Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-12-06
THE CHARM of MANNER;
or,
E AsE, C RAGE. AND COURTESY
To move with easy, though measured space,

AMI show no part OF study but the grace.'
& ogently blending courtesy and art, [heart.
That wisdom's lips seem form d of friendship
There is nothing soweif calculated t
touch and win. as the graceful manner
II serves to embellish and beausity tn,
tou er man. and in some degree to~adorl
and dignity, not only the social but the
intellectual character. What polish is Il
the diamond, manner is to the.indiVidual
1t heightens the value and charm. One
of easy manner. always quiet, graceful
and self possessed-always bland. cour,
teous and captivating. cahnot fail to Sc.
cure friends and make a favorable impress
sion. What, indeed, is more delightluli IN
our youth than manner which atSpnce
acknowledges respect.fStaage, ind hes
mo leSLy and discretion and AT the same
time is free from the awkward and un-
'cOuIh air. which too often de(aces aud dis
figures. A polished manner is essential
to every true gentleman. He must not
only understand aud be able To govern
himself. but he must appreciate the feel.
ings, the circumstances and position of
others. 1t is, moreover. quite an easy
task to be affable and courteous, when
once the habit is permitted to grow, and
thus the habit becomes identified with the
character. In the course of an address
that was recently delivered at the Ami.
bany. DR.. HoraLio Potter contended that
manner should le a lealing feature in
education: He described il AS the out.
ward impression of the mind, not mer, ly
of its knowledge or strength of reason,
but of the degree TO which it had been
,oftened aud humauized by culture and
of the point which it occupied in the
scale between bArbAri-m and perfect ci.
viiizAtion. And this is emphalically true.
How often ate we carried away by the
force of its impressions ! A single look
will sometimes linger in the soul for years
We may have heard of an inliVidual
again and again, have become familiar
With his heaIt and character by letter or
through the representatives of others, and
have thus formed a sort of friendship or
attachment, and yet much Of thisqnay be
dlssipated at single interview, through
the influence of an awkward, ma. G0r9pos
uneasy and ungrace:ul manner. Who
cannot point out some young gentleman
Of his acquaintance. who is perpetually
into difficulties, dilemmas, and
awkward predicaments. simply in couse.
quence of an abrupt, brosque, uncouth. (.
and inele sanE manner. He can neither
stand at ease, walk with grace. nor speak
with ele 5ance-Gn this, too. despite tho
fact that his heart may be good, Ills mind
may be we'll informed and his acquaintance
with the world may be comparatively ez
tenslve. IfiL is his N ortune to be- awk-
ward in m mtnnrr, this will often. prove u
stumbling. block in his life, ,anl'esp sp@cially
among the fair daughters Of Eve. W no in
such matters are so observing. so critical.
and so salirical. These latter qualities
are, we are aware, unjust and ungeherous
under the circumstances, for some of The
nOblest hearts that ever animated the hui
man frame, are to be found within awk.
ward forms, and associated with ungainly5
figures. Better. too, have the principle
than the mauner-better the heart with.
in than the form without. Nevertheless.
10th are desirable. and hence we argue
in favor Of manner that combines ease.
slacc, courtesy, and i-possession-on
oEiat not only wins respect, but that pays
it-one that expresses by its every move.
ment proper appreciate, n for the taste,
the feelings, and even the prejudice and
passions OF others. Who. for example,
that is properly cultivated can admire the
coarse, the rulle, and the viOlent-tIie
clustering .-the insoIent, the reckless and
The bold ?
& the manner is in some sense the mir
ror OF the mind. 1t pictures and repre-
Sents the thoughts AMI emotion, within.
ttindicates, not only the condition Of the
iutelIeet but the spirits of.courte ~ an {
propriety. II is, says Dr.. Potter. 'thro'
che manner, murc than alm3stin any 9th :
sr way, that we continually Impress and
influence, fayqrably O. unfaSorabiy. those
vino are about US. We cannot always be
engaged in expressive action Butesen
when we are silent, even when wear NOT in
action. there is something in our manner,
whIcia expresses whatis elevated or what
Is low, what is human and benignanC, or
what is cuarse and harsh" Let US not
be misunderstood. We could not check
or restrain the gusbings Of y guileles
aeaTt, or the aOSeI IhOwIugs OF q Joyous
spirit. Sill there, is vide difference be
tween The boisLeEous and the frank, be-
tween the Affected and the genial. between
The heart that is cultivated and the
he4fs that exuIts becau 9 IL is rough
AffectasiOn. moreover, should be earsIal.
ly guarded against. 1t Is an error Of liz
tie minds. Il u q weakness rstilsf than q
poIish aud yet il is too often mistaken
Joy those who indulge ii itsfor the. lauefe
The charm OG msnner consists 10 It's sim
.piicity. lts eassSa ana grase /. not OnlY
oec0mes, but II adorns. Itnot oaly beau
tlfies, bus Is sabdues and Wins. Raks
Two person. tor example, Who ate ssi94l
IN olher respects. Lei them br Of simi
lar position ia life. equal in fortune,
equal in good look, aud alike in DIS
position But let them diIer. brOal
ly aud distinctIy IN manner. anl the con.
trasJ will strike ever bshOlier,e III r are