of　cases　positively　self…depreciatory；　doubting　of　themselves　and
  their　talents；　constantly　aiming　at　greater　perfection　in　their　art
  or　a　higher　development　of　their　powers；　never　contented　with　what
  they　have　achieved；　beyond　the　idea　that　it　has　been　another　step
  toward　their　goal。　　Knowing　this；　it　is　always　a　shock　on　meeting
  the　mediocre　people　who　form　such　a　discouraging　majority　in　any
  society；　to　discover　that　they　are　all　so　pleased　with　themselves；
  their　achievements；　their　place　in　the　world；　and　their　own　ability
  and　discernment！
  Who　has　not　sat　chafing　in　silence　while　Mediocrity；　in　a　white
  waistcoat　and　jangling　fobs；　occupied　the　after…dinner　hour　in
  imparting　second…hand　information　as　his　personal　views　on
  literature　and　art？　　Can　you　not　hear　him　saying　once　again：　〃I
  don't　pretend　to　know　anything　about　art　and　all　that　sort　of
  thing；　you　know；　but　when　I　go　to　an　exhibition　I　can　always　pick
  out　the　best　pictures　at　a　glance。　　Sort　of　a　way　I　have；　and　I
  never　make　mistakes；　you　know。〃
  Then　go　and　watch；　as　I　have；　Henri　Rochefort　as　he　laboriously
  forms　the　opinions　that　are　to　appear　later　in　one　of　his　〃SALONS；〃
  realizing　the　while　that　he　is　FACILE　PRINCEPS　among　the　art
  critics　of　his　day；　that　with　a　line　he　can　make　or　mar　a
  reputation　and　by　a　word　draw　the　admiring　crowd　around　an　unknown
  canvas。　　While　Rochefort　toils　and　ponders　and　hesitates；　do　you
  suppose　a　doubt　as　to　his　own　astuteness　ever　dims　the　self…
  complacency　of　White　Waistcoat？　　Never！
  There　lies　the　strength　of　the　feeble…minded。　　By　a　special
  dispensation　of　Providence；　they　can　never　see　but　one　side　of　a
  subject；　so　are　always　convinced　that　they　are　right；　and　from　the
  height　of　their　contentment；　look　down　on　those　who　chance　to
  differ　with　them。
  A　lady　who　has　gathered　into　her　dainty　salons　the　fruit　of　many
  years'　careful　study　and　tireless　〃weeding〃　will　ask　anxiously　if
  you　are　quite　sure　you　like　the　effect　of　her　latest　acquisition　…
  some　eighteenth…century　statuette　or　screen　（flotsam；　probably；
  from　the　great　shipwreck　of　Versailles）；　and　listen　earnestly　to
  your　verdict。　　The　good　soul　who　has　just　furnished　her　house　by
  contract；　with　the　latest　〃Louis　Fourteenth　Street〃　productions；
  conducts　you　complacently　through　her　chambers　of　horrors；　wreathed
  in　tranquil　smiles；　born　of　ignorance　and　that　smug　assurance
  granted　only　to　the　…　small。
  When　a　small　intellect　goes　in　for　cultivating　itself　and　improving
  its　mind；　you　realize　what　the　poet　meant　in　asserting　that　a
  little　learning　was　a　dangerous　thing。　　For　Mediocrity　is　apt；　when
  it　dines　out；　to　get　up　a　subject　beforehand；　and　announce　to　an
  astonished　circle；　as　quite　new　and　personal　discoveries；　that　the
  Renaissance　was　introduced　into　France　from　Italy；　or　that　Columbus
  in　his　day　made　important　〃finds。〃
  When　the　incompetent　advance　another　step　and　write　or　paint　…
  which；　alas！　is　only　too　frequent　…　the　world　of　art　and　literature
  is　flooded　with　their　productions。　　When　White　Waistcoat；　for
  example；　takes　to　painting；　late　in　life；　and　comes　to　you；　canvas
  in　hand；　for　criticism　（read　praise）；　he　is　apt　to　remark　modestly：
  〃Corot　never　painted　until　he　was　fifty；　and　I　am　only　forty…eight。
  So　I　feel　I　should　not　let　myself　be　discouraged。〃
  The　problem　of　life　is　said　to　be　the　finding　of　a　happiness　that
  is　not　enjoyed　at　the　expense　of　others；　and　surely　this　class　have
  solved　that　Sphinx's　riddle；　for　they　float　through　their　days　in　a
  dream　of　complacency　disturbed　neither　by　corroding　doubt　nor
  harassed　by　jealousies。
  Whole　families　of　feeble…minded　people；　on　the　strength　of　an
  ancestor　who　achieved　distinction　a　hundred　years　ago；　live　in
  constant　thanksgiving　that　they　〃are　not　as　other　men。〃　　None　of
  the　great　man's　descendants　have　done　anything　to　be　particularly
  proud　of　since　their　remote　progenitor　signed　the　Declaration　of
  Independence　or　governed　a　colony。　　They　have　vegetated　in　small
  provincial　cities　and　inter…married　into　other　equally　fortunate
  families；　but　the　sense　of　superiority　is　ever　present　to　sustain
  them；　under　straitened　circumstances　and　diminishing　prestige。　　The
  world　may　move　on　around　them；　but　they　never　advance。　　Why　should
  they？　　They　have　reached　perfection。　　The　brains　and　enterprise
  that　have　revolutionized　our　age　knock　in　vain　at　their　doors。
