smirchiness

Updated: May 5, 2025

But despite a general badness, or what may be called a 'smirchiness' of feature, he had learned to assume an air of superiority, which by its sheer audacity prevented a casual observer from setting him down as the vulgarian he undoubtedly was; and his amazing pluck, boldness and originality in devising ways and means of smothering popular discontent under various 'shows' of apparent public prosperity, was immensely useful to all such 'statesmen, whose statesmanship consisted in making as much money as possible for themselves out of the pockets of their credulous countrymen.

Marie Corelli - Temporal Power