The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-07-24

king. A..
One 81 the wise mans utterances Is that
"a fool dosplseth his neighbor." IL II a law
- ,bvsics that action Is equal TO reaction
and Of social lifo that anger stirre'h up
strife" Strong language provokes fo''''-
o,co Ifaman says you sre fool II you
40 ,b,s or that thing. you Just prefer 70 90
II rather than DO terrorized. onh 10 oo''
not 10 take these things as personal; hnu We
a.. inclinsd 10 think our old friend told the
truth. II il not smart to despise anybody
and that for a great many reasons, so many
in faot. that II @ supercilious man "ouid
orlv l,sten 10 reason he would be convinced
that when he does despIse his neighoor ne
makes a fool of himself independently OF
the dictum. and yet how sorsly we are
tempted 10 do this foolish thing
The ordinary ofense of being SO very
large In our own eyes and 80 exceedingly
syeled and lifted up By little run OF iucK
"a not 10 be able TO see the small fry about
ma who away down below appear hko
mice. that is an acute case and proves II
self. IT is not open for discussion. bus
there Is another application. 1t Is the temp
tation TO which the average man OF decent
sense and breeding is liable-that borders on
that of feeling like oussing" when real
fragrant. blatant outrageous fool spreads
himself like peacock or turkey Robbler.
Laughing at the creature does not satisfy
us We want to kick II. We want TO wash
Il and wipe it out. II offends ell the man
hood that is In us and stirs tho depths ot
our gall and bitterness. There are
said 10 DO three kinds Of fools. one
regular fool. then - fool anu
then tho superlativs, who Is one and Is
glad of it. We can't think that Solomon,
with all the specimens that he had ID his
eye. and 80 particularly described. could
have had any special respect or love Tor
them. And ais book is certainly not eulogy
of fools. And he never did say directly
that man was fool for despisinR fool.
But If Solomon spoke without exception or
compromise, no must have been aware that
he was certainly caught IN his own trap,
and wos in danger Of hurting bis father's
feelings. Neither father nor son had any
good words 10 say about fool.
The great difficulty about despis;ng our
peighbor is getting caught under and spend
ing our Indignation on some weakness That
we know all about that we hate because
We feel so guilty OF II. An inebriate has no
charity for poor drunkard who makes O
beast of himself. And the culpable in any
department Of human vice or folly is always
severest'on the unfortunate in pari delictu.
Indeed it is conscious guilt that makes IL
90 pleasant to Law il heavily on the poor
fellow that is caught and IL little worse
than ourselves. II Is eisvating 70 SEQ 80 me
one below rs.
But despising Is very natural feeling
kind of gift and an unquestionable priv
lege. In every mans life there are coca
sious when he feels Ike using the words Of
the old character in tho play: Small man,
If your continued existence depends on my
notice consider yourself snnihilated"
And even that is not half strong enough.
We feel like Esop's lion, when he found he
had been scared by the thunder Of a toad
and turned and rubbed him clean out with
his huge paw.
We have got to despise certain things.
And il is almost impossible greatly to love
one sort without despising the opposite. If
We were made to love lOwliness and modesty
how can we help despisiug pomp and as
sumption? II we we're made to love honest
nature how can we help despising artistic
| fraud? IL We were made 10 love refne-
ment how can We help despising Yulga1ity?
And II we were made to love good sense and
knowledge how can we help de-
spising stupid and presentious ignorance2
But here is tho high art and accomplish
| ment Of the gentleman; 1t is 10 separate be-
tween the wretched moral disease and the
victim: it is 10 SEQ poor creature, all COW
cred with the scurvy Of selfshness, III man
nors, ignorance, protension, vulgarity
and meanness and hate, despiso
abhor the disease that is making
him miserable and offensive, and yet sin
| cerely 20 pity the victim. II is 20 SEQ
through PHYS melting eve a blind brother,
hugging and holding on 10 mis- tawdry rags,
and watchfully, honorAbly to look for the
! spark Of Deity thht IS IN him, the good parts
that be is ignoring. Il Is honestly TO make
q man of him. in spite Of his own vain
shows and efforts 10 degrade himself.
As Leicester whispered 10 Blount as he
minced or squirmed up to the presence Of
tho Queen Curse thee. man. canst thou
not walk liIe a man and a soldier p" Then,
if be heed thee, thou has gained thy
brother. So we may safely indulge our
selves and not fall out with Solomon.