The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-12-20
NEW ENGLAND NOTES.
OUR DOUBLE AND TREBLE
NATURE.
M Two People See the Same Person
Alike. A Chlldren's Reading
Room and It's Value to the
Rising Generation.



There is an odd prayer recorded as OF
some one who cried Save me from
my friends, ! can take care OF my enc
mics myself" ] am reminded of this
while turning over the leaves OF four
volumed work entitled personal trains
OF British Authors" 1t is a collection
of the estimates made by the personal
friends and associates Of each individual
author. of their character, genius and
general bearing and habits Of lite az
authors. There is no presentation made
Of their domestic affairs or conduct.
Shelley's mysterious first marriage,
Bvron's quarrel with his wife, Landor's
temper, Southey's weakness-none OF
these are paraded. We have merely
each poet presented as he appeared to
his friends-and the friends assuredly
have not spared these poets
What is curious is the absolutely OPP
posite impression made by most OF them
upon the witnesses. Byron, for in
stance, appeared to ono friend extreme
L. STOW, 70 ha
enormously fat" To one both Byrons
feet were dubbed, and his legs wlthered
to the knee" while another says the
slight defect of one foot was the only
bemish Of his body. One man says
"BvrOn had no conversatlOn-he could
not interchange ideas or information
with you as man of letters Is expected
to do Another reports, II meyer met
with any man who shines SO much In
conversation" "Avaricious and Jealous
tempered and fond of money!" says
one Il never knew a more generous
spirit" says another, cor a more open
hand Lord Byron was totally free
from the curse and degradation of liter
ature-I mean, its jealousies, and its
envy"
OUR DUAL NATURE
Now what are we to think The
same discrepancies appear In all the
dellneations, even to the color OF the
eyes, which in one case one set OF
friends declare were bright blue. anoth.
er set deposlng they were brown. 1t
must no doubt, be referred to the dual
ity which exists IN all Of us, and which
at times we all are dimly conscious of.
The one nature such as we were born
with, the other made for us by circum-
stances. by our environment. our rails
ing, teachers, comrades, and the thou
sand so-called accidents of life, that so
fit 1t to us that it becomes as inseparable
a, the shirt of Nessus.
A man may very we'll be at one time
generously disposed, free and EASY. hos
pltable and full of good works. To see
and hear him you would think he had
but one desire and that was helm every
body around him to have as happy q
life as he himself wa. ENJOYING. To-
morrow the other self foremost. Our
genial friend is morose. irritable readv
70 dispute over straw, resolved against
advancing six pence for family ex-
penses even, let alone for the good of
the jewellers Of Indla's coral strand.
All this at any rate gives variety to
life. Why should we always make the
same figure? Shade is as necessary az
hight to make picture.
Queen Elizabeth it was who desired
her painter to represent her without
shadow. She had sense enough to have
known better, but she was q woman
and that differentiated her. The ser
cannot bear to be represented precisely
as they are. Let it all be light and
glory and rose color, if you please.
Cromwell, on the contrary, grimlv
Instructed his painter that if he did not
represent his features faithfully "wart
on the nose and ALL" he would not he
paid farthing.
Portraits must be composite, and
should always be fattered. The women
are right in the principle, and whether
am painted with brush or with nen
shall desire my friend to omit warts and
nodosltles and use little rose color
rope hit 1t exactly when he described
1ff r