The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-06-23
VANITY.
BY LADY COOK (nee TENNESSEE c1AF11N J

difficult of all knowledge. There are none
so i'll favored, for instance, who will not
admire themselves in a mirror, because
they see not themselves, but some ideal
individual. And with like Partially do
we regard the good and evil qualities
which form our character, always esteem
jng ourselves, no matter how despicabe
we may really be Hence vanity is the
predominant and universal vice. Thus a
pious philosopher said: ''What blindeth
the eye, or what hdeth the heart of man
from himself like vanity? Lo! When thou
seest not thyself, then others discover thee
most plainly"
Cogan defines vanity as ''that species of
pride which, while it presumes upon a
degree of superiority in some particular
articles, fondly courts the applause of
every one within its sphere of action :;
seeking every occasion to display some
talent or some supposed excellency"
Thus vanity is vain glory, and arises
from desire to appear wiser OF richer, or
clcverer, than we actually are, and conse-
quently is sort of imposture, often of
fensive to others and injurious to our
selves.
The extraordinary circumstance about
This failing is that it attacks those who
have many estimabie qualities, as well as
those who have few On none. Peer and
peasant lady and waiting maid Are, in
their distinctive way, alike subject to it,
and the more acutely they are affected by
it, the greater is their self degradation and
loss OF genuine esteem. They may sue
ceed in acquiring the lip service Of para
sites and fools, but il doing This they
must lose The good opinion Of those hose
regard alone is worth having.
Hume, the historian, in one Of his Es-
says, writes on this subject with his usual
power aud lucidity: "a desire of fame,
reputation OF a character with others, is
50 fal from being blamcaFle, thatit seems
nsepalabje from virtue. genius. capaci-
ty, and IL generous OF noble dispositions.
wherein, then, consists vanity, which is
Sd justly REGARDED as fault OF Imperfect
tom 1T seems to consist chiefly III such
4n incorporate display Of our advantages,
houols and omplishments; in such an
mroftunate and open demand Of praise
and admiration, as is so offensive to others
ana epcloaches too far GA their secret vani- !
ty and ambition. 1t is besides a sure symp-
tom of the want OF true dignity and ele-
walton Of mind, which is so great an
ornament in any character For, why
that impatient desire of applause, as if
You We're not justly entitled TO it, and
might not reasonably expect that it would |
for ever attend you? Why 50 anxious to |
inform rs Of the great company which you
have kept the obliging things which were
said 10 You; the honols, the distinctions
which you met with; as if these We're not |
things Of course, and what we could read |
ny Of ourselves have ina gined, without |
being told of them?''
Moutaigne says: 1.-THE corruption of the !
age is made up upon the particular con
II ltAtt 4'AlH VI tNt1N N4tludl lldD. OUe I
contributes treacherv, Others injustice, |
irIeligion, tyranny avarice, and cruelty, |
according as they are Of power; the weak !
Ell SOFT contribute 20 ly, vanity, and idle /
ness. The vold vanity Includes within i
Is meaning Ill sorts Of empty delight or
aIirolous display. all uDsubstantial page /
ANTS and PLEASURES v hose end is merely to !
1latify Week piide, and ali the little osten-
tatious Which are intended to make others .
think OF lis more Lightly than we deserve. /
1t IS derived eithel tuom the Anglo-Saxon .
verb ig9.-'geql, to vithel to fade. to pass
away, to- faint, on { ON raaie,5i to wane.
To- tall away, and linus it denotes that
which las DO substantial basis, but is in
its natrle essentially ephemeral, delusive
and e1arescent. A ad yet observe the ex-
tent to which this idle quality is cultivated
by almost all CLASSES of mankind: civilized
and uncyilized, high and low, rich and
poor, learned and illiterate. The naked
savage who can display some paltrv OBJ
Ject coveted by others, struts as though
he were lord of the universe We laugh
at the righteousness of his vanity. Yet
in a thousand WAYS our own airs and
Alterations are equally absurd We pride
ourselves upon so many things which are
either not worth possessing, or, if they
are, were not obtained by any merit of
our OWE. Stars and carriers, ribbons and
decorations, are not to be despised when
they have been Won by personal valor or
nobility of conduct. They are then the
outward and visible signs of an inward
and spiritual worthiness. But he who de-
rived his orders or titles from the merits
~f another, withoug coming up to the
STANDARD Of the original, decks himself in
borrowed plumes to which he has no moral
right. He resembles clown CARRIED in
the mantle Of philosophy, or d pigmy at
tempting to bear the burden OF Atlas.
But even worse are they who have obtain
ed their distinction by fraud, treachery,
vice OF cruelty; the minions of monarchs,
the betlayers of the people, tie oppressors
of the poor.
Nro 4,