  They　belong　to　that　vast　〃majority　that　is　always　in　the　wrong；〃
  being　so　pleased　with　themselves；　their　ways；　and　their　feeble
  little　lines　of　thought；　that　any　change　or　advancement　gives　their
  system　a　shock。
  A　painter　I　know　was　once　importuned　for　a　sketch　by　a　lady　of　this
  class。　　After　many　delays　and　renewed　demands　he　presented　her　one
  day；　when　she　and　some　friends　were　visiting　his　studio；　with　a
  delightful　open…air　study　simply　framed。　　She　seemed　confused　at
  the　offering；　to　his　astonishment；　as　she　had　not　lacked　APLOMB　in
  asking　for　the　sketch。　　After　much　blushing　and　fumbling　she
  succeeded　in　getting　the　painting　loose；　and　handing　back　the
  frame；　remarked：
  〃I　will　take　the　painting；　but　you　must　keep　the　frame。　　My　husband
  would　never　allow　me　to　accept　anything　of　value　from　you！〃　…　and
  smiled　on　the　speechless　painter；　doubtless　charmed　with　her　own
  tact。
  Complacent　people　are　the　same　drag　on　a　society　that　a　brake　would
  be　to　a　coach　going　up　hill。　　They　are　the　〃eternal　negative〃　and
  would　extinguish；　if　they　could；　any　light　stronger　than　that　to
  which　their　weak　eyes　have　been　accustomed。　　They　look　with
  astonishment　and　distrust　at　any　one　trying　to　break　away　from
  their　tiresome　old　ways　and　habits；　and　wonder　why　all　the　world　is
  not　as　pleased　with　their　personalities　as　they　are　themselves；
  suggesting；　if　you　are　willing　to　waste　your　time　listening　to
  their　twaddle；　that　there　is　something　radically　wrong　in　any
  innovation；　that　both　〃Church　and　State〃　will　be　imperilled　if
  things　are　altered。　　No　blight；　no　mildew　is　more　fatal　to　a　plant
  than　the　〃complacent〃　are　to　the　world。　　They　resent　any　progress
  and　are　offended　if　you　mention　before　them　any　new　standards　or
  points　of　view。　　〃What　has　been　good　enough　for　us　and　our　parents
  should　certainly　be　satisfactory　to　the　younger　generations。〃　　It
  seems　to　the　contented　like　pure　presumption　on　the　part　of　their
  acquaintances　to　wander　after　strange　gods；　in　the　shape　of　new
  ideals；　higher　standards　of　culture；　or　a　perfected　refinement　of
  surroundings。
  We　are　perhaps　wrong　to　pity　complacent　people。　　It　is　for　another
  class　our　sympathy　should　be　kept；　for　those　who　cannot　refrain
  from　doubting　of　themselves　and　the　value　of　their　work　…　those
  unfortunate　gifted　and　artistic　spirits　who　descend　too　often　the
  VIA　DOLOROSA　of　discontent　and　despair；　who　have　a　higher　ideal
  than　their　neighbors；　and；　in　struggling　after　an　unattainable
  perfection；　fall　by　the　wayside。
  CHAPTER　7　…　The　Discontent　of　Talent
  THE　complacency　that　buoys　up　self…sufficient　souls；　soothing　them
  with　the　illusion　that　they　themselves；　their　towns；　country；
  language；　and　habits　are　above　improvement；　causing　them　to
  shudder；　as　at　a　sacrilege；　if　any　changes　are　suggested；　is
  fortunately　limited　to　a　class　of　stay…at…home　nonentities。　　In
  proportion　as　it　is　common　among　them；　is　it　rare　or　delightfully
  absent　in　any　society　of　gifted　or　imaginative　people。
  Among　our　globe…trotting　compatriots　this　defect　is　much　less
  general　than　in　the　older　nations　of　the　world；　for　the　excellent
  reason；　that　the　moment　a　man　travels　or　takes　the　trouble　to　know
  people　of　different　nationalities；　his　armor　of　complacency
  receives　so　severe　a　blow；　that　it　is　shattered　forever；　the
  wanderer　returning　home　wiser　and　much　more　modest。　　There　seems　to
  be　something　fatal　to　conceit　in　the　air　of　great　centres；
  professionally　or　in　general　society　a　man　so　soon　finds　his　level。
  The　〃great　world〃　may　foster　other　faults；　human　nature　is　sure　to
  develop　some　in　every　walk　of　life。　　Smug　contentment；　however；
  disappears　in　its　rarefied　atmosphere；　giving　place　to　a　craving
  for　improvement；　a　nervous　alertness　that　keeps　the　mind　from
  stagnating　and　urges　it　on　to　do　its　best。
  It　is　never　the　beautiful　woman　who　sits　down　in　smiling　serenity
  before　her　mirror。　　She　is　tireless　in　her　efforts　to　enhance　her
  beauty　and　set　it　off　to　the　best　advantage。　　Her　figure　is　never
  slender　enough；　nor　her　carriage　sufficiently　erect　to　satisfy。
  But　the　〃frump〃　will　let　herself　and　all　her　surroundings　go　to
  seed；　not　from　humbleness　of　mind　or　an　overwhelming　sense　of　her
  own　unworthiness；　but　in　pure　complacent　conceit。
  A　criticism　to　which　the　highly　gifted　lay　themselves　open　from
  those　who　do　not　understand　them；　is　their　lov