To the reader who has never met with one possessing the
unhappy disposition of Charley Gray, his character in these pages will
seem absurd and overdrawn; but those who have come in close contact with
a like nature will only see in this sketch a correct delineation of one
of the most unhappy dispositions which affect mankind. Charley was
endowed with rare gifts of mind and intellect, and was manly and
sensible, and setting aside this one fault it was hard to find a more
agreeable and pleasant companion. His absurd conduct was often a matter
of after-wonder to himself, and he made frequent resolutions of
amendment, which only held good till some cause roused his old enemy. I
suppose no more proper name could be found for this unhappy disposition
than exclusiveness, for what ever or whoever he liked, he wanted all to
himself. He was respectful and courteous to all, but intimate only with
a very few, and for those few his affection went beyond the bounds of
reason, inasmuch as it was a source of unhappiness to himself and all
connected with him.
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