Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1818-10-20
MISCELLANY.
From the Connecticut Comant.
THE BRIEF REMARKER.

There are but few words in our Ian.
,o ptiage that have more grating sound in
fl1e ears of those who lay claim to good
Bleeding, than the word Vulgarity, inso-
fs3licl that many one had rather be
bought vicious than vulgar. And what
isyulgarity ? This is rather puzzling
oslestion; for the word is no where de-
h fined, nor is it capable of being exactly
marked out by definition. Profaneness
III filthiness of speech, and clownish awk-
hardness Of manners withal, are only the
srosser parts Of vulgarity, which extends
itself to almost innumerabIe particulars Of
hnman conduct, and not unfrequently into
The fashionable ranks of society. But
sioueh it be in a manner indefnabie, il
N, admits of being explained as it were by
tel by contrasting it with quality which
every body Of any decency of mind and
Character processes TO hold in respect.
Vulgarity, then, is the direct opposite
of Coureousness But here, again arises
a question, What is coHrteousness Your
a dictionary will tell you it implies some
N thing elegant beyond the
i. reach of plain men and women OF the com
On mon sort. But so it is not. When st.
Paul addressing himself to christians of all
worldly grades and classes, even down 10
slaves or mental servants; when address,
ing himself to the lowest as well as to the
highest, he babe them 10 be courteous, as
stiredly he did not mean that they must all
be of elegant mannery. No; it is full
likely that Paul did not excel greatly 10
that particular: it 6as not surely, the ete-
gance Of bis maDner that made Felix trem-
Bile. Courteodsness must mean therefore,
a Something which is within the reach of
all sorts Of people; and in its primary and
!. best sense, it may be understood to mean
o exactly such behaviour as spontaneous
d. lysprings from heart warm with benevo-
}. knce whilst, on the contrary, vulgarity
II as respects people Of some rank 10 life is
the growth OF cold selfishness always, and
often, of selfishness and Darrowness of in
teilect combined. Vulgarity, in some
shape or other, betrays itself as clearly at
the very top, as at the bottom of the scale
of life.
Cardinal de Retz remarks of Cardinal
Richlieu, a most puisant prime minister of
France, that she loved to rally others, but
could not bear to be rallied himself" So,
also, it is said of Frederick the Great of
Prussia, that his manner was to harrow up
the feelings OF his courtiers aud attendants
by breaking his cutting jokes upon them
without measure or mercy knowing that
fa' they burst not offer any retort. These
two instances clearly show that vulgarity
may be found in the palace, as well as in
lc the cottage. The like may be frequently
seen among the little great, many Of whom
Ks, take a delight in wounding the feelings of
J, those below them merely because they are
below them !: a scurvy fault which sudden
wealth is peculiarly apt to draw after it.
[ say scuruy fault, because nothing
J. scarcely betrays more reprobate heart,
than an unfeeling brutal conduct towards
y. Interiors: as it usually springs from the
ofious compound Of arrogance, vanity and
cowardice.
We have no more right, wantonly or
causelessly to wound the mind than to
n wound the body of fellow being; and IN
many instances, the former is the more
cruel of the two.
Some persons, even 10 the blessed deed
Of giving aims to the needy, poison the
gilt by an ungracious manner OF bestow
nlent, accompanying it with sour look, or
peradventure with bitter taunt. One
y of The wisest of the ancients noticed this
= species of vulgarism, aud reproved il with
% the sound words following: My son,
bIemish not thy good deeds, neither use
uncomfortable words when thou givest any
thing"
There are some again, both men and
women, who value themselves highly up.