The subjects of the other form occupy a lower level. They affect
singularity for the purpose of attracting attention to themselves, and
thus obtaining the notoriety which they crave with every breath they
inhale. They dress differently from other people, wearing enormous
shirt-collars, or peculiar hats, or oddly cut coats of unusual colors,
or indulging in some other similar whimsicality of an unimportant
character, in the expectation that they will thereby attract the
attention or excite the comments of those they meet.
Or they build houses upon an idea perhaps correct enough in itself, as,
for instance, the securing of proper ventilation; but in carrying it out
they show such defective judgment that the complete integrity of the
intellect may, perhaps, be a matter of question. Thus, one gentleman of
my acquaintance, believing that fireplaces were the best ventilators,
put four of these openings into every room in his house. This, however,
was one of the smallest of his eccentricities. He wore a ventilated hat,
his clothing was pierced with holes, as were even his shoes; and no
one could be in his company five minutes without having his attention
directed to these provisions for securing health.
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