de of caring nothing for the niceties of life."

A little further on, he adds:

"I was made a cynic by shyness. I posed as a despiser of the politeness
I did not know how to practise."

This is a much more frequent cause than one might think of the
exhibition of an effrontery which is apparently deliberate and
intentional.

The timid man, feeling himself awkward and clownish when performing the
usual acts of courtesy, assumes the attitude of caring nothing for them
and of avoiding them deliberately, while all the while he is tortured by
the inability to perform them without seeming ridiculous.

But the onlooker is not deceived. The outward appearance of cynicism
often conceals an inward sensitiveness of soul that is quite obvious,
and the actor makes so poor a hand at identifying himself with the
character he would assume that it is clearly evident he is only playing
a part.

The conflict of diametrically opposing forces shows itself plainly in
his attitude which vacillates between the stiffest formality and the
easiest assurance.

The awkwardness that is the bugbear of the timid shows itself even
beneath their work of cynicism, and the very effort accuses them, no
less than their flighty and unreasoning conversation and their gestures,
now exaggerated and now represt, all of which make up a whole that
entirely fails to give an impression of harmony.

And what possible harmony can there be between a soul and a body that
are completely out of accord with each other?

Should it be asked what the difference is between presumption or
effrontery and the poise that we have in mind, this simple illustration
should be illuminating.

Effrontery, bravado, and exaggeration are qualities that are shown by
those who exceed their own capacity without giving the question a
thought.

Poise is the virtue which gives us the strength of mind to analyze the
possibilities that are dominant within us, to cultivate them, and to
strengthen them in every possible way before undertaking an enterprise
which is likely to call them into play.

Real poise has no bluster about it. It has a good deal in it of
self-possession, the discretion belonging to which is one of its marked
characteristics.

Repression of our outward movements enables us to achieve that control
over our emotions which makes a perfect cloak for our intentions, and
leaves our opponents in perplexity as to how to attack the fortress that
they wish to conquer.

I