( 38 ; 
The most disagreeable of all people are those who “sit in the seat of 
the scorner.” 
Persons of this sort often come to regard the success of others., even 
in a good ivorlc , as a kind of personal offense. 
They cannot hear to hear another praised, especially if he belong 
to their own art, or calling, or profession. They will pardon a mans fail¬ 
ures , hut cannot forgive his doing a thing better than they can do it. 
And where they have themselves failed, they are found to be the 
most merciless of detractors. 
The greatest consolation of such persons, are the defects of the 
good and the learned. 
“If the wise erred not ” says an English author, “it would go hard 
with fools!” 
Though wise men may learn of fools by avoiding their errors, fools 
rarely profit by the example which wise men set them. 
As rust corrodes iron, so envy eats into the heart that bears it. 
a Base envy withers at another’s joy, 
And hates that excellence it cannot reach.” 
— Thompson. 
Instead of grieving at another’s success or general prosperity, let us 
rather rejoice over every good work well meant, judiciously planned, sea¬ 
sonably undertaken, and happily accomplished, no matter who the worker 
may be. Let such action in others be to us a spur to laudable ambition 
and patient industry in well-doing. Let us also gladly render what assist¬ 
ance we may, in the premises, and we shall find ourselves all the happier 
for it. 
