OBEDIENCE 177 



of pre-eminence. This form of instinctive egotism, which 

 regards the self only, and forgets or disregards rather than 

 despises others, though not perhaps incompatible with 

 obedience, is, at least, unfavourable to it. 



Still more unfavourable to obedience is vanity. In com 

 mon usage this term is variously applied, but what is 

 meant by it here is self-assertion, when it has become 

 acutely conscious, and seeks to justify itself to others. 

 Whereas the proud man shrinks from competition, the vain 

 man welcomes it, and is on the alert for every opportunity 

 of convincing others of what he believes to be his own 

 excellencies. Great talents, good looks, or a good voice 

 are qualities which must be publicly displayed before they 

 can be recognized, and which may often be challenged by 

 others. They are the favourite stock-in-trade of vanity. 

 The vain man will allow his thoughts to dwell continually 

 on the character and qualifications of others, with the 

 view of disparaging them ; in this respect, again, differing 

 from the proud man, who does not care to think at all of 

 others, and has no wish to disparage them. Modesty is 

 the ethical opposite to vanity, as humility is to pride. 

 The disposition to depreciate others to the advantage of 

 ourselves is particularly unfavourable to obedience, as it 

 naturally suggests the question ; on what grounds should 

 another be obeyed. A vain nation may be brave, but it is 

 not likely to be well disciplined. 



The extreme of irrational self-assertion is perversity, 

 a temper which, though closely allied to pride and vanity, 

 is clearly distinguishable. In almost all men there is a 

 natural tendency, independent of and usually opposed to 

 prudence, to contradict the opinions and traverse the desires 

 of their neighbours ; not, though that may often be alleged, 

 because those opinions and wishes are unreasonable, but 

 merely because they are expressed by others. Of all the 

 impulses that go to make up human character, this is perhaps 

 the most distinctly antisocial, and it is kept in restraint 

 both by the rules of social intercourse and by the dislike 

 which it arouses in others. A man who gives a free rein 



BENETT M 



