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SUCCESS AND FAILURE. Ill
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Chapter I. Two Men Sat Together In A Sin...
Ms worth ., and were not deceived either by his professions of attachment or his assumption of whatever character he thought most
adapted to win their affection and approbation . Clever men made use of him unscrupulously ; they knew his ability as a tool , and his
worthlessness as a staff ; and he had always a set of intimates who were ready to natter him , but friends dropped from him . It was
ludicrous to hear him complain of these defections . " It is strange" he would say to Wyndham , " how few of the
friends we both had , as boys retain a place in my life . The boys at school , the men at college , who were so very intimate with us both ,
are alienated from me , and retain all their former friendship for you . How is it ?"
\ " "Why complain of them , it must be your own fault ?" "Mdear fellowI do not complainI only remark it . The
fact is , y friendship seems , to me as little , understood as love . My idea of friendship is , that it should be a bank on which we can
always draw , sure of finding funds in it ; we do not always need to draw , but we enjoy the pleasant idea that we can do so at will . "
" Maintaining that your idea is a right one , you must on your side keep the bank supplied with funds from which you can draw .
I have heard people say this is what you do not do ; that you suddenly withdraw yourself from them after the most passionate
expressions of affection , and drop them entirely without rhyme or reason . Is it surprisingthat whenequally without rhyme or
reason , you would take them , up again , , you find them chary of being so taken ? To find gold , we must invest gold . "
" It is not that ; it is the melancholy imperfection which mars some of the most erfect characters . Do not smile so satiricallyit is the
truth . There p was Vivian , I absolutely worshipped him , , for no man ' s intellect had I such an esteemsuch a reverence , as for his . I
have not seen him now for months ; , when we do meet he is barely civil ! That pamphlet of mine disgusted him , and he evidently
despises my intellect and dislikes my opinions . Why ? Because they differ from his own . " that hlet from
" No , Arthur , rather because you differed in pamp yourself ; at least from all your former opinions on the subject . But saw it was the time to make a hit in the opposite directionand
you no sentiment of consistency held you back , and you had your , reward , for I hear the pamphlet sold very well . "
Arthur blushed , but went on , " There is Baillie , John Baillie , I loved himI thought him the best hearted fellow in the world , a
golden heart , ; I felt that his devoted friendship for me was something holier and purer than even woman ' s love ; I felt as if I could pass
my life with him , but—his temper was the devil . " " I know better than thatArthurfor Baillie is my friend too .
, , Hasty and uncompromising I own , but not bad tempered . You are the only person who having once known him intimately and
loved him , has ceased to be his friend . That is a test in his favor .
Success And Failure. Ill
SUCCESS AND FAILURE . Ill
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), April 1, 1859, page 111, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01041859/page/39/
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