Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-08-18
Fools and DamphoolS

From the Detroit Free Press
The world has agreed for the sake of conve-
nience to divide its fools into two species One
it calls simply a FOOL the other TO adopt the
word which Doesticks applied to his friend IL
calls a damphool. This is used strictly in its
scientific, not its profane, and has nothing i'm
common with the shallow and random use which
angry men make of it to give vent to their mo-
mentary irritation. 1t is as distinct and techni-
cal label as mustang" to describe a species
of horse, or terrier" to describe species Of
dog.
A fool is often harmless. and NAV be snubbed
and kept i'm order. A damphool cannot be. A
fool is often tolefable and docile III he cannot
be taught much wisdom he can be taught ODE
dience and respect. But though a damphool
may have intelligence. he has little or no rever-
ence. A fool may have some humor. but a
damphool has none. fool can be made a fool
of; a damphool makes a fool OF himself A fool
may have a little sense but whatever other
sense damphool may possess. he is sure to lack
common sense. A fool may be humble and re-
tiTing but it is the essence of his kinsmen to be
conceited and self-asserting. A fool generally
knows he is a fool. and so is often doleful when
he thinks of it; but damphool never knows it,
and 80 is happy. fool is often stupid. head
less, laundering, aimless. like hen or fly;
the other is strutting, irritating, conceited like
turkey and a peacock; or a noisy nuisance
like June beetle. A fool is often patient we'll
disposed. and, though slow. good natured. like
the ass; but his foster brother is apt to bear
malice, and is intelligently obstinate like the
mule.
To the ranks of the odious Kind of fool
belong those who banker morbidly for no
tOriety-the Tanners the Bradlaughs the
Guiteaus. the Booths, the Count Johannes and
George Francis Trains Poor Train. however,
has stepped down and out of the ranks. and now
appears to be simply and only fool. The fool
is an object of sympathy. of pity, compassion
and help; his robust relative gives cause for
disgust, for sport. for dersion and ridcule.
shakespeare, OF course, saw the difference
between these types, and has drawn them
with his usual clearness and acuteness. His
fools and clowns are famous-Touchston
and DogberTy: Launce Slender old Gobbo
and the like; but his damphools
such as Justice Shallow, Pistol. Falstaff, Po-
lonious, old Capulet, have equal rights to con-
sideratiOn. When, in the play Of Midsummer
Nights Dream" the dramatist changed Bottom
the Weaver into an ass. he turned his damphool
into a simple fool. For Bottom the Weaver i'm
AGNES he can write play, take the chief role
and be stage manager all at the same time max
ing himself pompous and ridiculous, indeed;
but changed into an ass he is docile and hum
BILE and wants only to have his head scratched
and to be fed on dried peas and good sweet
hay.
fool may be pious and reverential. believe
in creeds and religion; but the other sort is
quite likely to be an atheist. David undoubt-
edly meant to write that the danphool ''hath
said there is no God"
GE0RGIA's TEMPERANCE BIL.-The general
temperance bill. reported by the special COM
mittee, was defeated in the Georgia senate
Tuesday by vote of 20 to 19. Twenty-three
votes were necessary to its passage.
BRUTE LYNCHED-A Paducah (Kyo special
says that on August +. Reeves. colored. at
tempted indecent violence on the person Of Miss
Dora Lingston, in Graves county, having broken
into the room i'm the night. Her cries brought
help, and he fed. The whole country swarmed
with pursuers. He was captured at Ogdens
Landing in Ballard county yesterday. To-day
he was taken away by a large mounted mob
from the persons conducting him to the Graves
county Jail and subsequently lynched.
STUDIES OF ROMAN CATHOLIC YOUTH.-A tcl-
egram from Cincinnati. Ohio, August 16, says
Coadjutor Bishop Elder, of this diocese, has Just
completed arrangements for the reorganization
of the parochial schools. The history of the
United States and the Constitution are to be
prominent studies, and especial attention will
be given to the cultivation of good morals.
The boys of Westminster school had remis-
sion or holiday to enable them to attend the
funeral Of Dean Stanley. Some of them took
advantage of this to play cricket.
Lewis G. Folger, esq, of Cincinnati, was cured
of nQnralDia nv ST Iaenhs nil