Talkers Part 15

"What a pity that Sidney makes such preposterous pretensions to learning in his conversation," said Smith the next day to Arthur.

"It certainly is," answered Arthur; "but he is generally so when in the company of any he thinks educated. He aims at equality with them, and even to rise above them, with his comparatively limited acquirements. He rarely, or ever, attains his end. His folly almost invariably meets with an exposure in one way or another. I have met with him on several occasions previous to last night, and he was the same on every one."

"It is to be hoped he will grow wiser as he grows older," said Smith.

"I hope so," said Arthur. "If he do not, he will always be contemptible in the eyes of the wise and learned; and they will do their utmost to shun his society and keep him out of their reach. Were his professions of learning to accord with his real abilities there would be no objection--nothing unseemly; but he aims at that which he has little competency to reach, and so makes himself ludicrous in his attempts.

And then he does it withal in such self-confidence and ostentation as is perfectly revolting to good taste. As his friend, I feel very much for him, and wish he may get a knowledge of his real acquirements, and make no display of his learning beyond what he can honourably sustain, and in which he will be justified by wisdom and propriety. In this way he might obtain a position in which he would receive the respect of society according to the real merits of which he gave obvious proof."

"Those are exactly my views," said Smith, "and I wish they were the views of Sidney too."

XVII.

_THE DETRACTOR._

"The ign.o.ble mind Loves ever to a.s.sail with secret blow The loftier, purer beings of their kind."

W. G. SIMMS.

"Detraction's a bold monster, and fears not To wound the fame of princes, if it find But any blemish in their lives to work on."

Ma.s.sINGER.

A detractor is one whose aim is to lessen, or withdraw from, that which const.i.tutes a good name or contributes to it.

The love of a good name is natural to man. He who has lost this love is considered most desperately fallen below himself.

To acquire a good name and to maintain it, what have not men done, given, and suffered in the world of Literature, Labour, Science, Politics, and Religion?

And who has blamed them for it? It is declared by the highest wisdom, that "A good name is better than great riches," and "better than precious ointment." "The memory of the just shall be blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot." "Whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things."

"It is," as one says, "that which gives us an inferior immortality, and makes us, even in this world, survive ourselves. This part of us alone continues verdant in the grave, and yields a perfume."

Considering, then, the worth of a good name, we cannot wonder that a man should wish to preserve and guard it with all carefulness.

"The honours of a name 'tis just to guard; They are a trust but lent us, which we take, And should, in reverence to the donor's fame, With care transmit them to other hands."

As the work of the detractor is the tarnis.h.i.+ng, or, it may be, the destruction of a man's good name, the evil nature of it may be seen at one view. Can he commit a greater offence against his brother? Can he be guilty of a more heinous motive and aim?

"No wound which warlike hand of enemy Inflicts with dint of sword, so sore doth light As doth the poisonous sting which infamy Infixeth in the name of n.o.ble wight; For by no art, nor any leeches' might, It ever can re-cured be again."

"Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands: But he who filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed."

Let us notice some of the ways in which this talker seeks to accomplish his work.

1. _He represents persons and actions under the most disadvantageous circ.u.mstances he can_, speaking of those which may appear objectionable, and pa.s.sing by those which may be commendable. There is no person so excellent who is not by his circ.u.mstances forced to omit some things which would become him to do if he were able; to perform some things weakly and otherwise than he would if he had the power. There is no action so worthy, but may have some defect in matter, or manner, incapable of redress; and he that represents such persons or actions, leaving out those excusing circ.u.mstances, tends to create an unjust opinion of them, taking from them their due value and commendation.

Thus, to charge a man with not having done a good work, when he had not the power or opportunity, or is by unexpected means hindered from doing it according to his desire; to suggest the action was not done exactly in the best season, in the wisest mode, in the most proper place, with expressions, looks, or gestures most convenient--these are tricks of the detractor, who, when he cannot deny the metal to be good, and the stamp true, clips it, and so would prevent it from being current.

2. _He misconstrues ambiguous words or misinterprets doubtful appearances of things._ A man may speak never so well, or act never so n.o.bly, yet a detractor will make his words bear some ill sense, and his actions tend to some bad purpose; so that we may suspect his meaning, and not yield him our full approbation.

3. _He misnames the qualities of persons or things, and gives bad appellations or epithets to good or indifferent qualities._ The names of virtue and vice do so nearly border in signification that it is easy to transfer them from one to another, and to give the best quality a bad name. Thus, by calling a sober man sour, a cheerful man vain, a conscientious man morose, a devout man superst.i.tious, a free man prodigal, a frugal man sordid, an open man simple, a reserved man crafty, one that stands upon his honour and honesty proud, a kind man ambitiously popular, a modest man sullen, timorous, or stupid, is a way in which the detractor may frequently be known.

4. _He imperfectly characterises persons_, so as purposely to veil, or faintly to disclose, their excellencies, but carefully to expose and to aggravate their defects or failings.

Like an envious painter, he hides, or in shady colours depicts, the graceful parts and goodly features, but brings out the blemishes in clearest light, and most prominent view. There is no man who has not some blemish in his nature or temper; some fault contracted by education or custom; something amiss proceeding from ignorance or misapprehension of things. These (although in themselves small and inconsiderable) the detractor seizes, and thence forms a judgment calculated to excite contempt of him in an unwary spectator; whereas, were charity to judge of him, he would be represented as lovely and excellent.

