The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-08-12
STRAlGHTFORWARDNESs.
(Wrtten for The Comet, by Lady Cook, nee
Tennessee Clahin.)

teaches man how to die. He might
have added, and also how to live The
earliest and noblest conceptions that
ever existed concerning life and its
duties we owe to the Stoics. These
have never been surpassed, so that most
of our best moral ideas today are the
fruits of their philosophy. Pythagoras,
it is said, dividep virtue into two parts
to seek truth and do good; but the
Stoics were more active with the former
than with the latter. 1t is our moral
duty to follow truth, regardless of con-
sequence, wheresoever it leads Truth
fulness is the highest test of character,
and when we add the doing of good to
the seeking after it, we attain the great
est moral excellence. We are then
veracious in thought and deed ready to
follow evidence "even to the most un-
welcome conclusions, and to do right
whatever may happen. Savages are
normal liars. Veracity is the product
of civilization, and especially of an in
dustrial civilization. The law of truth
so powerfully inculcated by Greek
philosophers among comparatively
non-industrial people, is one of the
marvels of history. Mediaeval creduli-
ty, however, with the legends and
forgeries of the early Christian church,
and the universal lying that followed,
obscured the rational teachings of the
Stoics, and debased the moral character
of Europe. To lie was praiseworthy,
provided religious purposes could be
served thereby. There was a slight re-
newal of the love of veracity when
chivalry was the mode, but this was
chiefly confined to the knightly class.
TO tell a lie was opposed to the VOWS of
knighthood, but any lie might, not
withstanding, be received as truth.
Chivalry was merely temporary fash
ion, and knew nothing of philosophy
The reformation was produced from a
love of truth and the spirit of free en-
quiry as much as from the abuses of
the Roman Catholic church, and, from
the time of its inception, truth and the
love of truth and of scientific research,
have distinguished protestant countries
throughout the world. But, on the
whole, wherever theological dogmas
are concerned, we are obliged to be-
lieve with the great German historian,
Herder, when he asserted that the
phrase christian veracity" deserves
to rank with the phrase "Punic faith. y
The Romans were pre- eminent for their
truthfulness. They admired good faith,
and practiced straight forwardness as @
rule, and the lessons of the Stoics pro-
duced great results. Rome was feared
for its strength. and respected for its
honesty. With the decline of fidelity
to engagements and of love of truth, its
power declined also. For they who had
scorned the baseness of "Punic faith
became themselves as false and unre
liable as the Carthagenians.
The English have often been termed
the Modern Romans. They have thu
same solidity Of character, obediencet t.
the law, and love of justice; the same
facility in ruling allen States; the same
love of the solid and the useful, and tn,
same strong tenacity of purpose. l
they fatter themselves about any on,
thing more than another, it is that the,
are straight forward. If they praise
friend, they say he is outspoken; b
means what he says and says what h.
means; he is thoroughly open and can
did, and gives you what is in bis mind
He is not like Mr.. Facing bothways, .
Mr.. Pliable, shuffler, deceiver,
Jesuitical talker, disingenous and un
reliable, but aman whom you can trus
and trust always as truthful and up
right friend. In word, he is straigh
forward. There is pleasant ring abou
this word. IT is Anglo-Saxon to til
core. 1t suggests the picture of Joh
Bull, not as Max O'Rell paints him
but stout, forid, healthy, genial gen
tleman, beaming with good-nature an
honest in word and work, candi
friend and and an open foe. Unfortur
ately, not only are not all Englishme
like this, but it is much to be feare
that straightforwardness is virtu
possessed by the minority, and that til
breed of Mr.. Facing -both-ways is muc
! larger than is ordinarily supposed.
\ we analyse society into its warrior
l classes, we shall see that there is sti
; abundant room for an increase
" straightforwardness. We will try
It few.
n n Take parents first. If there are al
= to whom, above all others, they shoul
ID be straightforward, it should be to the
| children. These require the fulle
4 candour of treatment as we'll as car
. . But how frequently are their innoce
r. questions, which are all-important
te them, put off by subterfuge or dow
right falsehood? The mind of 4
s child thirsting for information, da