THE PRIDE OF IGNORANCE. 253 



lie stands with his back to tlie fire, and .assumes 

 a profound air of moral virtue, as tliongh there 

 were really something very fine and noble in his 

 determination to know absolutely nothing about 

 the matter in question. He is every bit as proud 

 of his ignorance as the wisest man is proud of his 

 knowledge. Every bit as proud, do we say? If 

 the truth be told, ten thousand times prouder; for 

 true greatness is always unassuming. It knows 

 enougli to know how little it knows ; it has learnt 

 the vastiiess of God's universe and the i)ettiness 

 i and feebleness of the human understanding ; and 

 / so it is neither proud of its knowledge on the one 

 \ hand, nor of its necessary limitations and deficien- 

 cies on the other. 



But why are people proud of their ignorance? 

 What good thing can there possibly be in the 

 Avant of knowledge that any human being could 

 ever be proud of? At first sight it is hard indeed 

 to see the explanation ; but perhaps it lies in two 

 deep-seated and fundamental principles of human 

 nature. In the fust place, people are almost .always, 

 in their heart of hearts, i)roud of themselves from 

 top to bottom. They are proud of their very 

 weaknesses and failings. The ugly man is proud 

 that he is not one of those conceited jackanapes 

 that strut about the streets and exhibit their fine 

 teeth whenever they speak, with their inane 

 smile and grinning stupidity. The miser is proud 



