Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-10-21
The. Habit Of DctractlCn.

Nothing 10 50 easy - tJrLj. ~ - hard
10 overcome, 80 habit. Whether il L."
mental or IL. chani.ai, hal:t ri thought
or a habit OF person. Ami Ut all, hone
is so easy aha persistent, rot 10 :peak
of m!schieVons aLi destructive. as the
habi: OF detracilor. 1t is such ii tuia -
tation to get into The way Q: seeing the
worst OF every Onn. aDd turning NJ the
seamy SIDE Of everything; and ghouil,h
Gs Is the satisfaction OF f.tteuiug our
own lean regulations On the destruction
Of another 4, there /, a selfish value in
it also, rs thereby We Show forth oui-
selves so much tie better by the force
of contrast. For. all things being
relative in tits world, and nothing
absolute, if We can bat pain. ano.her's
complexion Of full black, our own
doubtful white seems SNOW colorai, and
even our dusky gray not SO very far
removed from white. 1t is one If the
most depressing thilgs in the world to
be with those who habitually speak evil
Of others. Ole feels in charmed
circle of hopeless iniquity, ii i, be not
one Of delusive appearances. Every
thing Is bad throughout, and there is
weary soul to res. OF. People whom
We have loved siaee We were children.
are shown to us as scanned and Scared
with iniquiti.s, and unworthy orr
most tepid regard; names that We haze
venerated are stripped of their laurels,
and crowned with weeds and straw, or
made ouf TO be the mere shadows OF
names, II, indeed, they are not the
shadows of icui substances; dOctri ues
We have held rcverently, are no longer
golden songs of peace ami truth, but
sounding brass and tinkling cymbals;
everything is snesred at; every one
decrled; and all tie poetry of life is
vulgarized, and brought down from the
rOseate glory Of the upper Dir. where
our loving faith and fancy placed it, TO
the lowest stratum of mephitic vapors.
People given to detraction can never
find possible excuse, q charitable rea-
son. for anything they DO not qsite
agree with, like, or understand. Say
they see some one they know under
conditions admitting of two explana-
tions-one supposing doubtful taste or
discretion, the other compatible with
perfect innocence and purity of thought
and motive; you never hear them give
the latter Interpretation, Or accept it
when offered to them. 1t must he that
doubtful appearances are the warranty
of evil deeds; and they will not be
convinced contrariWise.
Says Archbishop TiiiotisoD: "To
speak evil of others is almost become
the general entertainment If all com
panies; aud the great and serious b1si-
ness of most meetings and visits, after
the necessary csremoni,s ard compli
ments are over, is to Fit u Wa aud
bsckbite all the world. 1t is The sauce
of conversation; and all discourse is
counted but flat and dull which hath
not something of piquancy and sharp
ness in it against somebody. For mel
generally love rather to hear evil CT
others than good. and are secretly
pleased with evil reports, and drink
them in with greediness and delight;
though, at the same time, they have SO
much justice as to hate those that
propagate them; ard so much wit as to
conclude that these very persons will
do the same for them in another place
and company"