worldly ways and byways-第7节

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of　cases　positively　self…depreciatory；　doubting　of　themselves　and　

their　talents；　constantly　aiming　at　greater　perfection　in　their　art　

or　a　higher　development　of　their　powers；　never　contented　with　what　

they　have　achieved；　beyond　the　idea　that　it　has　been　another　step　

toward　their　goal。　　Knowing　this；　it　is　always　a　shock　on　meeting　

the　mediocre　people　who　form　such　a　discouraging　majority　in　any　

society；　to　discover　that　they　are　all　so　pleased　with　themselves；　

their　achievements；　their　place　in　the　world；　and　their　own　ability　

and　discernment！



Who　has　not　sat　chafing　in　silence　while　Mediocrity；　in　a　white　

waistcoat　and　jangling　fobs；　occupied　the　after…dinner　hour　in　

imparting　second…hand　information　as　his　personal　views　on　

literature　and　art？　　Can　you　not　hear　him　saying　once　again：　〃I　

don't　pretend　to　know　anything　about　art　and　all　that　sort　of　

thing；　you　know；　but　when　I　go　to　an　exhibition　I　can　always　pick　

out　the　best　pictures　at　a　glance。　　Sort　of　a　way　I　have；　and　I　

never　make　mistakes；　you　know。〃



Then　go　and　watch；　as　I　have；　Henri　Rochefort　as　he　laboriously　

forms　the　opinions　that　are　to　appear　later　in　one　of　his　〃SALONS；〃　

realizing　the　while　that　he　is　FACILE　PRINCEPS　among　the　art　

critics　of　his　day；　that　with　a　line　he　can　make　or　mar　a　

reputation　and　by　a　word　draw　the　admiring　crowd　around　an　unknown　

canvas。　　While　Rochefort　toils　and　ponders　and　hesitates；　do　you　

suppose　a　doubt　as　to　his　own　astuteness　ever　dims　the　self…

complacency　of　White　Waistcoat？　　Never！



There　lies　the　strength　of　the　feeble…minded。　　By　a　special　

dispensation　of　Providence；　they　can　never　see　but　one　side　of　a　

subject；　so　are　always　convinced　that　they　are　right；　and　from　the　

height　of　their　contentment；　look　down　on　those　who　chance　to　

differ　with　them。



A　lady　who　has　gathered　into　her　dainty　salons　the　fruit　of　many　

years'　careful　study　and　tireless　〃weeding〃　will　ask　anxiously　if　

you　are　quite　sure　you　like　the　effect　of　her　latest　acquisition　…　

some　eighteenth…century　statuette　or　screen　（flotsam；　probably；　

from　the　great　shipwreck　of　Versailles）；　and　listen　earnestly　to　

your　verdict。　　The　good　soul　who　has　just　furnished　her　house　by　

contract；　with　the　latest　〃Louis　Fourteenth　Street〃　productions；　

conducts　you　complacently　through　her　chambers　of　horrors；　wreathed　

in　tranquil　smiles；　born　of　ignorance　and　that　smug　assurance　

granted　only　to　the　…　small。



When　a　small　intellect　goes　in　for　cultivating　itself　and　improving　

its　mind；　you　realize　what　the　poet　meant　in　asserting　that　a　

little　learning　was　a　dangerous　thing。　　For　Mediocrity　is　apt；　when　

it　dines　out；　to　get　up　a　subject　beforehand；　and　announce　to　an　

astonished　circle；　as　quite　new　and　personal　discoveries；　that　the　

Renaissance　was　introduced　into　France　from　Italy；　or　that　Columbus　

in　his　day　made　important　〃finds。〃



When　the　incompetent　advance　another　step　and　write　or　paint　…　

which；　alas！　is　only　too　frequent　…　the　world　of　art　and　literature　

is　flooded　with　their　productions。　　When　White　Waistcoat；　for　

example；　takes　to　painting；　late　in　life；　and　comes　to　you；　canvas　

in　hand；　for　criticism　（read　praise）；　he　is　apt　to　remark　modestly：



〃Corot　never　painted　until　he　was　fifty；　and　I　am　only　forty…eight。　　

So　I　feel　I　should　not　let　myself　be　discouraged。〃



The　problem　of　life　is　said　to　be　the　finding　of　a　happiness　that　

is　not　enjoyed　at　the　expense　of　others；　and　surely　this　class　have　

solved　that　Sphinx's　riddle；　for　they　float　through　their　days　in　a　

dream　of　complacency　disturbed　neither　by　corroding　doubt　nor　

harassed　by　jealousies。



Whole　families　of　feeble…minded　people；　on　the　strength　of　an　

ancestor　who　achieved　distinction　a　hundred　years　ago；　live　in　

constant　thanksgiving　that　they　〃are　not　as　other　men。〃　　None　of　

the　great　man's　descendants　have　done　anything　to　be　particularly　

proud　of　since　their　remote　progenitor　signed　the　Declaration　of　

Independence　or　governed　a　colony。　　They　have　vegetated　in　small　

provincial　cities　and　inter…married　into　other　equally　fortunate　

families；　but　the　sense　of　superiority　is　ever　present　to　sustain　

them；　under　straitened　circumstances　and　diminishing　prestige。　　The　

world　may　move　on　around　them；　but　they　never　advance。　　Why　should　

they？　　They　have　reached　perfection。　　The　brains　and　enterprise　

