When a Guinea
trader was told by Sir Godfrey Kneller, in the presence of Pope,
that he saw before him two of the greatest men in the world, he
replied: "I don't know how great you may be, but I don't like your
looks. I have often bought a man much better than both of you
together, all bones and muscles, for ten guineas!"
Although Rochefoucauld, in one of his maxims, says that there is
something that is not altogether disagreeable to us in the
misfortunes of even our best friends, it is only the small and
essentially mean nature that finds pleasure in the disappointment,
and annoyance at the success of others. There are, unhappily, for
themselves, persons so constituted that they have not the heart to
be generous. The most disagreeable of all people are those who
"sit in the seat of the scorner." Persons of this sort often come
to regard the success of others, even in a good work, as a kind of
personal offence. They cannot bear to hear another praised,
especially if he belong to their own art, or calling, or
profession. They will pardon a man's failures, but cannot forgive
his doing a thing better than they can do. And where they have
themselves failed, they are found to be the most merciless of
detractors. The sour critic thinks of his rival:
"When Heaven with such parts has blest him,
Have I not reason to detest him?"
The mean mind occupies itself with sneering, carping, and fault-
finding; and is ready to scoff at everything but impudent
effrontery or successful vice.
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