Part 17 (1/2)

”12. Do all you can to make others happy. Be cheerful. Bend your neck and back more frequently when you pa.s.s those outside of 'select circles.' Fulfil your promises. Pay your debts. Be yourself all you see in others. Be a _good_ man, a _true Christian_, and then you cannot help _finally to_

”13. Stop grumbling.”

The above is an admirable receipt for the grumbling disease. It is composed of ingredients each of which is the best quality of healing medicine. Every grumbler should take the whole as prescribed, and he will soon experience a sensible change in his nature for the better; his friends also will observe him rapidly convalescent, and after a short time will rejoice over his restoration to a sound healthy condition, called by moral physicians--”CONTENTMENT.”

”Sweet are the thoughts that savour of content-- The quiet mind is richer than a crown; Sweet are the nights in careless slumber spent-- The poor estate scorns fortune's angry frown.

Such sweet content, such minds, such sleep, such bliss, Beggars enjoy when princes oft do miss.

The homely house that harbours quiet rest, The cottage that affords no pride nor care, The mean that 'grees with country music best, That sweet consort of Mirth's and Music's fare.

Obscured life sits down a type of bliss; A mind content both crown and kingdom is.”

XIX.

_THE EGOTIST._

”What cracker is this same, that deafs our ears With this abundance of superfluous breath?”

SHAKESPEARE.

”For none more likes to hear himself converse.”

BYRON.

This is a talker whose chief aim is the exhibition of himself in terms and phrases too fulsome and frequent for the pleasure of his hearers.

_I_ was, _I_ am, _I_ shall be, _I_ have, etc., are the p.r.o.nouns and verbs which he chiefly employs. He is all _I_. I is the representative letter of his name, his person, his speech, and his actions. There is nothing greater in the universe to him than that of which _I_ is the type. There is not a more essential letter in the English alphabet to him than the letter _I_. Destroy this, and he would be disabled in his conversation; he would lose the only emblem which he has to set himself off before the eyes of people. He is nothing and can do nothing without _I_. This stands out in an embossed form, which may be felt by the blind man, as well as be seen by those who have eyesight. If you tell him of an interesting circ.u.mstance in which a friend of yours was placed, ”_I_” is sure to be the beginning of a similar story concerning himself.

Speak of some success which your friend has made in trade or commerce, and ”_I_” will be the commencement of something similar, in which he has been more successful. You can inform him of nothing, but ”_I_” is a.s.sociated with what is equal or far superior. Were one required to give an etymology of the egotist, it would be in the words of the Rev. J. B.

Owen: ”One of those gluttonous parts of speech that gulp down every substantive in social grammar into its personal p.r.o.noun, condensing all the tenses and moods of other people's verbs into a first person singular of its own.”

Mr. Slack, of the town of Kenton, was egregiously given to egotism. He was a man of ordinary education, but somewhat elevated above his neighbours in worldly circ.u.mstances. He carried himself with an air of imposing importance, as though he was lord of the entire county. In his conversation he a.s.sumed much more than others who knew him conceded. It was a little matter for him to ignore the abilities of other people. His own prominent self made such demands as almost absorbed the rights of everybody else. Whenever opportunity occurred, he set himself off as _most_ learned, _most_ wealthy, _most_ extensively known, numbering among his acquaintances the _most_ respectable. He rarely talked but to exhibit himself, alone, or in some aristocratic connections.

Mr. Dredge was a neighbour of Mr. Slack's, but of an opposite turn of mind. They were accustomed to make occasional calls upon each other.

Dredge was quiet and una.s.suming, and often allowed Slack to go on with his egotistic gibberish unchecked, which rather encouraged him in his personal weakness.

One morning Mr. Slack called upon Mr. Dredge to spend an hour in a friendly way, as he often did, and, as usual, the conversation was princ.i.p.ally about himself, and things relating to the same important personage.

”Have you seen the French Amba.s.sador yet, Mr. Dredge?”

”No. Have you?”

”Indeed I should think so. I have been in his company several times, and had private interviews with him; and do you know, Mr. Dredge, he showed me more respect and attention than any one else in his company at the same time. He gave me a most pressing invitation to dine with him to-morrow afternoon, at six o'clock; but really, Mr. Dredge, my engagements, you know, are so numerous and important that I was compelled respectfully to decline the honour.”

”You must have felt yourself highly flattered,” said Mr. Dredge calmly.

”Not at all! not at all! It is nothing for me, you know, to dine with amba.s.sadors. I think no more of that than of dining with you.”

”Indeed!” said Dredge in a sarcastic tone. ”I thank you for the compliment.”