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s or with conceit； though its relationship to both is continually insisted upon by the poll…parrot school of philosophy。
Conceit； indeed； is the quickest cure for it。 When it once begins to dawn upon you that you are a good deal cleverer than any one else in this world； bashfulness becomes shocked and leaves you。 When you can look round a roomful of people and think that each one is a mere child in intellect compared with yourself you feel no more shy of them than you would of a select company of magpies or orang…outangs。
Conceit is the finest armor that a man can wear。 Upon its smooth； impenetrable surface the puny dagger…thrusts of spite and envy glance harmlessly aside。 Without that breast…plate the sword of talent cannot force its way through the battle of life； for blows have to be borne as well as dealt。 I do not； of course； speak of the conceit that displays itself in an elevated nose and a falsetto voice。 That is not real conceitthat is only playing at being conceited； like children play at being kings and queens and go strutting about with feathers and long trains。 Genuine conceit does not make a man objectionable。 On the contrary； it tends to make him genial； kind…hearted； and simple。 He has no need of affectationhe is far too well satisfied with his own character； and his pride is too deep…seated to appear at all on the outside。 Careless alike of praise or blame； he can afford to be truthful。 Too far； in fancy； above the rest of mankind to trouble about their petty distinctions； he is equally at home with duke or costermonger。 And valuing no one's standard but his own； he is never tempted to practice that miserable pretense that less self…reliant people offer up as an hourly sacrifice to the god of their neighbor's opinion。
The shy man； on the other hand； is humblemodest of his own judgment and over…anxious concerning that of others。 But this in the case of a young man is surely right enough。 His character is unformed。 It is slowly evolving itself out of a chaos of doubt and disbelief。 Before the growing insight and experience the diffidence recedes。 A man rarely carries his shyness past the hobbledehoy period。 Even if his own inward strength does not throw it off； the rubbings of the world generally smooth it down。 You scarcely ever meet a really shy manexcept in novels or on the stage； where； by the bye； he is much admired； especially by the women。
There； in that supernatural land； he appears as a fair…haired and saintlike young manfair hair and goodness always go together on the stage。 No respectable audience would believe in one without the other。 I knew an actor who mislaid his wig once and had to rush on to play the hero in his own hair； which was jet…black； and the gallery howled at all his noble sentiments under the impression that he was the villain。 Hethe shy young manloves the heroine； oh so devotedly （but only in asides； for he dare not tell her of it）； and he is so noble and unselfish； and speaks in such a low voice； and is so good to his mother； and the bad people in the play； they laugh at him and jeer at him； but he takes it all so gently； and in the end it transpires that he is such a clever man； though nobody knew it； and then the heroine tells him she loves him； and he is so surprised； and oh； so happy！ and everybody loves him and asks him to forgive them； which he does in a few well…chosen and sarcastic words； and blesses them； and he seems to have generally such a good time of it that all the young fellows who are not shy long to be shy。 But the really shy man knows better。 He knows that it is not quite so pleasant in reality。 He is not quite so interesting there as in the fiction。 He is a little more clumsy and stupid and a little less devoted and gentle； and his hair is much darker； which； taken altogether； considerably alters the aspect of the case。
The point where he does resemble his ideal is in his faithfulness。 I am fully prepared to allow the shy young man that virtue： he is constant in his love。 But the reason is not far to seek。 The fact is it exhausts all his stock of courage to look one woman in the face； and it would be simply impossible for him to go through the ordeal with a second。 He stands in far too much dread of the whole female sex to want to go gadding about with many of them。 One is quite enough for him。
Now； it is different with the young man who is not shy。 He has temptations which his bashful brother never encounters。 He looks around and everywhere sees roguish eyes and laughing lips。 What more natural than that amid so many roguish ayes and laughing lips he should become confused and； forgetting for the moment which particular pair of roguish ayes and laughing lips it is that he belongs to； go off making love to the wrong set。 The shy man； who never looks at anything but his own boots； sees not and is not tempted。 Happy shy man！
Not but what the shy man himself would much rather not be happy in that way。 He longs to 〃go it〃 with the others； and curses himself every day for not being able to。 He will now and again； screwing up his courage by a tremendous effort； plunge into roguishness。 But it is always a terrible _fiasco_； and after one or two feeble flounders he crawls out again； limp and pitiable。
I say 〃pitiable；〃 though I am afraid he never is pitied。 There are certain misfortunes which； while inflicting a vast amount of suffering upon their victims； gain for them no sympathy。 Losing an umbrella； falling in love； toothache； black eyes； and having your hat sat upon may be mentioned as a few examples； but the chief of them all is shyness。 The shy man is regarded as an animate joke。 His tortures are the sport of the drawing…room arena and are pointed out and discussed with much gusto。
〃Look；〃 cry his tittering audience to each other； 〃he's blushing！〃
〃Just watch his legs；〃 says one。
〃Do you notice how he is sitting？〃 adds another： 〃right on the edge of the chair。〃
〃Seems to have plenty of color；〃 sneers a military…looking gentleman。
〃Pity he's got so many hands；〃 murmurs an elderly lady； with her own calmly folded on her lap。 〃They quite confuse him。〃
〃A yard or two off his feet wouldn't be a disadvantage；〃 chimes in the comic man； 〃especially as he seems so anxious to hide them。〃
And then another suggests that with such a voice he ought to have been a sea…captain。 Some draw attention to the desperate way in which he is grasping his hat。 Some comment upon his limited powers of conversation。 Others remark upon the troublesome nature of his cough。 And so on； until his peculiarities and the company are both thoroughly exhausted。
His friends and relations make matters still more unpleasant for the poor boy （friends and relations are privileged to be more disagreeable than other people）。 Not content with making fun of him among themselves； they insist on his seeing the joke。 They mimic and caricature him for his own edification。 One； pretending to imitate him； goes outside and comes in again in a ludicrously nervous manner； explaining to him afterward that that is the way hemeaning the shy fellowwalks into a room； or； turning to him with 〃This is the way you shake hands；〃 proceeds to go through a comic pantomime with the rest of the room； taking hold of every one's hand as if it were a hot plate and flabbily dropping it again。 And then they ask him why he blushes； and why he stammers； and why he always speaks in an almost inaudible tone； as if they thought he did it on purpose。 Then one of them； sticking out his chest and strutting about the room like a pouter…pigeon； suggests quite seriously that that is the style he should adopt。 The old man slaps him on the back and says： 〃Be bold； my boy。 Don't be afraid of any one。〃 The mother says； 〃Never do anything that you need be ashamed of； Algernon； and then you never need be ashamed of anything you do；〃 and； beaming mildly at him； seems surprised at the clearness of her own logic。 The boys tell him that he's 〃worse than a girl；〃 and the girls repudiate the implied slur upon their sex by indignantly exclaiming that they are sure no girl would be half as bad。
They are quite right； no girl would be。 There is no such thing as