that　have　revolutionized　our　age　knock　in　vain　at　their　doors。　　

They　belong　to　that　vast　〃majority　that　is　always　in　the　wrong；〃　

being　so　pleased　with　themselves；　their　ways；　and　their　feeble　

little　lines　of　thought；　that　any　change　or　advancement　gives　their　

system　a　shock。



A　painter　I　know　was　once　importuned　for　a　sketch　by　a　lady　of　this　

class。　　After　many　delays　and　renewed　demands　he　presented　her　one　

day；　when　she　and　some　friends　were　visiting　his　studio；　with　a　

delightful　open…air　study　simply　framed。　　She　seemed　confused　at　

the　offering；　to　his　astonishment；　as　she　had　not　lacked　APLOMB　in　

asking　for　the　sketch。　　After　much　blushing　and　fumbling　she　

succeeded　in　getting　the　painting　loose；　and　handing　back　the　

frame；　remarked：



〃I　will　take　the　painting；　but　you　must　keep　the　frame。　　My　husband　

would　never　allow　me　to　accept　anything　of　value　from　you！〃　…　and　

smiled　on　the　speechless　painter；　doubtless　charmed　with　her　own　

tact。



Complacent　people　are　the　same　drag　on　a　society　that　a　brake　would　

be　to　a　coach　going　up　hill。　　They　are　the　〃eternal　negative〃　and　

would　extinguish；　if　they　could；　any　light　stronger　than　that　to　

which　their　weak　eyes　have　been　accustomed。　　They　look　with　

astonishment　and　distrust　at　any　one　trying　to　break　away　from　

their　tiresome　old　ways　and　habits；　and　wonder　why　all　the　world　is　

not　as　pleased　with　their　personalities　as　they　are　themselves；　

suggesting；　if　you　are　willing　to　waste　your　time　listening　to　

their　twaddle；　that　there　is　something　radically　wrong　in　any　

innovation；　that　both　〃Church　and　State〃　will　be　imperilled　if　

things　are　altered。　　No　blight；　no　mildew　is　more　fatal　to　a　plant　

than　the　〃complacent〃　are　to　the　world。　　They　resent　any　progress　

and　are　offended　if　you　mention　before　them　any　new　standards　or　

points　of　view。　　〃What　has　been　good　enough　for　us　and　our　parents　

should　certainly　be　satisfactory　to　the　younger　generations。〃　　It　

seems　to　the　contented　like　pure　presumption　on　the　part　of　their　

acquaintances　to　wander　after　strange　gods；　in　the　shape　of　new　

ideals；　higher　standards　of　culture；　or　a　perfected　refinement　of　

surroundings。



We　are　perhaps　wrong　to　pity　complacent　people。　　It　is　for　another　

class　our　sympathy　should　be　kept；　for　those　who　cannot　refrain　

from　doubting　of　themselves　and　the　value　of　their　work　…　those　

unfortunate　gifted　and　artistic　spirits　who　descend　too　often　the　

VIA　DOLOROSA　of　discontent　and　despair；　who　have　a　higher　ideal　

than　their　neighbors；　and；　in　struggling　after　an　unattainable　

perfection；　fall　by　the　wayside。









CHAPTER　7　…　The　Discontent　of　Talent





THE　complacency　that　buoys　up　self…sufficient　souls；　soothing　them　

with　the　illusion　that　they　themselves；　their　towns；　country；　

language；　and　habits　are　above　improvement；　causing　them　to　

shudder；　as　at　a　sacrilege；　if　any　changes　are　suggested；　is　

fortunately　limited　to　a　class　of　stay…at…home　nonentities。　　In　

proportion　as　it　is　common　among　them；　is　it　rare　or　delightfully　

absent　in　any　society　of　gifted　or　imaginative　people。



Among　our　globe…trotting　compatriots　this　defect　is　much　less　

general　than　in　the　older　nations　of　the　world；　for　the　excellent　

reason；　that　the　moment　a　man　travels　or　takes　the　trouble　to　know　

people　of　different　nationalities；　his　armor　of　complacency　

receives　so　severe　a　blow；　that　it　is　shattered　forever；　the　

wanderer　returning　home　wiser　and　much　more　modest。　　There　seems　to　

be　something　fatal　to　conceit　in　the　air　of　great　centres；　

professionally　or　in　general　society　a　man　so　soon　finds　his　level。



The　〃great　world〃　may　foster　other　faults；　human　nature　is　sure　to　

develop　some　in　every　walk　of　life。　　Smug　contentment；　however；　

disappears　in　its　rarefied　atmosphere；　giving　place　to　a　craving　

for　improvement；　a　nervous　alertness　that　keeps　the　mind　from　

stagnating　and　urges　it　on　to　do　its　best。



It　is　never　the　beautiful　woman　who　sits　down　in　smiling　serenity　

before　her　mirror。　　She　is　tireless　in　her　efforts　to　enhance　her　

beauty　and　set　it　off　to　the　best　advantage。　　Her　figure　is　never　

slender　enough；　nor　her　carriage　sufficiently　erect　to　satisfy。　　

But　the　〃frump〃　will　let　herself　and　all　her　surroundings　go　to　

seed；　not　from　humbleness　of　mind　or　an　overwhelming　sense　of　her　

own　unworthiness；　but　in　pure　complacent　conceit。



A　criticism　to　which　the　highly　gifted　lay　themselves　open　from　

those　who　do　not　understand　them；　is　their　lov