The Northern Star, And Constitutionalist

TRAITS IN THE CHARACTER OF EMINENT MEN.

No. I.

There are many peculiar habits, which serve to distinguish characters, who have become noted or talented of a high order. Of these, I will notice first: Courtesy toward each other.

It is strongly characteristic of such men, to render to all their just due; aware, that it is but granting to others, what, in turn, they are ready to demand for themselves. They are also incited to this course by a natural sense of justice;—but more strongly, by the promptings of that noble spirit of honor and honesty, which is breathed forth in every look, act and word of their lives; a spirit, which, untrammelled by prejudice, and unfettered by niggardly notions of jealous self-conceit, soars far above the grovellings of a soul revelling upon the follies or the faults of their contemporaries.

Such men heartily disdain every thing which wears the semblance of meanness.

To them, slander is beneath contempt. They stand, and they wish only to stand, on the high ground of absolute merit; they cherish a desire, truly honorable to the feelings of the human breast, of meeting their fellow men on the same ground, and on no other. It is true, they are ambitious, but it is an ambition of a noble order, worthy of emulation;—it is an ambition "to be great without being criminal." A desire to establish their character on a basis more honorable, than the broken down reputation of their less fortunate brethren. They had rather abandon their schemes of greatness forever, than reach the pinnacle of fame, by laboring with one hand to crush their rivals, and with the other to exalt themselves.

I admit they tax their intellectual powers to the very utmost, to reach the goal of their ambitious pursuit, and while their onward course is prosecuted with a zeal truly laudable, they are ever ready to manifest on every occasion, all about them, whether inferior, equals, or superiors, the same uniform spirit of charity and kindness. Such being the principles which centre within the breast of the truly eminent, it is but a natural consequence, that courtesy toward all and particularly toward those of their own profession, should be a striking feature in their character. It should be remembered, that this is a characteristic not of the "would be," but of the truly great.

When this trait is discoverable in the character of a professional man, we may regard it as one indication, at least, of true greatness. I do not wish it to be understood, that these remarks are intended to apply to any particular profession.—they are justly applicable to all. On the contrary, if we see a disposition in a man to sneer at,—treat with marked contempt, or in any way to detract from the merit of even his rival, we may justly suspect that his bosom has unfortunately become the asylum of more small coin than large. Vexatus.