AN INTELLECTUAL MONSTROSITY. 245 



all conversation* himself. Although his auditors were satisfied 

 that he was well acquainted with the subjects he spoke upon, they 

 could not help feeling annoyed at his being too communicative. 

 Hence, instead of leaving a party who had friendly feelings towards 

 him, he provoked their criticism, and called forth unfair ridicule to 

 detract from his actual merit. Had he been more judicious, and 

 allowed others to talk as well as himself, even although he displayed 

 less varied knowledge, he would not have pained their Self-esteem, 

 and he would have won their nominal and conventional esteem. 

 People feel insulted if any thing like an invidious comparison can 

 be made. The poor man does not feel gratitude when he is shown 

 the splendour and luxury of the lordly domain ; nor do the super- 

 ficial in mental acquirements entertain gratitude or respect when 

 any one submits his intellectual stores in such profusion that their 

 own poverty of ideas is thus unpleasantly forced into an unpalatable 

 contrast. There are some persons, who may be regarded as excep- 

 tions, who, from an easy conversational manner, will frequently con- 

 vey much information without making it seem any obligation. 

 Mendelssohn says that such was the case with the author of Nathan 

 the Wise, the illustrious Lessing. 



I have been imperceptibly led to these lengthy remarks from a 

 circumstance which occurred to me some years since. During a 

 temporary residence in Norwich I was invited to a dinner party, to 

 meet a great personage — a celebrated Chinese traveller — and great 

 was my anticipation of the refined pleasure I should receive from his 

 lecture or conversation (terms, under such circumstances, merely sy- 

 nonymous) on the manners and customs of the nations of the east. 

 As soon as possible I hurried to the party, and quickly found myself 

 in the drawing-room in a goodly company, and saw with mine own 

 eyes the " lion of the day," and, what is more, the worthy master of 

 the feast formally introduced us. The traveller rose in a dignified 

 manner, and with a graceful bow he returned my respectful saluta- 

 tion ; then he resumed his seat with much ease and propriety, and, 

 bending his eyes on the carpet, gave himself up to his own cogita- 

 tions. 



Now I flattered myself on my physiognomical tact, and silently 

 felicitated myself on a richer mental banquet than I had even anti- 

 cipated. Dinner was at length announced, and a silent meal it was ; 

 it raiglit liave passed for a Chinese repast, and would liavc done ho- 



• This might a|)j)car a genuine bull, hut I mean Uiat he asked iiuestions 

 and answered hiniscit'. 



