Litchfield enquirer., 1831-09-15
ble for; and which sometimes amounted to nearly 30 shillings week."
POLITENESS.

 people in general begin outside, when they should begin inside; instead of beginning with the heart, and trusting that to form the manners, they begin with the manners, and trust the heart to chance influences. The golden rNIe contains the very life and
 soul of poIitcness. Children may be
 taught to make graceful courtesy, or U
 gentlemanly bow,-but, unless they have
 likewise been taught to abhor what is self
 ish. and always prefer another's comfort and pleasure to their own, their politeness
 will be entirely artificial, and be used only
 when it is their interest to use it. On the other hand, a truly benevolent, kind-heart- ed person will always be distinguished for
 what is called native poliseness,' though entirely ignorant of the conventional forms of society. s..l,
 by no means think graceful manners of small importance. They are the outward
 form of refinement in the mind, and good
 affections in the heart, and as such must be
 lovely. But when the form exists without
 the vital principle within, it is as cold and
 liteless as flowers carved in marble.
 Politeness either of feeling or of man. ner, can never be taught by set maxims. Everyday influence, so unconsciously ex- ] erted, is all important in forming the char acters of children; and in nothing more important than in their manners. If you are habitually polite, your children will be- come so, by the mere force of imitation, without any specific direction on the sub- ject. Your manners at home should al- ways be such as you wish your family to have in company. Polteness will then be natural to them; they will possess it with- out thinking about it. But when certain outward observancos are urged in words as important only because they make us pleas- ing, they assume an undue importance and the unworthiness of the motive fosters self ishness. Besides, if our own manners are not habi!ually consistent with the rules we give, they will be of little avail they will in all probability be misunderstood, and will certainly be forgotten. I, at this mo- mcnt, recollect an anecdo,e, which plainly shows that politeness cannot bo shuf1ed on at moments warning, like a garment long out ofuse. A worthy, but somewhat vulgar woman, residing in secluded viii Iage, expected visit from strangers of some distinction. On the spur of the oc- aaeins.. .aI 14.pl,.I .' s.",J %at~HoS" J""-"f' yon must sit very still till the. company comes and then you must be sure 10 get up and make your bows and conrtes'es
 and younust mind and say Yes, ma ,am'
 and " No, ma'am"-" Yes, sir, ana NO, sir, I thank you."' The visitors arrived -and the children, seated together lKe four and twenty little dogs all in row. uprose at once, bobbed their courtesies, and iabbered over, Yes, ma'am, No, ma'am, Yes, sir, No, sir, l thank you There, mother, now we've done 1t!
 The happiest married couples l have ev- CT known were those who were scrupuious in paving to each other thousand minute attentions, generally thought too trifing to be of any importance and yet on these very triGes depended their continued love for each other. A birth day present, ac- companied with kind look or word-re- serving for each other the most luxurious fruit. or the most comfortable chair-nay even the habit of always saying, Will you
 have inc goodness 2 and Thank you'-all
 these seemingly trivial things have great
 effect on domestic felicity, and OH the man
 ners of children. Early habits ot prefer
 ring others to ourselves arc very important ' A child should always be taught to give a.
 way the largest slice of his apple, or h'' cake. and to take his whistle immediately from his mouth, if sick little brother o' sister is anxious for it. believe the easy and natural politeness of tho French may in great measure be attributed to the'r re- [ markable care in forming such early haoH'
 of self-denial.
 It is a graceful habit for children to say to each other, Will you have the good
 sand thank you do not 'ke
 to see prim artificial children there are
 few things dislike so much as miniature beau or belle. But the habit of good man. ners by no means implies affectat'on n or re re straint. 1t is quite as easy to say Fiease : give me piece of pie, as to say' wan . a piece of pie. ,, ,d.,
 The idea that politeness would rendel f social life too stiff and restrained, springs D from a false estimate of polileness.. TrI' noliteness is perfect ease and freedom. l ', simply consists in treating other: just a vou love to be treated yourself, A Perso' 1, ,yho acts from this principle will always p a said to have " sweet pretty ways w''n ner; ., ii is of some consequence that your aaugn "a fer should know how to enter and leave d room gracefully but it is oi proa'gioasl ,d more consequences ahatshe should De m 'n z, q habit of avoiding whatever is offensive
 d;sous4inp to others, and ot always preie