The SNEERER is next to be treated of. The SNEERER is of the same family as the scorner, but the scorner disgusts by a sense of his own worth, the sneerer by an evident conviction of the defects of others. The true SNEERER sneers at every body and every thing, even the weather he speaks of with sneering bitterness, as thus: "I suppose some people call this spring, but I call it winter." He then takes the opportunity of adding, yet met my old friend G. just now without a great coat, affecting to be young." 66 66 So your old friend T," says one of his acquaintances, "is made a baronet." "How proper!" he replies, "he should bear the bloody hand, as his grandfather was a butcher." "I hear," says another, "that our friend C. is going to travel." "Who pays his expenses?" replies the sneerer. "Himself." Indeed! if he waited a year or two longer, I dare say he would be sent abroad at the expense of the government, and for life." "I find," says some one to a female sneerer, (for there are such,) "that Miss M. is going to publish a book." "Very likely," returns the sneerer, " for I see she has no time to comb her hair or mend her stockings." "I met William R. and his wife just now in such high spirits," observes another friend. "I conclude it was after dinner then," replies the sneerer. It is thus true sneerers talk, not like scorners, insinuating their own superiority, but taking a mean pleasure in depreciating whoever and whatever may be named in their presence. Irony is a weapon which sneerers are very skilful in using, and it is difficult to know how to conduct one's self with propriety, when one is conscious of being attacked by it. It is more dignified not to betray one's consciousness, that the compliments addressed to us are ironical, but then it is very mischievous to the treacherous utterers of them, as it encourages them to continue the unworthy practice, whereas immediate detection might frighten them into amendment. But then the exposure must be made with great gentleness and self command, else avowed or secret hostility is the consequence; and there are few persons who, smarting under the consciousness of intended injury, can coolly reprove and mildly expostulate. Therefore, silence is safest on such occasions, and one must let the flattering traitor suppose one's vanity is so gross, as not to discover the lurking sarcasm and the insidious sneer. I must add, that ironical praise appears to me to proceed from a spirit more deserving than almost any other of the name of diabolical. In the first place, if the speakers expect to have their praise received as sincere, it is a cruel snare to the vanity of the persons addressed, while it exposes them to the derision of the rest of the company. In the second place, if the object of the flattery sees and feels the intended ridicule, a pang is wantonly inflicted on the heart of a fellow-creature, which no human being is warranted to inflict on another "For, let the ungentle spirit learn, from hence, Before I proceed to the next class of detractors, I beg leave to make a few remarks on some, who seem to have a family likeness to scorners and sneerers, by the frequent use of this phrase, "Oh! for my part, I like nothing but what is first-rate." I never hear this expression without wondering, not only at the arrogant assumption of superior taste in the person speaking, but at their courage also in making such a conceited avowal; and when, for iny own satisfaction, I have analyzed the talents of the parties. I have found these despisers of mediocrity were not much above mediocrity themselves; no wonder, for real talent is commonly indulgent. But the declaration has excited my pity; for, as enjoyment is to be derived from every gradation of talent in art, as well as in the beauties of nature, these exclusive admirers of first-rates lose a considerable degree of innocent pleasure, by their superior refinement; and happy, on the contrary, are those, who have an humbler taste. First-rate conversation is said, and with truth, to be met with chiefly in the circles of the metropolis, because there is the greatest assemblage of conversationalists of distinguished abilities. What objects of pity, then, must the intellectual residents of a country "town be, if they could endure no conversation that was not first-rate? The exertions of provincial artists would be paralyzed, and the advantages of their annual exhibition annihilated, if their fellow citizens. should ever give in to the pretension of not liking any thing but what is called first-rate. And how much innocent enjoyment would be lost to parents and their children also, if, when the former are wishing and intending to exhibit their performances in art, the persons addressed should observe with a supercilious expression of countenance, "For my part, I never look at any paintings, or drawings, but what are first-rate. 59 But is this fastidiousness a proof of the superior refinement of taste to which it seems to lay claim? I think not. Who could believe those persons to be real admirers of the simple melody of the woods, that should declare their contempt of all singing, but that of the nightingale? The lover of the sweet song of birds loves it in all its varieties, and thinks it beautiful in all. And who could give those critics credit for a real love of painting, who should declare that they could look at no portraits at the exhibition but those of the president and the academicians, because they could not endure any pictures, but what they had reason to conclude were first-rates? since those who have a true feeling of art, and possess a discriminating eye, can find beauties even amongst works by less distinguished exhibitors. And do they really love poetry who can only read what they consider as first-rate? No, the true lover of it can delight occasionally in a simple ballad, as much as a fine epic, and can enjoy every gradation of verse between those two extremes. An aptitude to be pleased is one of the sweetest sources of sublunary enjoyment; and parents and preceptors would do wisely, I think, to cultivate in their children and pupils indulgent rather than fastidious views not only of men but of things, if it were merely as a means of increasing their pleasurable feelings, and consequently their happiness. 66 I beg leave to conclude these observations with the following anecdote on the subject of first-rates. "I have quite an aversion," said a gentleman one day to a friend of mine, "to every thing not first-rate, especially in poetry, and never read any thing that has not a well known name attached to it." "I am sorry to hear it," replied my friend, taking a manuscript out of her pocket; "as I have some verses here by an anonymous author, which appear to me to have great merit, perhaps you will oblige me by casting your eye over them." He complied, but soon returned them say ing, "Excuse me! there is not merit here sufficient to induce me to break through my rule. There is nothing first-rate here. "Well," replied the other, "I can only say, that I found these lines in an obscure magazine, and nameless, I maintain, that the best poets of the day might be glad to own them!" and |