5. _He does not commend or allow anything as good without interposing some exception to it._ "The man, indeed," he says, "does seem to have a laudable quality; his action has a fair appearance;" but, if he can, he raises some spiteful objection. If he can find nothing plausible to say against him, he will _seem_ to know and to suppress something. He will say, "I know what I know; I know more than I'll say;" adding, perhaps, a significant nod or strong expression, a sarcastic sneer or smile, of what he cannot say in words.

"d.a.m.n with faint praise, a.s.sent with civil leer, And, without seeming, teach the rest to sneer; Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike, Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike."

6. _He suggests that good practices and n.o.ble dispositions are probably the effects of sinister motives and selfish purposes._ As, for instance, a liberal man, in his gifts is influenced by an ambitious spirit or a vain-glorious design; a religious man, in his exercises of devotion, is influenced by hypocrisy, and a desire to gain the good opinion of men, and to promote his worldly interests. "He seems to be a good man," says the detractor, "I must admit; but what are his reasons? Is it not his interest to be so? Does he not seek applause or preferment thereby?

_Doth Job serve G.o.d for nought?_" So said the father of detractors more than two thousand years ago.

7. _He detracts from good actions by attempting to show their defects_, or to point out how they might have been much better. "In some respects they are excellent and praiseworthy; but they might have been better with no more labour and pains. Pity that a thing, when done, is not done to the best of his ability." Thus Judas blamed the good woman who anointed the Saviour's feet. "Why," said he, "was not this ointment sold, and given to the poor?" His covetous heart prompted him to detract from that action which Jesus, in His love, p.r.o.nounced as a _good work_, which should be spoken of as such, wherever the gospel was preached.

8. _A detractor regards not the general good character of a man's conversation_ or discourse which is obvious, but attacks the part which is defective, though less discernible to other eyes than his own; like a man who, looking upon a body admirably beautiful, sees only a wart on the back of one hand to attract his particular attention; or like the man who overlooks the glories of the sun because of its spots.

Such are the chief particulars composing the character of the detractor.

We may now briefly notice some of the _causes_ which influence the detractor in his talk.

1. _Ill nature and bad humour._--As good nature and ingenuous disposition incline men to observe and commend what appears best in our neighbour; so malignity of temper and heart prompt to seek and to find the worst. One, like a bee, gathers honey out of any herb; the other, like a spider, sucks poison out of the sweetest flower.

2. _Pride and inordinate self-importance._--The detractor would draw all praise and glory to himself; he would be the only excellent person; therefore he would jostle the worth of another out of the way, that it may not endanger his; or lessen it by being a rival, that it may not outs.h.i.+ne his reputation, or in any degree eclipse it.

3. _Envy._--A detractor likes not to see a brother stand in the good esteem of others, therefore he aims at the deterioration of his character; his _eye_ is _evil_ and _sore_, hence he would quench or becloud the light that dazzles it.

4. _UnG.o.dly revenge._--His neighbour's good practice condemns his bad life; his neighbour's worth disparages his unworthiness; this he conceives highly prejudicial to him; hence in revenge he labours to vilify the worth and good works of his neighbour.

5. _Sense of weakness, want of courage, or despondency of his own ability._--He who is conscious of his own strength and industry will allow to others the commendation becoming their ability. As he would not lose the fruits of his own deserts, so he takes it for granted that others should enjoy theirs also. To deprive them were to prejudice his own claims. But he that feels himself dest.i.tute of worth, and despairs of reaching the good favour of society, is thence tempted to disparage and defame such as do. This course he takes as the best soother of his disappointed feelings and the chief solace for his conscious defects.

Seeing he cannot rise to the standard of others, he would bring down that of others to his. He cannot directly get any praise, therefore he would indirectly find excuse by shrouding his unworthiness under the blame of others. Hence detraction is a sign of a weak, ign.o.ble spirit; it is an impotent and grovelling serpent, that lurks in the hedge, waiting opportunity to bite the heel of any n.o.bler creature that pa.s.ses by.

Notice the _consequences_ of detraction.

1. _It discourages and hinders the practice of goodness._ Seeing the best men disparaged, and the best actions spoken against, many are deterred from doing or being good in a conspicuous and eminent degree.

Especially may this be so with such as are not independent and superior to what detractors may say about them.

2. _Detraction is injurious to society in general._ Society is maintained in peace and progress by encouragement of mutual and personal virtues and gifts; but when disparagement is cast upon them, they are in danger of languishment and decay; so that a detractor is one of the worst members of society; he is a moth, a canker therein.

3. _Detraction does injury to our neighbour._ It robs him of that reputation which is the just reward of goodness, and chief support in the practice of it; it often hinders him in undertaking a laudable deed; and keeps those from him or sets those against him who would be his friends.

4. Detraction injures those into whose ears it instils its poisonous suggestions, requiring them to connive at the mischief it does to worth and virtue, and desiring them to entertain the same unjust and uncharitable thoughts as itself.

5. The detractor _is an enemy to himself_. He raises against himself animosity and disfavour. Men of self-respect, conscious of their own honest motives and upright actions, will not submit to his unrighteous detraction. They will stand on their own consciousness of rect.i.tude, and, with Right on their side, will cause him to fall into the pit which he has digged for others.