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Chapter 4: Disposition
Prodigality: Prodigality is excessive liberality.
Characters who are incontinent and excessively
spend money on their pleasure are prodigals. A
prodigal is a character who wastes their substance,
which is usually their wealth. Therefore, a prodigal
becomes ruined by their own fault. Unfortunately,
the lives of most characters depend on their possession
of substance or wealth. Prodigality exceeds
in giving, not taking. Prodigals usually fall short in
taking. Prodigals are usually considered foolish rather
than immoral. After all, a wicked or evil character is
unlikely to give excessively, yet fail to take from others.
However, the worst prodigals value giving or
spending so much that they willingly take from the
wrong sources. These kinds of prodigals do not
take from others due to wickedness, but mainly due
to poverty, which is their own fault.
Tastelessness and Vulgarity: Tastelessness
and vulgarity are excessive magnificence. Tastelessness
is excessive spending on showy objects that are
exquisite, and yet in wrong circumstances. Tastelessness
does not relate to excessive spending on
meager objects. For example, a tasteless character
would build a mansion in a povertous neighborhood.
Vulgarity occurs when a character spends beyond
what is right. For example, a vulgar character would
give a club dinner on the scale of a wedding banquet.
Tasteless and vulgar characters do not seek
honor, but to show off their wealth. Characters
with this vice think they are admired solely for wealth.
Where they ought to spend much, they spend little;
where they ought to spend little, they spend much.
Empty Vanity: Empty vanity is proper pride
that is excessive. A character is vain who thinks they
are worthy of great things, when they are actually
unworthy. A vain character incorrectly compares
themselves with others, and considers themselves
superior to others. Vain characters are fools and
ignorant of themselves. When unworthy, a vain
character attempts an honorable undertaking, but is
later discovered to be unworthy. Vain characters
adorn themselves with clothing, outward show, and
such things. Characters who are vain wish their good
fortune to be known publicly, and speak about their
fortune as if they should be honored for it.
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Irascibility (GE): Irascibility is excessive
anger, and quite different from good-temper. This
excess can be manifested in numerous ways, though
all are not found in the same character. For example,
a character can be angry with the wrong characters,
at the wrong things, more than is right, too
quickly, or too long. Irascibility is more opposed to
good-temper than inirascibility; not only is it commoner
(revenge is very human), but irascible characters
are worse to live with. 3 types of irascible
characters are described below:
Hot-tempered characters quickly get angry
with the wrong characters at the wrong things and
more than is right, but their anger ceases quickly,
which is best about them. Hot-tempered characters
do not restrain their anger, but retaliate openly
and quickly. After a short outburst, their anger
ceases. Hot-tempered characters tend to have choleric
temperaments. Excessively choleric characters
are quick-tempered and ready to be angry with everything
and on every occasion; whence their name.
Sulky characters are hard to appease, and
retain their anger long; they repress their passion.
The anger of sulky characters ceases upon retaliation;
they are pleasured at the relief from their pain.
If a sulky character does not retaliate, then the anger
is retained. Such characters are troublesome to
themselves and to their dearest friends.
Bad-tempered characters are those who are
angry at the wrong things, more than is right, longer,
and cannot be appeased until they inflict vengeance
or punishment.