Year: 1867

Stupidity acts as good stcadying influence;


it enables persons to turn corners by graceful |
curve instead of an abrupt angle, and general |
ly sOttens the shocks and collisions to which the
world would otherwise be exposed We may
often observe on a small scale the same plea
SAINT and, so to say, lubrlcating influence of
stupidity in society If two clever men come
together who differ in opinion upon some ex-
citing topic, such as the Jamaica prosecutions,
they probably begin to argue, as if argument
were not the very bane OF all agreeable conver-
sation They manage to pierce each other s
armOr at the weak places, to hit upon the most
irritating TOPICS and to keep to that point Ill
manner calculated to be vexaclOus tor If
two logical people really keep to the point they
must ultimately end by something like giving
! each other the lie. Now stupid man acts in


such case as an admirable buffer. He is


probably argumentative, but he prevents the


argument ever tending to conclusion. 1t


wapders vaguely about and stirs up crowds of
irrelevant topics, and gets bewildered and en-


tangled till every one is glad to drop it. The


fool behaves like the blunderer who intertereS


between two skillful opponents; probably he
is run through the body himself, but as 1t is
in merely logical sense, he is perfectly lnsen-
sible to the wound. In short, the presence OF
a few fools on such occasions dulls the force OF
the blows delivered. They act the part OF the
compound which, when mixed with gunpOw-


der, renders it non-explOsve and society which
if exclusively formed of clever men would be


mere arena for intellectual gladlators, be-


comes tolerably tranquil by reason of its fools.


1t must be admitted that the clever fool does


not possess this admirably tranquiliZng infiu-


ence. On the contrary he is one of the dis


turbing elements Of society. A man who has


plenty of brains, but little wisdom, must OF


course pursue an erratic and incalculable course
His political function is obvious. He may be
e used to demonstrate the futility OF new reforms


when he acts as a leader; or, when acting un


der more capable guidance, to supply the ranl
), and file of forlorn hopes. There are many
W clever men who have a talent for making every


cause they adopt Observation-Disclosures vegeta


rianism, or the conversion of the Jews or man
40 hood suffrage; and it is fortunate colncldenc
~ when such men adopt cause ridiculous Il
ps. itself. The best way Of making its absurdit
er conspicuous to the popular mind is to asso


ciate it irretrievably with an absurd character


In the case of genuine reforms, which hav
,er vitality enough to survive the satire directe
en- against most incpient reforms, the clever foe
nd is equally useful as a ridicule conductor. IL
ees Is an involuntary martyr who advertlses hi
nm IN cause sufficiently to attract the attention
'"' able supporters. If the cause survives hin
icy he has the chance Of being canOnized accOrC
ga ingly and perhaps good many of those &C
: mirable enthusiasts upon whom we look bac


as wise beyond their time merely had the luc


to bunder into the right position.


? Fools may be useful as ballast, but very il
convenient when their weight is placed


more exalted positions. In fact there is a GOO
ac- deal Of reason for holding that brains are MOI


important than virtue in high positions.


private life it is probably true, according
&c sundry respectable aphorisms, that virtue c
ape Ue the whole is good thing even in this life b
"i' virtue, when it takes the common form


wrong ng-headed consciousness, is high


Objectionable popularity in rulers. A man


frst-rate ability generally. does more good tn
m, harm as ruler, because it is obviously his
terest to make things work well and to get l
49,, of obsolete machinery. Even when his pers
aeu ne' nal motives are bad, Caesar or Napole
U". has sincere respect tor facts and a tenden
off to demolsh fctions whereas a ruler with
ieft strong conscience and an inferior brain is
van. Hence the use of fools has very defined limi


and we need never be afraid that the sup
H. will not be quite equal to the demand.