The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 9, May, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 9, May, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
A gentleman, for similar reasons, often indulges sentiments of love
towards her whom he knows that circumstances will never permit to be
his. I have seen many cases of most tender attachment, of this kind.
Travellers in foreign countries, and persons in lower stations of
life, suddenly brought into contact with the upper, furnish the most
frequent illustrations.
_Pride and Vanity._
We are now prepared to compare the sexes together, as to two most
important traits in character--_pride_ and _vanity_; and before
entering upon this investigation, it is proper to premise, that I use
these words in their technical philosophical meaning: _Pride_ to mean
that quality which makes us set a high value on ourselves,
independently of the esteem of the world--and _vanity_, to be that
which makes us desire the esteem of others, and value ourselves
accordingly.
False pride is the valuing ourselves for properties which are really
contemptible, or not praiseworthy; and false vanity is the desire of
the esteem of those whose opinions we should disregard, either because
of the inferiority of their judgments, or because of the
insignificance of the merit, for which we claim their approbation. The
meaning which I have here given to _false_ pride and vanity, is what
is generally attached in ordinary parlance to the simple terms pride
and vanity.
Now, according to the definition given above, it follows, that these
two qualities belong, in some proportions, to all the members of the
human family. Man is evidently made by his maker, a being of relations
and dependencies: coming into the world in the most helpless and
dependent condition, the preservation of his life, and the training of
infancy, demand the continued assistance of others: those who are
around him, give him his daily food, and teach him his daily lessons:
their esteem and love is the reward of his little virtues and merits:
their censures and frowns his punishments. As he grows to manhood, and
his mind expands, his relations with the world become more numerous,
and more extensive, and he ultimately seeks the applause and esteem,
not only of the little family circle in which he was reared, but of
his neighborhood, of his State; then, if his ambition be great, of
mankind, and of the generations that are to follow. Thus the desire of
the applause of the world, and the dread of its censure, becomes one
of the most powerful motives to action, in the breast of man--this is
_vanity_.
But at the same time, there is that within us, which produces
happiness from the reflection, that we have done our duty, and that
our conduct is praiseworthy, whether we have the esteem of the world
or not. We value ourselves for what we consider our real intrinsic
merits, and not for the applause of the world--and this is _pride_.
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