The Charlotte Democrat., 1896-02-28
TIE V1cs Of Pedantry.

To define pedantrysso as TO give 1t all
its sbados of meaning would be difficult
tack not to say an impossible, task. For
general purposes, however, Webster's def
milton is sufficiently accurate and com
prehensive. He says that iti-" vain os
tentation of learning-a boasttul display
of knowledge of any kind" 1t is always
disagreeable thing, but the measure of
its offensiveness is determined by the
particular form which at any given time
it may happen TO assume. Its milder
manifestations are fitted to provoke q
contemptous smile; it's more pretentious
displays, an indignant sneer. In its most
innocent and least censurable gaise, IT
consists in the perpetual paradihg of ones
literary attainments, in the incessant use
of bookish talk in all sorts of circles and
on all sorts of occasions The best and
the worst that can be said of this is that
it is exceedingly egotistical and impolite.
Common courtesy should teach US not to
monopolize a conversation for the pur,
pose of showing off our real or fancied
superiority. When books are professedly
the subject of the talk, or even when
they are incidentally mentioned, there 10
no reason why one who is competent to
do 80 should not modestly give an opinion
or express fixed judgment but this is
one thing, and the oficious thrusting of
books upon the attention of people who
neither know nor care anything about
them is quite another thing.
Pedantry may 60 further still, and may
-
cism. It may become not only vain and
foolish, but also false and insincere. In
fact, it oflentimes actually reaches this
last limit.Not content with strutting. in it's
own plumes,it steals any brilliant feathers
that it may chance to pick up, and wears
them with as much grace as if the theft
were a matter of congratulation. 1t is
bad enough to be childishly proud of the
knowledge that is really ours, but great
deal worse to try to gain credi. for the
knowledge that We do not possess.
Not great while ago we read some
what elaborate theological pamphlet from
a gentleman who is known to bea man
of real ability, and who is supposed to be
an accomplished sch 9lar There is ap-
pended to the pamphlet list of authori-
ties in German, and the impression is evil
deptly thought to be made that the author
is familiar with them all, when to our
certain knowledge the utmost reach of
bis ability is to translate page or so OF
simple German with the aid of good
dictionary. What shall we say of such a
mn?
Many preachers, unconscously We
think, have fallen into a similar habit
In recent sermon, which, in spite of many
excelIences, bore q strong Resemblance
to crazy quilt, We heard good bro ther
quote as though at first hand not less
than half score of pro minent writers
from Confucius to Emerson. Yet, unless
We are much at fault, be has never
opened volume of one of the great men
whose opin ions he ratified off SO glibly-
Let us have done with this foolish and
hurtful practice. 1t does no good, but
much harm. Simplicity, manliness,
traightforwardnes-al these things are
opposed to- it, and every sensible man
who has ever been in any way guilty OF
it should repent in dust and ashes, and
vow to behave better for all time te
| come.