Men
addicted to pursuits of the latter kind, make their merits known more
slowly; but when they are known, they command unbounded respect in
society.
The real difficulty, unfortunately, is, that the vast majority of men
are not gifted with marked individuality, or great genius. They do not
break through the trammels of custom, not so much because these trammels
are strong, as because their impulses are weak. Whenever a man of real
energy appears, the crowd separates before him, the cobwebs of custom
are brushed away as he advances, and the world receives him very
generally for what he is worth, and too often for more. That impostors
and pretenders frequently succeed in deceiving society, is owing to the
fact that it is ever anxious and ready to receive and reward its
benefactors.
But even Mr. Mill himself recognizes the wisdom of paying due deference
to the experience of mankind, and of considering established customs as
_prima facie_ good, and proper to be followed. He admits 'that people
should be so taught and trained in youth, as to know and benefit by the
ascertained results of human experience,' and that 'the traditions and
customs of other people are, to a certain extent, evidence of what their
experience has taught _them_; presumptive evidence, and as such, have a
claim to his deference.' From all which, it is plain that there is a
just medium between what is recognized and established, and what is
newly proposed as a substitute for the old.
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