Welsh Journals

THE SOUTH WALES ATHENJ1DM. CONDUCTED BY A COMMITTEE OF GENTLEMEN. No. 7. JULY, 1846. Price \\d. A PLEA FOR VANITY IN YOUTH. There are many evils springing out of circumstances which cannot be avoided, but the greatest that can press upon a young man is that which arises from neglect and carelessness of himself. Let him look to this; let him guard himself, and most other dangers if not removed will,- at least, be mitigated. [' • ':'] " This above all to thine own self be true, And it must follow as night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." . It is not our wish to advocate con¬ ceit, which is a weed that is offen¬ sive to'our nostrils and those of our neighbours; it always sends up an effluvia of the possessor's greatness in comparison with our littleness, making us feel poor and weak in the presence of the mighty Ego-, it is, moreover, a perpetual insult to all with whom it may be brought into contact. "But conceit and vanity are .not one. "Vanity is fhe. love of the approval of others, but conceit does not care a straw for another's opinion; it is .very well pleased *^ith itself. yanify relate* Jtfjpi$i actions^ conceit The age of seventeen until twenty- five n^fhe most critical period in a ^c^jsenderj^c^rtanxlbjit m*for racter must take some decided and ^decisive forni, vrm^Jfc'wiU -iqark 'liis career tfirQUghTifo Jn all, its straits .god. turnings, either good orJll.I -fie may now be compared to a being in a strange country arriving at a many cross road, and knows not which he is to take, and should he once begin wrong the further that he may pro¬ ceed the greater will be his difficulty in retracing his steps, but often he discovers not his error until it is too late to return, the consequence is that he goes wrong for ever. So with youth, the further that he may advance in life, if one single false step has been preferred the longer it it remains uncorrected, the more dif¬ ficult it. will be to remedy.. .Here it is that vanity comes to the aid pf a young man. It makes him love and struggle for the admiration of those amongst whom he is placed. This love of approbation, this vanity, (if the individual be not placed among the low and sensual which perverts every noble feeling), by giving an impetus to the capabilities of the mind, which shall it not possess the natural, in¬ clinations of the individual will predominate oyer0 the /intellectual, unless some necessity, such as the fear of starvation &c, should have brought' it' Out; and should unfor¬ tunately this necessity ; be found wanting, then the man who ■ has no vanity sinks* low into the slough of life ;, and jtj is for this hope jn *he fiiture man, that we look upon vanity in youth with a friendly and tolerat¬ ing eye, feeling assured tbaiff may be compared with some tinsel wrap¬ ped around a diamond; rub it again**