Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1858-10-28

KnOWledgeS no SuperlOrS within the circle OF
his acquaintance He has heard so much
nonsense in regard to the unparalleled
greatness and glory of the American peo-
pie, their wisdom and prowess, their vast
and overwhelming superiority to all other
nations, that he has come to the absurd con-
clusion, that ''We are the people, and wis
dom will die with u.s." And unfortunately
for him, he has in some way deduced the
conclusion, that among all the thirty mil
lions Of wise men and heroes, who make up
this great nation, no one is quite so wise and
heroic as himself. This elevated self-estima-
ton leads him to take On airs not at all express
sive of Prospect for the opinions of others. To
treat them deferentially, would be to treat
himself with indignity. This temper of ne
cessity leads to coarseness and rudeness of
bearing; to gross violations of all the princi-
pies of true courtesy, of genuine politeness.
In regard to this matter the schools of
our land have not been faultless. The new
race Of teachers have doubtless done much
to foster this evil. People who are now
forty years of age, very well remember that
in their school days the practice of polite
which none could disregard uiM impunuy
No boy entertained such just and apprecia-
tive ideas Of the virtues which there is in
the rod and ferole, as he who had been gull
.ty Of what the teacher held to be an infrac-
ton of the rules Of good manners When
going to, or returning from school, the chill
dren met any persons who were their elders,
they ranged themselves in line upon one
side of the road, and made obcsiance And
when out in the streets during recess, how
ever vociferously interested in their pastimes
no traveller made his appearance whose ap-
proach- did not cause an immediate hush Of
voices, and suspension of exciting SPORTS
The tribute of bow was cheerfully paid,
and not till he had passed beyond their i'm
mediate neighborhood, did they resume
their plays. When they entered or left the
schoolroom, when they took and retired
f.urrr =. E1srsoo~ trUn, tTe DOW anu
the courtesy were the finale Of the perfor-
nance.
Although this practice, in itself consider
ed, were of little worth, yet as token Of
respectfulness, as sign Of good will, it was
Of high value. 1t was an outward manifes-
tation, or symbol, of an inward state, or
spirit, which it would be we'll for all to pos
sess, and which should be assiduously cul-
tured in the minds of the young.
But where, in all our land, does this old
practice now prevail? Where are the evil
dences in our children Of the possession of
that spirit Of kind respect and appropriate
regard for their superiors in years and wis
dom? Who does not know that bows and
courtesies, on the part of our boys and girls.
are obsolete. both in idea and practice
and are numbered with the lost arts Of the
ancents? It has been remarked that
"there are thousands of boys in this great
country, not one of whom has ever made a
bow, unless when he had occasion to dodge
a snow ball, brickbat, Or boulder,'
Some eight or ten winters since, ex-Gov-
ernor Everett, of Massachusetts,, with the
late Amos Lawrence, was in sleigh riding
into Boston. AS they approached school
house, score ofyoung boys rushed into the
street to enjoy their recess. Said the Gov
e:nor to his friend, ssLet us observe wheth-
er these boys make obesiance to US, as we
were taught fifty years ago" At the same
civility were less practiced than formerly
As they passed the school house, all ques-
tion and doubt upon the subject received
speedy if not satisfactory settlement, for
each one of those twenty Juvenile New Eng
landers did his best snow -balling the way
faring dignitaries.
This is, perhaps, an extreme instance Of
the unfortunate change which fifty years
have wrought in the habits of the young
In the language of Mr. Northend, the dis
tinguished Principal of the Connecticut
State Normal School: THAT more regard
should be manifested by the young to rules
of etiquette and courtesy, must be admitted
by every observing mind. There is too lit
tie reverence for authority; too slight respect
to law both of man and God. The transition
from boyhood to imagined manhood is al
together too rapid, as by it the son is often
placed above the parent, and the taught be-
come wiser, IN their own estimation, than
their teachers Boys in their undue ankle
ty to become men, are neither men nor boys,
but form new, peculiar race"
EyA French writer has said that ssto
dream gloriously," you must act gloriously
while you are awake, and to bring angels
down to converse with you in your sleep,
you must labor in the cause of virtue, dur
ing the day.
Booth, the tragedian, had his nose brok-
en-. A lady once said to hm-s'I like your
acting, but | cannot get over your nose" :"
HNo wonder" replied he, ''the bridge is
broken -