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Article ON AFFECTATION. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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On Affectation.
would offend in another :, because being differently formed , they must , while they follow nature , speak and act differently . Affectation is an attempt to be , or appear to be , something different from ourselves , and to assume graces in our behaviour and conversation of which we are not capable . It is the same thing in manners as hypocrisy in religion . It is a folly chiefly incident to youth ; it off b
generally wears y age and acquaintance with mankind . It is always disgustful , not only as it is unnatural , but especially as it indicates a trifling vanity of mind . It usuall y takes its rise from a fondness to imitate some person that is admired for superior accomplishments . It is commonly blind and undiscerning , and adopts the infirmities and peculiarities ofthe admired readil his
person , as y as beauties aiid graces . Curiatus , is a gentleman of rank and fortune ; his form is comely , his aspect engaging , and his natural good sense and lively genius are much improved by a polite education , and an extensive knowled ge ofthe world . He can be agreeable in all companies , without descending to the vices or follies of any .
In conversation he is always entertaining and instructive ,, never ¦ assuming or loquacious . He can be humourous without departing from innocence ; and witty , Avithout ridiculing religion , or aspersing characters . He never mortifies any in his company , by seeming indifferent to what they 533 ^ , nor offends them by direct contradict tion : he rather insinuates , than imposes his sentiments . His
language is pure and accurate , but not laboured ; his temper is calm but not unfeeling ; his behaviour is respectful but not fawning . Stolidus , is a youth of family and fortune ; but his genius , taste , and education , rise not above mediocrity . He is little acquainted with books , less with men ; his form is clumsy , and his manners stiff ; vet is intolerably vain , and ambitious of nothing so much , as to be thought a polite gentleman . Curiatus is the admiration of all his
acquaintances ; and for this reason , Stolidus admires him too , and empi 03 's all his attention to speak and act like him . When he walks , he strains every muscle , to imitate Curiatus ' s natural and easy gait . He cocks his hat in the same manner , and elevates it in the same number of degrees . He could smile or laugh decently enough , if lie would be content to do it naturally : but affectation has changed his laugh into neighingand his smiles into grinningHe slabbers
, . his clothes a dozen times in an evening , by'his fruitless efforts to spit like Curiatus : and exhausts the glands of his mouth by continual exertions , because Curiatus has a habit of spitting frequently . When he talks he usually makes bad grammar , and often worse sense ; and he has for some time , disused his natural voice , and adopted an ugly toneand an odd pronunciation scarcelintelliible
, y g , from a mere affectation of seeming to speak as accurately and possitively as Curiatus . There is no subject that he will not venture to discourse upon : and he is much too apt to engross the conversation , When he is in company , because he imagines none can speak so sensibl y or so handsomely as himself : when he throws out his dull
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Affectation.
would offend in another :, because being differently formed , they must , while they follow nature , speak and act differently . Affectation is an attempt to be , or appear to be , something different from ourselves , and to assume graces in our behaviour and conversation of which we are not capable . It is the same thing in manners as hypocrisy in religion . It is a folly chiefly incident to youth ; it off b
generally wears y age and acquaintance with mankind . It is always disgustful , not only as it is unnatural , but especially as it indicates a trifling vanity of mind . It usuall y takes its rise from a fondness to imitate some person that is admired for superior accomplishments . It is commonly blind and undiscerning , and adopts the infirmities and peculiarities ofthe admired readil his
person , as y as beauties aiid graces . Curiatus , is a gentleman of rank and fortune ; his form is comely , his aspect engaging , and his natural good sense and lively genius are much improved by a polite education , and an extensive knowled ge ofthe world . He can be agreeable in all companies , without descending to the vices or follies of any .
In conversation he is always entertaining and instructive ,, never ¦ assuming or loquacious . He can be humourous without departing from innocence ; and witty , Avithout ridiculing religion , or aspersing characters . He never mortifies any in his company , by seeming indifferent to what they 533 ^ , nor offends them by direct contradict tion : he rather insinuates , than imposes his sentiments . His
language is pure and accurate , but not laboured ; his temper is calm but not unfeeling ; his behaviour is respectful but not fawning . Stolidus , is a youth of family and fortune ; but his genius , taste , and education , rise not above mediocrity . He is little acquainted with books , less with men ; his form is clumsy , and his manners stiff ; vet is intolerably vain , and ambitious of nothing so much , as to be thought a polite gentleman . Curiatus is the admiration of all his
acquaintances ; and for this reason , Stolidus admires him too , and empi 03 's all his attention to speak and act like him . When he walks , he strains every muscle , to imitate Curiatus ' s natural and easy gait . He cocks his hat in the same manner , and elevates it in the same number of degrees . He could smile or laugh decently enough , if lie would be content to do it naturally : but affectation has changed his laugh into neighingand his smiles into grinningHe slabbers
, . his clothes a dozen times in an evening , by'his fruitless efforts to spit like Curiatus : and exhausts the glands of his mouth by continual exertions , because Curiatus has a habit of spitting frequently . When he talks he usually makes bad grammar , and often worse sense ; and he has for some time , disused his natural voice , and adopted an ugly toneand an odd pronunciation scarcelintelliible
, y g , from a mere affectation of seeming to speak as accurately and possitively as Curiatus . There is no subject that he will not venture to discourse upon : and he is much too apt to engross the conversation , When he is in company , because he imagines none can speak so sensibl y or so handsomely as himself : when he throws out his dull