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wever； they are to be considered only as an index which never relieves us from the need further to study the nature of our subject。 The number of such individual indications is legion and no one is able to count them up and ground them； but examples of them may be indicated。
We ask； for example； what kind of man will give us the best and most reliable information about the conduct and activity； the nature and character； of an individual？ We are told： that sort of person who is usually asked for the informationhis nearest friends and acquaintances； and the authorities。 Before all of these nobody shows himself as he is； because the most honest man will show himself before people in whose judgment he has an interest at least as good as； if not better than he isthat is fundamental to the general egoistic essence of humanity； which seeks at least to avoid reducing its present welfare。 Authorities who are asked to make a statement concerning any person； can say reliably only how often the man was punished or came otherwise in contact with the law or themselves。 But concerning his social characteristics the authorities have nothing to say； they have got to investigate them and the detectives have to bring an answer。 Then the detectives are； at most； simply people who have had the opportunity to watch and interrogate the individuals in question；the servants； house… furnishers； porters； corner…loafers； etc。 Why we do not question the latter ourselves I cannot say； if we did we might know these people on whom we depend for important information and might put our questions according to the answers that we need。 It is a purely negative thing that an official declaration is nowadays not unfrequently presented to us in the disgusting form of the gossip of an old hag。 But in itself the form of getting information about people through servants and others of the same class is correct。 One has； however； to beware that it is not done simply because the gossips are most easily found； but because _people show their weaknesses most readily before those whom they hold of no account_。 The latter fact is well known； but not sufficiently studied。 It is of considerable importance。 Let us then examine it more closely： Nobody is ashamed to show himself before an animal as he is； to do an evil thing； to commit a crime； the shame will increase very little if instead of the animal a complete idiot is present； and if now we suppose the intelligence and significance of this witness steadily to increase； the shame of appearing before him as one is increases in a like degree。 So we will control ourselves most before people whose judgment is of most importance to us。 The Styrian； Peter Rosegger； one of the best students of mankind； once told a first…rate story of how the most intimate secrets of certain people became common talk although all concerned assured him that nobody had succeeded in getting knowledge of them。 The news…agent was finally discovered in the person of an old； humpy； quiet； woman； who worked by the day in various homes and had found a place； unobserved and apparently indifferent； in the corner of the sitting… room。 Nobody had told her any secrets； but things were allowed to occur before her from which she might guess and put them together。 Nobody had watched this disinterested； ancient lady； she worked like a machine； her thoughts； when she noted a quarrel or anxiety or disagreement or joy； were indifferent to all concerned； and so she discovered a great deal that was kept secret from more important persons。 This simple story is very significantwe are not to pay attention to gossips but to keep in mind that the information of persons is in the rule more important and more reliable when the question under consideration is indifferent to them than when it is important。 We need only glance at our own situation in this matterwhat do we know about our servants？ What their Christian names are； because we have to call them； where they come from； because we hear their pronunciation； how old they are； because we see them； and those of their qualities that we make use of。 But what do we know of their family relationships； their past； their plans； their joys or sorrows？ The lady of the house knows perhaps a little more because of her daily intercourse with them； but her husband learns of it only in exceptional cases when he bothers about things that are none of his business。 Nor does madam know much； as examination shows us daily。 But what on the other hand do the servants know about us？ The relation between husband and wife； the bringing…up of the children； the financial situation； the relation with cousins； the house…friends； the especial pleasures； each joy； each trouble that occurs； each hope； everything from the least bodily pain to the very simplest secret of the toilettethey know it all。 What can be kept from them？ The most restricted of them are aware of it； and if they do not see more； it is not because of our skill at hiding； but because of their stupidity。 We observe that in these cases there is not much that can be kept secret and hence do not trouble to do so。
There is besides another reason for allowing subordinate or indifferent people to see one's weaknesses。 The reason is that we hate those who are witnesses of a great weakness。 Partly it is shame； partly vexation at oneself； partly pure egoism； but it is a fact that one's anger turns instinctively upon those who have observed one's degradation through one's own weakness。 This is so frequently the case that the witness is to be the more relied on the more the accused would seem to have preferred that the witness had not seen him。 Insignificant people are not taken as real witnesses； they were there but they haven't perceived anything； and by the time it comes to light that they see at least as well as anybody else； it is too late。 One will not go far wrong in explaining the situation with the much varied epigram of Tacitus： ‘‘Figulus odit figulum。'' It is； at least； through business…jealousy that one porter hates another； and the reason for it lies in the fact that two of a trade know each other's weaknesses； that one always knows how the other tries to hide his lack of knowledge； how deceitful fundamentally every human activity is； and how much trouble everybody takes to make his own trade appear to the other as fine as possible。 If you know； however； that your neighbor is as wise as you are； the latter becomes a troublesome witness in any disagreeable matter； and if he is often thought of in this way； he comes to be hated。 Hence you must never be more cautious than when one ‘‘figulus'' gives evidence about another。 Esprit de corps and jealousy pull the truth with frightful force； this way and that； and the picture becomes the more distorted because so…called esprit de corps is nothing more than generalized selfishness。 Kant＇1＇ is not saying enough when he says that the egoist is a person who always tries to push his own _*I_ forward and to make it the chief object of his own and of everybody else's attention。 For the person who merely seeks attention is only conceited； the egoist； however； seeks his own advantage alone； even at the cost of other people； and when he show