Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-14

| Suppose some one does point out to
| you an error, or let 1t be known that
| he thinks you were uncouth under GER
tain circumstances
There is not the slightest doubt that
all men make errors from time to time,
and there Is more than a suspicion that
even the best bred gentlemen say and
do things at times which are uncouth
from the standpoint Of perfect deport-
ment.
The liability Of human beings 70 err
has been noted over the centuries, but
modern man affects to profess himself
| something else again.
Standardization has poked its ugly
inhuman head into this matter, as in
many others, with the result that toe
| many OF us make out Cat which the
+, angels laugh) that we are perfect.
TO err is human; to forgive divine. -
Such was the line struck of by he
who was called the ape Of Twicken-
nam. 1t Is not on record whether Pope
resented that gibe too strenuously. We
rather think that he did not. for the
man who could sum up so much in so
little mad, despite his many faults, q
soul above the petty and the mean.
Physical disabilities and pain were
what made Pope what he was; they
brought about words and actions which
people did not like, but also they gave
rise to the divine truth in him.
Man in his heart of hearts reyeres
the truth. He knows, If he knows any
thing, that the search for the truth is
as near to divinity as he can come in
this world.
What is the truth no man knows,
Tor sure, but that 1t Is worth while
every man admits.
" y
The truth shall set you free By the
truth no man is harmed. These are
two OF the aphorisms which come down
to US concerning the truth Now there
Is enough Of the philosopher In all of
us to understand the essential wisdom
embodied in these and similar maxims.
one does not have to be DR.. Will
Durant TO love philosophy or to benefit
from a calm consideration of essential
matters involved In its study.
Every man who expresses his opin-
ion. although it may be haltingly and
perhaps poorly enough, is q seeker after
truth, and TO that extent as much of a
philosopher as Socrates.
This world is Allied with philosophers
every man and woman of us, many chill
dren, too-each seeking for the best for
himself and his loved ones If he pos
sesses shred Of human kindness, he
will be willing that others should seek
for their happiness.
II he have a whit of common sense
in his mental makeup, he will realize
that, no matter how much 1t hurts, the
opinion OF some other truth-seeker is
valuable. In fact, one is inclined to
believe that the more it hurts, in any
given case, the more valuable such an
opinion is.
Therefore. when a criticism from some
one, either to your face or behind your
back, sets up mental singing. be not
like the foolish invertebrates" who try
to make themselves believe that they
are never wrong and would bulldoze
every one else into the same belief, but
be We like brave men, who know that
it Is impossible for any one person to
know 1t all, who realize that one often
errs, often makes mistakes In thoughts,
expressions and conduct and who are
willing to overlook the criticism and to
forgive the originator, provided that
both the criticism and its maker are
honest.