Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-09-30
EyperimPpt in Manners.

In the year 1921, made, in London, in the spirit
Ola wager very decisive and satisfactory expert
ment az TO the eject of civil and courteous manners
| on people of various ranks and descriptions.
/ There were in the place number Of young
Americans, who Otter complained to me ofthe neg
iect and rudeness experienced by them from citizens
! TO whom they spoke in the streets. They asserted
IN particular that, often tGey requested direc-
tions 10 any point ia the city towards which thew
/ were proceeding, they either received an uneiv
aud evasive answer, or no answer at ALL told
them that my experience on the same subject had
been exceedingly diferent thSt had never failed
TO receive civil reply to my questiOns-Often CON-
ulnnicating the information requested; and that
could not help suspecting that their failure to re-
eeve similar replies arose, in part at least, if not
entirely. from the planneSs not TO say the blunt
ness OF their manner in making their inquiries
The correctness of this charge however, they stur-
dily denied asserting that their manner Of asking
Information was good enough for those TO whom
they addressed themselves. Unable TO convince
them by words of the truth of my suspicious pre-
posed to them the following simple and conclusive
experiment:
Let US take together ii walk oftwoor three hours
in some Of the public streets of the city. You
shall yourselves designate to me the persons TO
whom shall propose questions, and the subjects
also, to which the questions shall relate; and the
only restriction imposed is that no question shall
be proposed to any one who shall appear to be
greatly hurried. agtated distressed, or in any 9TH
er way deeply pre-occupied in mind or body, and
no shall speak to the person questioned but my
self
My proposition being accepted, out We sailed,
and to work We went; and continued my expert
ment until my young friends surrendered at discre-
tion, frankly acknowledging that my opinion was
right and theirs, of course wrong; and that in our
passage through life, courtesy of address and de-
pertinent may be made both pleasant and power
ful means to attain ends and crafty our wishes
put questions to more Than twenty persons OF
every rank, from the high-bred gentleman TO the
servant in livery, and received in each instance
courteous, and, in most instances satisfactory re-
ply. Ifthe information asked for was not impart-
cd the individual addressed gave assurance of his
regret al being unable to communicate it.
What seemed most TO surprise my friends was
that the individual accosted by Inc almost uniform
ly initiated my own manner. II ] uncovered as
usually did in speaking to gentleman, or even TO
a man of ordinary appearance and breeding, he did
the same in bis reply; and when l touched my hat
to lveried coacbman or waitng-man, his hat was
Immediately under his arm. So much may be DONE
and such advantages gained, by simply avoiding
eoarseness and vugarity, and being well bred and
agreeable. Nor can the case be otherwise. For
the foundation Of good breeding is good nature ard
good sense, two of the most useful and indspensa-
ton attributes of well constituted mind. Let it
not be forgotten, however, that good breeding is
not to be regarded as Identical with poiteless a
mistake which is too frequently, if not generally
committed. A person may be exceedingly polite
without the much higher and more valuable accom-
plishment of goOd-breediEg.- Autobiography of
DR.. Caldwell.