During the walk, she took occasion to lug in all
the little she knew, and at one time ventured to quote a little Latin
for their edification. Poor simpleton! She thought she had produced
quite an impression upon their minds. And, in truth, she had. She had
fixed indelibly the impression that she was an insufferably weak and
self-conceited girl. She made herself the laughing-stock of the whole
company. The moment she was gone, there was one general burst of
laughter. And not one of those gentlemen or ladies could ever think
of that vain girl afterwards, without emotions of contempt.
This is the invariable effect of vanity. You cannot so disguise it,
but that it will be detected, and cover you with disgrace. There is no
foible more common than this, and there is none more supremely
ridiculous.
One boy happens to have rich parents, and he acts as though he
supposed that there was some virtue in his father's money which
pertained to him. He goes to school and struts about, as though he
were lord of the play-ground. Now, every body who sees this, says, it
is a proof that the boy has not much mind. He is a simple boy. If he
had good sense he would perceive that others of his playmates, in
many qualities, surpassed him, and that it became him to be humble
and unostentatious, The mind that is truly great is humble.
We are all disgusted with vanity wherever it appears. Go into a
school-room, and look around upon the appearance of the various pupils
assembled there.
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