The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-04
TIE COMMON PEOPLE.
Ol0 World Gu snms That Strike Americans
"a Prcrostcrous.

40 Prcrostcrous.
On Europe. rank is first OF all u oucs-
tion Of birth. Mr.. Gladstone must 20
into dinner scr Il hoy II the boy hap
pens to be cake. This rule of proceed
enco strikes 'c American as prcpostcr-
Gus. Our connsry-ecn have been so long
rid Of privileged class OF titled aristo-
Gratis that they can not understand how
genius and eminent service may be
reckoned after Il mere family distinc
ton We l. love in blood in this coun-
try, bat we expect i t To tell in achieve
ment before 1t is accorded the first place
of honor. is true that Americans arc
sometimes accused, not always unjustIy.
OF tufthunt-ng; but the titled foreigner
is sought after over hero because he is IL
garG 0oGs, = social curiosity, and not be-
cause Americans arc born with that in
stinctivc dctcroncc to rank which is so
general on the other side OF tho At
lantic- An tcredita".- legislature Las
always hc' y nirc.>t.ic here Strictly
speaking, ti,re are 10 common people
excoy' cc-amoHri" "a people The rigid
ity o. sCei'l 'o''u-. he drill of society,
cstabiie', :; Gov 90, ity TO etiquette
which, however ,.e>u1ous, is not pictur-
NSNloO 'N''''t hift 4AGtEtSllUE. nc
regula'DA uniform - society, the dress
coat a1c vince cg..v..,. may bc defended
upon cc~'';r grounds y ic., No ,..c,i 10.
exam y" nuN; hEt there should be no
tolerance Tor the affection OF tone,
nanncrism, which is at war with every
thing expressive of originality or even
Of individuality. We would not imply.
OF course. that people OF good society
are necessarily commonplace dull. Wit
ana hnmor are always welcome among
sensible men and women; but wo have
remarked tendency TO make fetish of
forms, TO set up n Draconian code on tho
authority OF Mrs. Grundy. which is only
too suggestive of another famous lady's
'prunes and prisms." But commonplace
people are not confined to any sphere Of
lie. We find them wherever Il STUPID
mental conservatism condemns the
eccentrlcity of new thought or
an independent opinion If
man docs not enjoy the sPara-
disc Lost. If he is not cnthrallCd by the
genius of Addison or of Steele. VIC con-
fess that VIC like To hear him acknowl-
edge his treason frankly. There is moro
IN him than there is i'll the solemn hum
bug who processes to admire every thing
that he has been told he ought to adj
niro, and who has never in all his life
hcen guilty of one honest criticism.
Originality is the one essential uncom-
mon thing in tho world, and-though this
may seem paradoxical-- there is a great
deal OF it among those whom we arc
won't TO call tho common people. Our
great novclists seek it in remote coun-
~ tiictrintc i'm tot,
the lowly retreats OF poverty and ignor-
ance-w wherever nature has a chance and
people say what they think. 1t fasci-
mates uS because it is human rather
than conventional. The society novel
list essays task of immense difficulty.
for every body prefers Sam Weller TO
Fitz Augustus Tcmplcton De We're, and
society is never dramatic until. under
the impulse Of passion. it tears of its
mask and forgcts its rules. When we
said just now that there were no COM
mon people except commonplace people,
VIC meant merely that there is no COM
mon mold or brand Of human nature.
Twins are not so nearly alike that their
nothcrS do not know them apart and
nothing can destroy the impress of in
dividuality but academic restraint and
social discipline. 1t is variety of talent
and taste that makes tho necessary di-
vision of labor the joyous activity Of
progress, and it is the natural opposi-
ton OF tcmpcraments that cndows hui
man intercourse with its chief charm.
Nothing could be moro stale, fiat and
Improbable than symposium Of inter
iocutors who all thought and felt alike
an pvpru iD,crinu III Ia cu1,;oci
The flash of wit, the bright intelligence
The beam OF song, the blaze of eloquence.
arc provoked by tho contrast and the
conflict of independent minds occupying
different points OF vicw.-N. O. Picay-