St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-10-25
THE COMMON PEOPLE


on WesaA C1stons That Strife Anssssans
- Prspostsfo1s.
In Europe, rank Il 6rst Of all . Queo.
don Of birth. Mr.. Gladstone must 70
into dinner after . boy il tho boy hap
pens to b duke. This rule Of proceed
ence strikes the American ~ preposter.
Qua Our countrymen have been 30 long
rid OF . privileged class Of titled aristo-
Gratis that they can not understand how
genius and eminent service may DO
reckoned after . mere family distinc-
ton. We believe in blood in this coun-
try. but We expect 1t 70 tell In achieve.
ment before It IL accorded the first place
OF honor. It II true that Americans arc
sometimes accused. not always uniustly,
OF tufthunting; but the titled foreigner
10 sought after over here because he is .
roro aris. social curiosity, and not be-
cause Americans arc born with that in.
stinctive Difference to rank which ID SO
general ON the other side of the At
lantic. An hereditary legislature has
always been impossible here. Strictly
speaking. there are NO common people
except commonplace people. The rigid
ity Of social forms. the drill Of society,
establish . conformity to etiquette
which, however decorous, is not pictur-
esque or otherwise interesting. The i
regulation uniform Of society, the dress |
coat and white cravat, may DO defended |
upon certain grounds which We need not |
examine now; but there should be no |
tolerance for the affection Of q tone, q |
mannerism, which il at war with evory
thing expressive Of originality or evcn
Of individuality. We would not imply
Of course. that people Of good society
are necessarily commonplace or dull. Wit
and hnmor are always welcome among
sensible men and women: but we have
remarked tendency to mako fetish OF
forms, to set up Draconian code ON the
authority Of Mrs Grundy, which is only
too suggestive Of another famous lady's
''prunes and prisms." Pat commonplace
people are not confined to any sphere Of
life. We find them wherever . stupid
mental conservatism condemns the
Of . new thought or
IN independent opinion. II oil
man does not enjoy tho "Para-
disc Lost" IL he is not enthrallod BY the
genius Of Addison or Of Steele. We con.
Tess that We like to hear him acknowl.
edge his treason frankly. There is more
In him than there is in the solemn hum.
bug who processes to admire every thing
that no has been told he ought to ad-
nire. and who has mover in all his life
been guilty Of one honest criticism.
Is the one essential uncom-
non thing in the world, and-though this
nay seem paradoxical-there is . great
leal OF 1t among those whom we are
wont to call the common people. Our i,
'reat novelists seek 1t in remote coun-
~ districts, ia mountain Businesses, in
he lowly retreats Of poverty and ignor.
nce-wherever nature has a chance and
'eople say what they think. 1t fasci.
'ates US because it is human rather
han conventional Tho society novel;
st essays task Of immense difficulty, q
or every body prefers Sam Weller to
'its Augustus Templeton dc We're, and {
ociety Is never dramatic until. under
he impulse OF passion. it tears of its
mask and forgets its rules. When we ,
Aid just now that there were NO com.
ION people except commonplace people,
70 meant merely that there is no com.
ION mold or brand Of human nature. II
wins are not so nearly alike that their
'others do not know them apart, and
othing can destroy tho impress Of in ~
lviduality but academic restraint and
'cial discipline. It is variety of talent
i'd taste that makes the necessary d. p
lsion Of labor the Joyous activity Of y
rogress. and it IL the natural opposi.
ON OF temperaments that endows HUI q
an intercourse with its chief charm. 4
othing could be moro stale. nat and .
aprohtable than . symposium of inter.
cutors who all thought and felt alike
, every imaginable subject
The Hash Of Wit. the bright intelligence.
The beam Of song tho blaze OF eloquence.
. provoked BY the contrast and the
nfict Of independent minds occupying