The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1891-05-28
THE olFT OF APPRECIATION

One OF the Most Desirable Attributes Of
the Human Organization.
We knew once a woman whose death
left the world consciously poorer for an
unusually large circle OF friends. With
perfectly unaffected modesty she
thought of herself as an altogether
commonplace person. Upon one of the
rare occasions when she spoke Of her
self at all, she lamented that she pos
sessed no special gift. as of music or art
or literary expression, by which she
might give pleasure to others. The
friend to whom she uttered this regret
discriminatory replied: You have, in
very high degree, one Of the most
choice and rare gifts for making people
happy, and that is the gift of apprecia-
ton" 1t was the very essence Of that
gracious woman's singular power and
charm. She had a genius for discover
ing and admiring what was best in ev-
ybody she met.
1t needs more than mere wholesale
good nature to do this. Well-trained
intelligence and the generosity of an
ample nature are required. There must
be the breadth that is capable of taking
many points of view, and the insight
and imagination which enable one to
put himself in the place of another
whose circumstances and aims are
widelysdiverse from his own. And there
must be, further, fine and delicate skill
in expressing the appreciation that is
honestly felt To do so in words is not
always the most effective or acceptable
way It is quite possible to convey to
our friend our sense of his merit and
our interest in his performance, what
ever it may have been, without syl-
liable of what is ordinarily called COM
pliment.
At the same time, there is no reason
for economizing or Withholding just
and kind words of admiration. Many
persons, especially young persons who
pride themselves on being mature and
..knowing," make point of never
praising anybody or anything. They
boast that they never pay compli.
ments." They are all of the callow
notion that the way to show superior
intelligence is by picking flaws and
finding something to laugh at in what
people generally respect and like. This
sort of Juvenile arrogance is unpleas-
ant, but amusing and comparatively in
nocuous. Where there is real intelli-
gence and soundness of feeling it is
pretty sure to be outgrown with other
youthful sillinesses.
But the habit of being niggardly of
praise is more serious and often a
more persistent fault The practice of
fattery is not its antidote. Flattery is
to appreciation what the nauseous imi-
tation in colored sugar is to the
real strawberry. And the worst
thing about fattery is that it dis
credits sincere appreciation Once
let a man get the name of a fiat
terer and his most Just and gent-
| inc utterances of commentator are
| rendered worthless. In order to give
pleasure and do good, our words of
| praise must be the reverse of indiscrim-
mate They must have individual APP
propriateness, and must fall below
rather than go beyond what we truly
think and feel OF such tempered and
rightly-aimcd appreciation, the more
the better, 1t gives joy and courage.
1t stimulates and draws out the powers
and talents which it discerns and APP
plauds 1t wins men and leads them in
! a way as legitimate as it is effective
Examiner.