[a continuation, in different directions, of a post from a few days ago]

Mark Twain on who he goes to in order to determine the opinion of the “general public”:
“…These people accurately represent the general public. Their verdict is the sure forecast of the verdict of the general public….”
1. Man and woman with no sense of humor.
2. Man and woman with medium sense of humor.
3. Man and woman with prodigious sense of humor.
4. An intensely practical person.
5. A sentimental person.
6. Person who must have a moral in, and a purpose.
7. Hypercritical person—natural flaw-picker and fault-finder.
8. Enthusiast—person who enjoys anything and everything, almost.
9. Person who watches the others, and applauds or condemns with the majority.
10. Half a dozen bright young girls and boys, unclassified.
11. Person who relishes slang and familiar flippancy.
12. Person who detests them.
13. Person of evenly-balanced judicial mind.
14. Man who always goes to sleep.
(in “Whenever I Am about to Publish a Book”)

Theophrastus’ character sketches (a good man is hard to find):
…For a long time, Polycles, I have been a student of human nature; I have lived ninety years and nine; I have associated, too, with many and diverse natures; and, having observed side by side, with great closeness, both the good and the worthless among men, I conceived that I ought to write a book about the practices in life of either sort….
1. The Ironical Man
2. The Flatterer
3. The Garrulous Man
4. The Boor
5. The Complaisant Man
6. The Reckless Man
7. The Chatty Man
8. The Gossip
9. The Shameless Man
10. The Penurious Man
11. The Gross Man
12. The Unseasonable Man
13. The Officious Man
14. The Stupid Man
15. The Surly Man
16. The Superstitious Man
17. The Grumbler
18. The Distrustful Man
19. The Offensive Man
20. The Unpleasant Man
21. The Man of Petty Ambition
22. The Mean Man
23. The Boastful Man
24. The Arrogant Man
25. The Coward
26. The Oligarch
27. The Late-Learner
28. The Evil-Speaker
29. The Patron of Rascals
30. The Avaricious Man
(in The Characters, as translated by R.C. Jebb in 1870)

This entry was posted on July 16, 2009 and is filed under lists, literature, quotations.