Second Thoughts of An Idle Fellow | Page 3

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This etext was prepared by Les Bowler, St. Ives, Dorset from the 1899
Hurst and Blackett edition.

The Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow

Contents
On the art of making up one's mind. On the disadvantage of not getting
what one wants. On the exceptional merit attaching to the things we
meant to do. On the preparation and employment of love philtres. On
the delights and benefits of slavery. On the care and management of
women. On the minding of other people's business. On the time wasted
in looking before one leaps. On the nobility of ourselves. On the
motherliness of man. On the inadvisability of following advice. On the
playing of marches at the funerals of marionettes.

ON THE ART OF MAKING UP ONE'S MIND
"Now, which would you advise, dear? You see, with the red I shan't be
able to wear my magenta hat."
"Well then, why not have the grey?"
"Yes--yes, I think the grey will be MORE useful."
"It's a good material."

"Yes, and it's a PRETTY grey. You know what I mean, dear; not a
COMMON grey. Of course grey is always an UNINTERESTING
colour."
"Its quiet."
"And then again, what I feel about the red is that it is so warm-looking.
Red makes you FEEL warm even when you're NOT warm. You know
what I mean, dear!"
"Well then, why not have the red? It suits you--red."
"No; do you really think so?"
"Well, when you've got a colour, I mean, of course!"
"Yes, that is the drawback to red. No, I think, on the whole, the grey is
SAFER."
"Then you will take the grey, madam?"
"Yes, I think I'd better; don't you, dear?"
"I like it myself very much."
"And it is good wearing stuff. I shall have it trimmed with--Oh! you
haven't cut it off, have you?"
"I was just about to, madam."
"Well, don't for a moment. Just let me have another look at the red.
You see, dear, it has just occurred to me--that chinchilla would look so
well on the red!"
"So it would, dear!"
"And, you see, I've got the chinchilla."
"Then have the red. Why not?"

"Well, there is the hat I'm thinking of."
"You haven't anything else you could wear with that?"
"Nothing at all, and it would go so BEAUTIFULLY with the
grey.--Yes, I think I'll have the grey. It's always a safe colour--grey."
"Fourteen yards I think you said, madam?"
"Yes, fourteen yards will be enough; because I shall mix it with-- One
minute. You see, dear, if I take the grey I shall have nothing to wear
with my black jacket."
"Won't it go with grey?"
"Not well--not so well as with red."
"I should have the red then. You evidently fancy