passionate" come and depict to him his disaster—at length they depart, content and edified, having gloated over both the afflicted man's sorrow, and their own and spent an enjoyable afternoon.
225
Mean of making oneself/ easily despised.— A man who speaks much and fast, sinks after a brief intercourse extremely low in our estimation, even though he speak rationally—not only in proportion as he annoys us, but even much lower. For we divine how many people he has already annoyed, thus adding to the discomfort which he causes, also the contempt which we suppose others to feel for him
226
On the intercourse with celebrities.—A.: Why do you avoid this great man ?—B.: I should not like to misunderstand him. Our foibles are incompatible: I am short-sighted and suspicious, and he exhibits his false diamonds with as much delight as his real ones.
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Chain-wearers.—Beware of all enchained intellects; of clever women, for instance, wliom fate has banished to narrow, dull surroundings, amongst which they grow old. True, they are lying in the sun. apparently idle and half-blind; but at every unknown step, at every
