
For the Literary Magazine.
vanity.
VANITY is commonly judged of
by external appearances: he who
betrays his desire of applause most,
who practices most assiduously the
tricks and stratagems by which ap-
probation can be gained, is deemed
the vainest man; but this distinc-
tion seems to be groundless. The
difference between him who does
this, and him who does it not, seems
to imply, not a difference in their
vanity, that is, in their desire of
applause, but only in their judgment
as to the best means of gaining the
approbation they desire.
Some minds are so firmly and
forcibly convinced, that praise is
always withheld with an obstinacy
proportioned to the importunity with
which it is exacted or besought;
that men bestow applause and at-
tribute merit just in that degree in
which it is disclaimed or shunned;
that their vanity, or desire of ap-
plause, produces in them all the
symptoms of extreme diffidence and
modesty. They carefully forbear
introducing themselves and their
exploits into conversation. They
even take pains to lead away our
thoughts from every thing connected
with their own merits. Instead of
assuming the merit of offices or per-
formances which belong to others,
they even disclaim what is proper-
ly their due, and take the same
pains to make their good actions be
ascribed to others, which some take
to appropriate the praise of deeds
not their own. And all this they
do, in submission to a violent and
fervent love of praise; and merely
because observation and experience
teach them that this is the only sure
road to the goal of their ambition.
Such persons are thought the reverse
of vain; but, if it be allowed that
the passion for praise will most suc-
cessfully attain its object by a sys-
tem of reserve and exterior diffi-
dence, and that it is possible for a
man to have the perception of this
truth, united with this passion, it
follows, that the most seemingly
diffident may be the most vain.
Vanity, however, is generally as-
cribed to those who make their own
good opinion of themselves manifest,
and who take obvious, and, of
course, self-defeating methods of
obtaining the praise they deem their
due. The mere desire of applause,
and the consciousness of deserving
it, do not entitle a man to be called
vain; he must also evince such a
weakness of judgment, as leads him
to defeat his own purpose, by the
means made use of to attain it.