Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-11-07
TRUE POLITENESS.

II IS gracclnI EaOit lOr ChiidTeb ~
say TO each other, "Will you have the
goodness ?''-and "I thank you" do
no, like TO see prim, artificial children !;
there are few things l dislike so much
as a miniature beau, or belle. But The
habit Of good manners by no means inn
plies aliectation or restraint. 1t is quite
as easy TO say, 'Please give me piece
of pie, as to say, Il want a piece Of pie.
The base idea that constant noli,eness
would render social life too stiff and res
trained, springs from false estimate of
poli!eness. True poIi,encss is perfect
ease and freedom. 1t simply consists in
treating others just as you would like to
be treated yourself. y person who acts
from this principle will always be said
to have sweet pretty ways with hei. 1t
is of some consequence that your daush-
ter should know how to enter and leave
room gracefully; but it is Of plodigious.
Iy more consequence that she should be
in the habit Of avoiding whatever is dis
gustiug or offensive TO others, and Of
always prefcrring their pleasure to her
own. If she has the last, a very little
intercourse with the world will teach
her the first.
believe nothing tonds 10 make pco-
pie so awkward as too much anxiety TO
please others. Nature is graceful and
afiectation with all art, can never pro.
duce anything half SO pleasing. The
very perfection Of elegance is 10 initiate
it as closely as possible; and how much
better is it to have the reality than the
imitation. ! shall probably be remind
cd that the best and most unaffected peo.
pie arc constrained and awkward in
company to which they are unaccus-
toned. answer, the reason is, they
do not act themselves, they are afraid
they shall not act right, and that very
fear makes them do wrong. Anxiety
about the opinion of others, fe,ters the
freedom Of nature. AT home, where
they act from within themselves, they
would appear thousand times better.
All would appear well, if they did not
try to assume what they lid moi possess.
Everybody is respectable and pleasing
so long as he is perfectly natural. |
will make no cxceplion-nature is al
ways graceful. Tie most secluded and
the most ignorant have some charms
about them, so long as they affect no
thing; so long as they speak and acl
from the impulses Of their own honest
hear's, without any anxiety about what
Others think Of it.
Coarseness and vu'gari'y are the e(fec,
Of education and habit; they cannot be
charged upon nature. True polileness
may be cherished in the howell as well
as in the palace, and the most la,tered
Grapery cannot conceal its winning
charms. AS far as consistent with youi
situation and duties, early accuslom
your children TO an intercourse with
strangers. | have seen young persons
who were respectful and polite a, home,
seized will: a mos, painful and unbccom-
ing bashfulness as soon as IA guest en-
tered. To avoid this evil, allow your
children to accompany you as often as
possible when you make calls and social
visists. Occasional interviews with in
teiligent and cultivated individuals have
great influence on early characters and
manners, particularly if parents evident
ly place high value upon acquaintan-
ces OF that description. have known
the destiny of a whole family greatly
changed for the better, by the friendship
Of one Of lis mombcrs with person of
superior advantages and correct pripci-
ples.-Mrs. L. ii. Child.