Word: mans
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Dates: during 1870-1879
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...article is to demolish the "independent man," and, we infer, to disprove the existence at college to any great degree of that fungoid growth, toadyism...
Undoubtedly the writer does demolish his independent man, but that creature is made chiefly of straw. For why a man to be completely independent (as every man of self-respect should be) need "blurt" out unasked his opinions or his views on college life and its proper motives does not appear. Nor is the reason evident why he should call every one who is not of his way of thinking a toady. Nor does it seem very clear why he should scorn the esteem, respect, and friendship of manly...
...independent" man who does all this would be a cross between a boor and a fool. When "Ossip" shows the necessary connection between independence and such actions he certainly will show how unsatisfactory a thing independence is; but in the mean while the old prejudice in favor of it will remain...
...independence does not involve the folly attributed to it, in what does it consist? In two things: in fearlessly acting in accordance with the dictates of a manly conscience with absolute disregard to popular opinion, and in fearlessly speaking whenever there is a principle at issue. Foibles should be cheerfully tolerated, but not immorality. If, for example, when that amiable idiot Hollis Holworthy (now well known through the Lampoon) is talking like a "Harvard man" about how he is going to be "as full as a goat" to-night, etc., etc., some one would delicately but intelligibly intimate that...
...that is, to be insincere) is a short and easy road to one kind of popularity. But to act and speak fearlessly, in accordance with conscience, and without regard to the opinion of others, brings something far better than such popularity, - the consciousness of having acted like a man. For, so acting, a man can never, unless he be misunderstood, lose the esteem, respect, and friendship of manly men. If misunderstood he still has the sanction of the voice within, - a sanction which to judicious men outweighs the opinion of a whole theatre of opponents...