CHAMBERS'
EDINBURGH JOURNAL

APPEARANCES.

It is considered a sound rule not to sacrifice reality forappearances. To be good is held as better than only toseem good. Appearances, in as far as they may serve,and often do serve, as a means of cloaking some evilreality, are not, upon the whole, in good esteem amongmankind. It is a word seldom mentioned without someexpression of contempt or reprobation. Yet it may bequestioned if we could, in this world, quite dispense withappearances.

To lead a life free of gross improprieties is undoubtedlythe first requisite. If, however, while doingthis, we allow much of our conduct to be interpretableinto something opposite, is the result a matter of indifferenceto society? The thoughtless lady who flirts,or, as the common phrase is, allows herself latitudes,and who is yet studious to be substantially correct,answers, Yes; or perhaps she goes no farther than tosay, Being in my own mind conscious of perfect rectitude,I have nothing to say to society on the subject,and it has no title to interfere, so long as I commit noactual transgression. This is specious, and seems toexclude reply. Most people give way to its force, yetdo not act or speak as if they felt it to be quite right.It is wrong in this way: such conduct tends to becomea screen to actual error; for if the virtuous appear toact exactly as the vicious do, how can we know wherevice exists? It is our duty even to appear pure andirreproachable, because, when all that are pure presentonly the symptoms of purity in their

BU KİTABI OKUMAK İÇİN ÜYE OLUN VEYA GİRİŞ YAPIN!

Sitemize Üyelik ÜCRETSİZDİR!