Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-09-06

INBRED country people, when without pr'n.
ciple, have generally savageress and oru;
talhy in their carriage, as contrary to sooa
manners as to pety itself. No one has
better opporunity Of making observations
Of this kind, than | have from my once
and situation, and can assure you, that re-
lioion is the great polis!,er of the common
,eople. 1t even enlarges their understand
inc as 10 other things. Having been &c.
customed 10 exercise their judgment and
reflection on religious subjects, they are ca
pable of talking more sensiby on agr!cul'
ture, politics, or any common topic OF IN
different conversation.
Let me not forget to speak ofthe middle
ranks of life. Here, also, scruple not 10
affirm that whatever sphere man has
been bred in. or attained to, religion is not
an injury but an addition TO the politcness OF
his carriage. They seem indeed TO con-
fess their relation to one another, by their
reciprocal influence. In promiscuous con.
versa,ion, as true religion contributes to
make men decent or GORGEOUS, so true polite.
ness guards them efec,uay from any out.
rage against piety or purity. If were un~
happily thrown in'o mixed or dangerous
company, should not apprehend any thing
improper for me to hear from the most
wicked man, but from the greatest clio "n.
have known gentlemen who wero lnfideis
in principle, and whose lives. had reason
TO believe, were privately very bad l.; yet in
conversation they were guarded, decent
and improving whereas if there come lnlo
company rough unpublished country gen:
tlcman, no man can promise that he will
no, break out into some proCane exclamation
or obscene allusion, which it would be
wrong 10 attribute 10 impiety, so much as
to rudeness and wan, of reflection.
/ have been already loo long in the in.
PRODUCTION, and in giving reasons for what
propose shall make part of this branch
OF the subject, and yet must make another
preliminary remark there is the greater
necessity for uniting piety and poli'eness IN
the system of family example, that as piety
is by that means inculcated with the great.
est advantage, so politeness can scarcely be
attained in any other way. II is very rare
that persons reach higher degree ofPol,te.
ness, than what they have been formed to
in the families Of their parents and other
near relations. True politencss does not
consist in dress, or few motions OF the
body, bu, in habit Of sentiment and con-
versalion; the first may be learned from
master, and in little time; the last only by
long and constant intercourse with those
who possess, and are therefore able to I'M
part it. AS the difficulty is certainly grea.
test with the female sex. because they have
fewer opportunities Of being abroad in the
world, shall take example from among
them.
Suppose man Of low birth living in the
country, by Industry and parsimony has be.
come wealthy, andhas daughter to whom
he desires 10 give genteel education. He
sends her 10 your city to boarding school,
for the other which is nearer me, you are
pleased not to think sufficient for that pur.
pose. She will speedily learn to buy expensive
and fashionable clothes, and most probably
be in the very height and extravaganza Of
the fashion, one of the surest signs OF vuls
gar taste. She may also, ifher capacyis
tolerable, get rid of her rustic air and car.
riage and if it be better than ordinary,
learn to discourse upon whatever topic is
then in vogue and comes in immediately
after the weather, which is the beginning
Of all conversation. But as her residence
is only for time, she returns home ; where
she can see or hear nothing but as before.
Must she not relapse speedily in the same
vuIgality of sentiment, and perhaps the
same provincial dialect, to which she had
been accustomed from her youth? Neither
is it impossible that she may just retain as
much Of the city ceremonial, as by the in.
congruous mixture, will render her r'dicul.
Gus. There is but one single way of es-
cape, which we have seen some young wo-
men of merit and capacity take which is
to contract an intimacy with persons OF IL
beral sentiments and higher breeding, and
be as little among their relations, as posi-.
ble. Ihave given this description to con.
vince YOU, that it is in their fathers house,
and by the conversation and manners 10
which they are there accustomed, tha. chll.
dren must be formed to poiileness. as we'll
as to virtue. | carry this matter so far,
that think it disadvantage to be bred too
high, as we'll US too low. | do not desire,
and have always declined any opportunity
given me of having my children reside long
IN families ofhigh rank. Iwas afraid they
would contract an air and manner unsui,a.
bic to what was to be their condition for
the remainder oftheir lives. / would wish
10 give my children as just, as noble, and as
elegant sentiments as possible, to fit them
for rational conversation, but dress and