Popular People

A popular man is one who has the happy faculty o{ nover presenting any shaij) comeré. Be ís not necesaarüy vcry good, nor vcry wist', aud he is rarely very great. His eharoetvr is ilistinguished tbr negative rather thnn positivo qualitics ; for a certain fortúnate rijuilibrium and tact of adaptation, rathor than imy intriusic worth, or iftarked individuality. Indeed this last is apt to be fatal to all personal popularíty. A man of strong points is sure to come in collision with other people's strong points, to troad upon other people's weak pointe, and to créate more or loss general antagonism. He is much moro likely to be respectad for whit he does, than liked for what he is. The world has great admiration for superiority in the abstract, but superiority in tho concrete is a very different thing. No matter how modest, how discreet, or how amiable it might be, its vcry existente is a tacit reliection upon tlio defeets and shortoomings of respectable Eftediocrity. It is nnplea-sunt for average humaii nature to be reminded that it M average. It likes wit and brillianey weD enough, but it docsn't like thc witty or brilliant man. It viry soon finds hirn ratiguin, oraffeeted or conceited. It feelí snnill, ií' notquite extinguislicl, in his presence. Its owb i'ciïlih'i liglit is put out, umi iTverynatttrally charges its disoomfort to the ono who put it out, however iimocently. Averago human nature, too, is alwaya impatient of anything it can not f ully comprehtaid. It mesures all people by its own standard, and picks flava 3 they are beyond it. Henee, the most. popular man is xisually of a neutral and rather mild type of character, ot stupid cnouh W be a bore and not brilliant enough to be in anybody's vuy. He has no very decidid opinions, or, ii" he has, he never expresses them. He has BUtncient intellect to be ready and appreciative, but not enough to I oppressive. He deals in faets rather than ideas or emotions, and skims over a very wide surface, but you can talk with him with out any fir of getting beyond yourdepth or being prcached to. He never preaches n.nd rariilv. if ever, moralizes. Kor aro yon aí'raid of ruiming against adead wall 'of indii&rence, or being politely cut off by Bome fine aaroasm. ILe listens with the profoundest interest to all you have to say, as if it were the main object of his Ufe to serve you. It is true, he does precisely the sujiie thing by your worst enemy, but that mattere llttle so long as bc gives you a oomfortable sensc ot' bei&E comprehendod and sympathized with. If he is nol very íiitcvt'ainjng, he affably Iets himeeU be entertained, which, in the long run, is better. People are nmch more apt to like those who listen well than those who talk well. It natters self loe, and the suivst ivenue to a inan's heart is throusrh his vanity. Yon niay not have the bigbeet reapoot for the eharacter, but you ave sure to like tho porson in spite of yourself, and to eonsidrr him i man of remarkable penetration, ulthough verylikely he has not uttored ton sentences. To be agreeable, before 11 things, is his aim, which, properly detined, means, to present a smootli surtace and agrec wath cverybody. A man of this stamp ha,s no troublesomo theories of lifo, and no rigid oonviotions of duty. One of his most prominent characteristics is flexLbility. He never dreams of making the world suit himsolf, but Rtudiously suita himself to the world. He is a man of kindly, but notvery strong feelings. He preserves a certain happy medium of universal good will, thus avoiding the jealousies and entanglements that are sure to arise frora concentratcd or exclusive affections. What he lacksin real interest lie has the tact to assume, which givos him all the advantagc of the genuine feeling, without its iaconTeniences. He is cool enoilgh to seo clearly, and makes the most of his situations. He acts upon Jean l'aul's motto, "Moderat ion is the charm of Life." So he avoids friction and preserves tho secming hartnony of eharacter which is the main secret of his popularity. The only distinction that sucn a man can successfully aspire to is oinl distinction. His whole choraoter is opposed to any definitc, absorbing aini that calis for concentration. He livos abroad too much to attain supremo eminence in any One tliing, but he is par cedieneê tho man of society. Ho has the happy gift of always saying the right thing in the right place, and putting himsolf just where he is wantod. He is all things to all men, which is the main requisito for social prime ministers as for office holders genorally. Ho is not exactly a -w-oman's ideal, not a man whom shp óoníd -worship. If hc is I not vory groat, ho inay console bimaeli with thé reticotion that ho. is probably muh hapyior than thousands who are. If his charaotor i in;t of ft very oxalted type, ho lias to pay nono of tbo peiialties Ote worlfl cxacts of all who live above the goneral lovel. The mountain tops, at wen i the hill-tops of lifo arolonely pluces, Happiness gflos the valluys. - Bnt if inorit and vort!i count for vory littlo in tho personul popularity of a man they count for nothing at all in tlüit of a woman. A man who doos much, is forgiven much by at lenst one sox. A woman of docided part is forgivon nothing by eithcr scx. WOmen drciul i rival ; - I mei fear to be eolipted n their own grotind. They ndmire tfiling (jiialitics i at a respcctfnl distance, but thy teko to 1 1 tbcir hearts Eonictbing of tlie chanielcon typc that catchi ths rlvSatffeSl hue, MlicH i, te (4W iüónieht, their own. " She darklj' feelshim gTent and wiso, ShO dwclls UU lililí Witll iuithïlll i:is, I cannot understand ; I loTe.' " Tennyson hore has happily struok the keynote f tho masoulii- tomper, althougb mnny are slow to admit it, even to themselves. It upsets our üne-spun modern theorie8, and men likc to be consistent if they can. But the old-fashioncd truth re - niaifis the flatac, in spite of latter-day philosóphers and hlóvalists. The popular WOman among men, whicli is inevitable üiipopularity araong women, upon whatover it may be baecd, is nover a woman with an aini or a mission. A man likos first to be carod for, secondly to be MnttBöd, ïoo much wit fatigues. Too imuch intellccf. finnoys and ovurshadows. Too much will is antagnistic. Too much charaeter is in his way. A woman with a mission must posscs8 one or all of these, so, howevar wiae, or admirable; or unsoliish she may be, ahe is much " Too briffht or goxl For human ntürn'B dáUy food." A roman of earnest, cxalted character, too, is inclined to fall back upon her own intrinsic valuo, and rarely descends to the little feiuinine arts that are more to her th:m lioauty, wit or fortune. So in niño cases out of ten, she siíes a shallow, hol ■ low-hoarted, sclfish bit of lace and frivolit-y win tho prizes of life, while she is left in tho cold altogether. She must accept lier mission as her consolation, and look to the next state of existence for her rewaitl. To be popiilar ir. the. widest sonse, ft woman must poeseu brightness, witliout too Tinicli brilliancy ; quickness at repaftee, without sarcasm ; flexibility, without glaring weakness ; sentiment without sentimentality ; and before all things, under! y in ir her prelty and wilful caprices, an oDSomte and unconditional dcference to the higher power. She must be skilled in all the subtle coquetries of manner which mean so little and pass for 60 much. She must have the semblauce of affection, but not too much of the reality, which places all women at a disadvantago.