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1、WorldlyWaysandBywaysWorldlyWaysandBywaysEliotGregory1WorldlyWaysandBywaysTotheReaderTHEREexistedformerly,indiplomaticcircles,acuriouscustom,sincefallenintodisuse,entitledthePeleMele,contriveddoubtlessbysomedistractedMasterofCeremoniestoquelltheendlessjealousiesandquarrelsforprecedencebetweencourtie
2、rsanddiplomatistsofcontendingpretensions.Underthisrulenorankwasrecognized,eachpersonbeingallowedatbanquet,fete,orotherpublicceremonyonlysuchplaceashehadbeeningeniousorfortunateenoughtoobtain.Anyonewishingtoformanideaoftheconfusionthatensued,oftheintriguesandexpedientsresortedto,notonlyinprocuringpr
3、ominentplaces,butalsoinensuringtheintegrityofthePeleMele,shouldglanceovertheamusingmemoirsofM.deSegur.Theaspiringnoblesandambassadors,harassedbythisconstantpreoccupation,hadlittletimeorinclinationleftforanyseriouspursuit,since,totakeamoment'sreposeoranhour'sbreathingspacewastoriskfallingbehindinthe
4、endlessandaimlessrace.Strangeasitmayappear,theknowledgethattheyowedplaceandprefermentmoretochanceorintriguethantoanypersonalmeritorinheritedright,insteadoflesseningthevalueoftheprizesforwhichallwerestriving,seemedonlytoenhancethemintheeyesofthecompetitors.Successwastheuniquestandardbywhichtheygauge
5、dtheirfellows.Thosewhosucceededrevelledintheadulationoftheirfriends,butwhenanyonefailed,theficklecrowdpassedhimbytobowatmorefortunatefeet.Nobetterpicturecouldbefoundofthe"world"ofto-day,aperpetualPeleMele,wheresuchadvantagesonlyareconcededaswehavebeensufficientlyenterprisingtoobtain,andarestrongorc
6、leverenoughtokeep-aconstantcompetition,adailysteeplechase,favorabletodaringspiritsandpersonalinitiativebutwiththedefectofkeepingfrailhumanityeveronthequivive.Philosopherstellus,thatweshouldseekhappinessonlyinthecalmofourownminds,notallowingexternalconditionsortheopinionsofotherstoinfluenceourways.T
7、hisloftydetachmentfromenvironmentis2WorldlyWaysandBywaysachievedbyveryfew.Indeed,thephilosophersthemselves(whomaybesaidtohaveinventedtheartof"posing")weregenerallyasvainaspeacocks,profoundlypre-occupiedwith
