The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-11-07

dsinteredness existing as a motive
cause. The actions Of men, unfortu-
nately, proceed from so many and COM
pick impulses that it is always possible
to assign one which is bad and I'M
worthy. If, for instance, public deed
is done which involves the sacrifice of
much money or much labor, what more
rational than to suppose it done
with the view of getting the praises of
men? If the labor Of a life eliminates
in some great thing, which brings
money as well as a name, what can one
who reads the soul so well as a cynic
attribute it to but a thirst after filthy
lucre? When there are several ends to
be attained. let us, he says. always
choose the least noble. When several
may have been at work, let us, says the
cynic, choose the basest. Thus society
means a crush at an Eat home" din
ner party of twenty people-strangers
to each other; futile attempt not to
appear bored; a perfectly transparent
pretense at enjoyment; and such terms
as friendship, gratitude and honor are
now tolerably devoid of meaning. Cler-
gymen are, by the nature of their pro-
fession, humbugs All political men
have one single aim and no other-to
get or to keep place. And the little
things that we were once taught to re-
gard as among the most pleasant in
life, the gathering of families, the talk
, ing over o1G times witt brotnJIs- and
cousins and the joyous public festivities,
these are the saddest humbugs of
| n nHAr.r niViligafiAn tho fhipor- hot
poison our cup of happiness. With
| these maXims and some few others the
literary cynic makes out pretty well.
The art cvnic has a narrower sphere
of action. You may find him about the
picture galleries. He stands before a
picture where Che whole soul-a moor
| thing. perhaps. but all he has-of the
artist has been poured out. Women.
looking at the fixed thought on the
canvas, are moved to tears. He. how
ever is unmoyed. After mature c0nsid-
Grafton he turns to his friend and
whispers audiblv: "Ah! ves-prettv
well-the old trick, YOU sect So the
simple country folks dry their ewes
ashamed to be seen cryinC over a picinre
that is done by the odd trick, - and 90
on to the next. aIltheir pleasure spo;led.
Sometimes he GETS an opportunitv of
speaking out in some review. Then.
taking The picture in detail. he has a
chance to sheer at every one,
The theatrical cvnicHhe never Iaucbs
and never cries. needless TO add that
he never applauds. His finest opportu-
nitv is when the whole house is in fears
He is wont then. TO turn round to the
man with him. whose throat is. perbaps
choked Mt the moment with = SIM
pressed sob. and to whisner loudlv.
'.Verv badly done. all this. never
saw a worse piece" So that the neo-
pie all round leave off crvino and trv
not to feel interested in fhe beroine's
sufferinrs. In the same way. when
faces are broadoned with orins whom
boxes and pit and gallery are
roaring with LAUGHTER. he will sit with
unmoVed counteDance orremark. impa-
tientlv, Dear me! this is very meIan-
cholyr' which has an effect npon the
audience similar to that of oil upon the
unnumbered smiles of ocean. Some
nights ago | saw two of these critics at
New York theater. They were not
greatly advanced in years, the elder
being apparently about twenty-one.
They listened with grave faces at the
funny parts, keeping, thought, a fur
tive eye one on the other, to detect and
deride any accidental lurking smile,
but when we came to the misfortunes
of the heroine, and the agony was piled
up higher than we could well bear. these
two young heroes, with whom intellect
and an overwhelming appreciation of
art altogether conquered and drove out
sympathy, and with whom the critical
faculty 50 far mastered the emotional,
that theyElost the power of feeling the
thought, in watching for the expression
of the poet, suddenly rose, moved by a
common impulse BAH said the
younger, with an infallible air of disdain,
what rot it is! Let us get out of here. -
So they got out. The two bows were,
after all, only boys. As for the rest of
us we cried and laughed at the foolish
piece till our sides ached.
saw vouno but very nromisino
cvnic the other day. in an EnisronaI
Church. Three bows were sittinr
together he in fine middle but 7 tbinf
he had come alone. The other two
pulled ont their Ribles and followed tbe
lessons. Joined in the chants sano the
HYMNS ineIt for the nravers and Tepnr-
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