The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-06-29
People Of Universal knowledge.

i is one Of the curious fads of our day,
writes bright, observing woman, that al
most every. one you meet poses as possess
ing universal knowledge. No subject is
sacred any longer to the specialist. Every
body affects to know everything under the
sun, to have SKINNED the cream off of ev-
cry topic This feminine philosopher thus
continues, there seems to be false shame
that prevents one from admitting his or
her ignorance, and that makes one atttu-
dinise in the ridiculous role of bogus sa-
want. Nothing could be more absurd than
such a pretense. The province of art, of
: music, of literature, of the drama, are so
wide that the wisest might we'll despair,
in the short space of mere lifetime of
learning, even the rudiments of one, yet
every day one meets women who calmly
affect profound knowledge of them all.
They talk glibly of how they adore clas-
steal music and rave over Paderewsk, yet
go to concerts and applaud at the wrong
places.
They discourse about values and feeling
in pictures, vet don't know an etching from
photo-gravure when they see one. They
rave over Old Chelsea and Royal Worces-
ter, yet the only way they can distinguish
them from the new American china is by
the price tag. They have always read the
last book and seen the last play. Their
paths in life are paved with blunders, yet
they go serenely on, utterly unaware that
they have only made their ignorance laugh
. able by their transparent pretentions.
OF course, thirst for knowledge is in
every way commendable but inasmuch as
nobody can know it all, it is hard to see
why one should have SO much hesitation in
saying simply II don't know concern
iDc III
ed. The ignorance of the stupid is tire
some, but the ignorance of the intelligent
Is the most delightful stimulus to con-
versation. What so enhancing as to be
able to describe some bit of scenery, some
historic spot to an interested listener who
has never seen it, but whose quick fancy
paints the picture as you talk? What so
refreshing as to be able to tell some reading
person of the delights of a new book they
are sure to like, but have somehow missed
in the rush of the new publications from
the press? Their II don't know is the
open sesame to the enchanted cave of talk,
from which you may bring out all the
treasures of your knowledge
With women this attitude of pretending
to know it all is peculiarly foolish 1t has
been remarked before now that the girl
with the artless and inquiring air, who
was a good listener and had few opinions,
could marry seven times to the clever
girls once. She never swells the ranks
of the girl bachelors. A good wife has also
been described as a woman who never re-
minds her husband that she had heard his
jokes before, and who could maintain an
interested expression while she listened to
his twice-told tales. 1t Is human nature.
Everybody likes to be the one who has
the pleasure of enlightenng others. 1t is
subtly fattering to self-love butt alas, In
these days how seldom does one get the
chance! All pretend to have seen and heard
it all, and there is no longer anybody left
who will listen. Desirable as knowledge un-
doubtedly is, it is none the less true that
there are times and seasons when ignorance
is still bliss, and among our most delight
full acquantances are those who do not
know everything.