The Kanzas news., 1857-09-12
The Advantages of Manner.

It is traditionary, that the success which
Aaron Burr achieved in politics, up to the
hour when he betrayed his party in the great
contest of 1901, arose chiefly from his in
imitable address, his knowledge of human
nature, and his infinite tact in conversation.
Nor is he the only man who has distanced
ADLER competitors by his suavity of manner.
Talleyrand was as famous for this captiva-
ting quality in the last generation, as Ches
terfeld was IN that of our great-grandfa
theirs, or Marlboro in that of Queen Anne.
Wherever this advantage of manner is pos
sessed, it renders its fortunate owner popu-
lar and often even idolized. The politician
who enjoys it easily distances all other can
didates, for every voter he speaks with, be-
comes instantly his friend. The very frank
ness with which such man asks for pinch
of snuff, is more potent often than the ar
guments of Webster, Calhoun, or Clay
The lover who enjoys this happy faculty
has similar success over his rivals
Thousands of worthless fellows, as we all
know have won and retained The affection
of innocent, forgiving, hoping women, sim
ply by the charm of a manner, the absence
of which caused infinitely better suitors to
be discarded.
1t is folly when great fact ike this pre-
sents itself, to ignore or even neglect it,
The cultivation of suavity of manner should
form part of every PERSONS education.-
To waste words in saying that it is beneath
true manhood to avail ones self of such
little arts as polished address, or tact in
adapting the conversation to the hearer is
merely to reveal how absurd people can be,
when they overlook the fact that men and
women are human beings, and not simply
intellectual machines.
To call ciyihty fattery, as some old bores
are won't to do, is to assail nature for hay
ing made man sociable being. We all
love to be appreciated by our fellow beings,
even the gruffest of us. 1t is oftener
sweet smile in a woman, which we think is
intended for us alone, than Juno-like pair
of eyes, that first attracts US to the lady we
afterwards marry. The most famous wom-
en- of history, it is admitted, owed their fas-
cination less to their personal beauty than to
the charm of an inimitable manner. Sure
ly it is not ignoble to desire to be liked by
our companions, nor degrading to seek to
win that liking by affability and kindness.
For, after all, suavity of manner, is but this
Men who are naturally demonstrative, and
WIZ AofO ioioA Sy II fFsea14SS are DsTl4 COURT
iers, so to speak. Others, with probably
deeper feelings. but reserved character, new
er, or only after long experience, obtain a
popular address. The best of men, often,
from deficiency of manner, are considered
cold; it is only their intimate friends who
really know them; the shell is so rough and
hard, that the world at large never discov-
ers the precious kernel within. If, however,
they had been educated, from childhood, to
study suayity of manner. they would be
held at their true worth. Moreover, instead
of its being hypocrisy in them to practice
this suavity. it is really hypocrisy in them
not to do it, because their cold address mis-
represents their real warmth of heart, and
their wide sympathy with their race. We
repeat, however, that the education of man
ner should be taught from childhood, for
the old adage is not so wrong, which says
that ''to make a gentleman, that is, to give
one suavity of manner, "you must begin
in the cfadle.''