. Even o!lc- persons. wh, have bet
;cs 1ii oftuni;es e irl:.n-. All have had repeat;
| 81 experience u failure AMI di.appaitiucui are
n, free from the fa'.y aui vanity anl con
ceii are hN 10 mears the rarssi faults 90 bc met
! wiih in human lie.
weH inien;i Ie re l,e. tea sing 81, inigri
Tendency "i al iai.. au m Nipu. O. avert il. . t.
a. opposite ,Ntrcsae an cul;ls ate ieN and meat
oliu'"n pi st.s. Tie, ieisceiaie iheu..elye. in q
| y iesale Iaauncr, All would have every one e.c
| . 40 the zane. They recommend humility a.
the 90 i;hcsi ,iftgr. moaning hy iha; the mere un-
| iervaiuia, cscfHtAias they s.c AMI have. simply
hccgg.e It :. ihe!rs. vitheu; reference T. il. real
| character ot use. Both these extremes are bad.
| bgi the Latter !. the worse. tending il doe. q
| produce the vey evil j; dcpiofc.. Convince q
1 taan that hc J. hnsblc - 10 4 certain thing. and
hc will never try % .ia Il; convince him that be j.
| mean. ~ low. ~ degraded. and he will probably
become convince him that HI. cforis fg;ils
| AMI be viii csase g. Put them forth. Hs;. hn
| msu uaturr j. too sensible &c be thus convinced e
/
mock humility. Shica .ati.ics iise'; by gi;crin ::
word. q mock dispsFa cement. and count. TIE in
| sincerity virtue. The folly OF trying 60 cuFc one
extreme by usgin: On an opposite one i palpahle
| Nothing i. 80 good or wholesome tie simple
truth. anl he Who helps g. fni out single real
thin. about our.ciVe. does far greater service
than scoui by iniiscriminaiely gnlcrs alains
| Yet the truth in ,hi. matter /. the very thin :
that j. iiffculi O. obtain. oar aitainmen;s. cur
qualities. ouF value only be jsisci relatively
| II j. only they compare With those of ether
/ people. or With some imaginary ideal ;hai they
/ can BE- called strong - weak. good ~ evil. hish
| ~ low. The s;rens,h Il generation j. the
| fesblsne.. of another. The morality # one Is the
1 immortality of ano thcr. The highest conception
of the savage j. poor and mean 10 the civilized
| man, the neritorioas SELF denial of the isnoTan;
| anil neglected youth is the commonplace anl
| every day action of the well instructed lad. The
opinion We hold of ourselves then, 10 determine
BY the standard which apply. anl that IL large
| Is formed by our associates. II 10 quite natural
| that a boy q moderate intelligence aud attain
| ments. living mainly anon: his intellectual in
fcrior.. and measuring himself By them. should
gros vain aud conceitei. Probably no moral lee
tures on the folly of vanity. nor any attempt %
disproye his fancieI superiority will materially al
ter his sell. estimate. But change his surround.
inss put him With his equals and supeTiors. lei
| him daily fnugle with wiser and brighter boy.
than himself. and gradually but surely the truth
will dawn upon him. aud the bubbie of his eoncei'
will be broken. Ills standard has risen aud he
hnd. himself looking up with re'peet sud a.PiFs
tion. instead e looking down with supercili0us
ness So With every one Of ns-wc are instructive
| " and even unconsciously measuring ahilite,
| and our characters by those arpundus II We hap.
pen 10 10 thrown mostly among those who have
had fewer advantages than ourselves. Who are
slower or duller or weaker in principle than va
are. Ne s,raightway plume ourselves upon our su
| periority hut let Us exchange this society fol
| those above US In intelligence or knowledge. oi
skill. or wisdom. or social esteem or moral excel
Ienee. and We come to think more humbly and more
truly Of our own aitainmsnts.
Not only change Of association, but change o.
thought or action, will Often open up 10 Us truei
| view of self. Deeper study aud broader knowiedg'
often changes the conceited and superficial studcn
into al humble aud earnest one. by showing hin
the boundless regions of thought and truth 10 b
pursued. The diligent striving 90 accomplish an!
| task worihiiy reveals new fields 20 conquer. ans
protests US against self. sHiheieney. The study o
the lives of great and good men, the eoniempla
tion Of natures wonderful works, the search int,
her mysieries the culture Of the faciiies-aii tent
| 20 the same result. Whatever opens up new field
| and higher views. whatever trOadens our mind
aud decpens our thoughts. whatever raises ou
ideal Of what NC Hasy be, also sobsr' our opinion
Of what We arc.
The humility thus acquired never prompts an!
. | one 20 underrate himself, or to make loose ans
geaeral confessions Of weakness and uiekedness
the particulars Of which be would indignantly 70
sent. II Il as far removed from "the pride whiel
. apes humility" as from the pride which struts il
naughty arrogance. II ieads % louly estimai
Of self. not that We may shrink and crouch an
stoop. but that We may aspire and strive and rise
II is the beginning of higher life. the promise
J . nObler faturs.-PAiiadeiPAia Ledger.