The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-07-29
Self Measurement.
From London Spectator.

From London Spectator.
1t is nearly impossible that the new ae-
euracy of self measurement as to powers,
be they intellectual or physical, should not
extend, in degree at least, to qualities,
and we believe it does. We viii not say
men are not self deceived still as to their
virtues and vices, but they are much less
deceived than they were. They know for
the most part perfectly well if they have
tempers, or if they are tyrannical, or if
they are greedy, or if they are selfish, or
if they are afraid of danger. They may
not admit a defect of qualities as they ad-
NIT a defect Of powers, because their new
clearness of vision has developed new
dread of circumstantial opinion, but they
recognize it fully and sometimes make of
the recognition basis for action in life.
We have known at lest two cases of
jealous men deliberately refusing profitable
positions in which that passion would be
strongly excited and have repeatedly heard
men assign their tempers as difficulties
which would, as they saw with perfect
clearness, impede their success in life As
to greed, We believe its recognition to be
the commonest of all things and constant
reason with the man himself either for
choosing career or deliberately rejecting
one as too much surrounded with ''tempta-
tons for his particular weakness. The
timid constantly decline good prospects for
careers for which they know themselves
untitled, and so, occasionally to the intol-
cradle vexation of their friends, do the
lazy, who very often are thoroughly aware
of and deplore a vice-ifit is vice, which
depends on circumstances-of which they
nevertheless cannot purge their natures.
81 know" says the man so affected,
''that | shall shirk the work. Liars, too,
are keenly aware of their special tempta-
ton, and though they refuse nothing on
account of it are wonderfully aware of the
risks they run, and usually, though not al
ways, hate those who bring their vice into
active exercise.
Selfishness is more subtle quality, be-
cause it takes to itself intellectual Disguise
the selfish desire for dominance, for exam
pie, often presenting itself under the APP
pearauee of duty. But even sel6shness,
we imagine, seldom hides itself from the
man whose nature it corrodes Certainly
the most selfish man We ever encountered
knew thoroughly that he was selfish and
excused himself to himself, not by denying
his vice, but by attributing it to every
| ether person with whom he came in con-
tact. The view inwardly as well as the
view outwardly has cleared, and the men
of the day tend at all events to realize the
philosophers advice and know themselves
quite through.
Whether this clearneSS of view induces
modern men to purge themselves Of their
evil qualities more than their self deceived
predecessors, we cannot quite decide. On
the whole, we think not, and that there is
a strong alloy Of cynicism in modern clear
sightedness, but there must be reserves in
that harsh judgment, and more especially
about selfishness. We never knew man
made less greedy by his controlling will
and never heard of man cured Of laziness
by anything but poverty or other deep
cutting whip. Even that often fails, lazi-
ness being in some natures as dominant a
vice as the desire for excitement which we
call "dipsomania." But we have seen
desperate and successful efforts To control
temper and, curiously enough, real cures
of selfishuess effected from within. The
man is helped in that last effort by the
modern passion for sympathy and some
times lands himself in the opposite and
stupidity illogical position of one who be-
lieves that the pleasant course is the selfish
course and therefore past discussion the
wrong course to pursue-whioh it may be
or may not,