Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-02-06
POIiGciacSs.

Politeness is a necessary ingredient in
social comfort, and a capital assistant to
actual prosperity. True politeness is
kindness and courtesy of feeling brought
into every day exercise. comprehcnds
hearty good will towards everybody,
thorough and constant good humor, an
easy department and obliging manners
Every person who cutivatcs such feel
ings, and takes no pains to conceal them,
will necessarily be polite, though ho may
not exactly know it while, on the other
hand, a man essentially morosc and self
ish, whatever may be his pretensions,
must be very far from truly polite.
1t is very true there are others whose
position in society compels them to OBJ
serve certain rules of etiquette which pass
for poli;eness. They bow or courtesy
with decent grace shake hands with the
precise degree of vigor which the crcum
stance of the case require; speak Just at
the right time and in the required manner,
and smile with elegant propricty. Not
q tone, nor look, nor a gesture shall be
out of place nor a habit INDUCED which
ttilucttc lOlD lDiuo uii'i )ct liclc Will Dc u
wanting. after all, the secret charm of
sincerity and hearlkindncsscs which these
outward signs are intended to represent :;
and wanting which, we have only the
form, without the essence, Of politcness.
Far beyond all the rules ever penned
by Chesterfield, we commend the cul-
tivation of kind and loving feelings to-
wards all men. Look upon every man
you come in contact with as n brother !;
upon every woman as a sister. A hav-
ing claims upon you for respect, sympa-
thy, forbearance and help; and we en-
gage to say, if you throw your heart and
soul into this lesson, you will have made
large advances towards the perfection Of
politeness for "out of the abundance
of tho heart the mouth spcaketh )" and
the movements of tho outward man fol-
low faithfully the hidden springs of action
within.
There cannot be genuine politeness, to
any degree, where there is not sef-lespect
1t is this which imparts case and conf
dence to our manners. and impels us, for
our own sake as well as for the sake OF
others, to behave becomingly as intolIi.
gent beings. We do not like the kind
Of politeness falsely so called, which is
too often instilled into the children of the
poor by clfstylcd patrons and patron
esses. They are taught to pay homage to
wealth and station, as though wealth and
station were the only yi,tues under hcav,
on worthy Of regard while selfrespect
is nippcd in the bud by the false assump.
tion Of their too copdesccnding bcnciac,
tors. BE all such injurious lessons con
signel to oblivion There arc vastly .
too many Of them, and just in proportion
as thoy exercise their pestilential influence
over our homes may we expect to have
an uncultivated and uncivil community
selfish and cringing to few, insolcnt
and rude to the many, and overbear.
ing and boisterous in their own immcdi
alto sphere. But let all be led to feel that
they have mind as well as body-that
''Tho rank is but tho Guinca's stamp.
A man y a man for a. that"
and they will feel the charms of every
fellowcrcature upon them for kinhcarted
politeness.
1t is want Of true politcncss that in
troduces tho discord and confusion which
too often makes our homes unhappy. A
little consideration for tho feelings of
those whom we are bound to love and
cherish, and little sacrifice of our own
wills would, in multitudes of instances,
make all the difference between alienation
and growing affection. The principle of
genuine poli,eness would accomplish
this and what a pity it is that those
whose only spring of rational enjoyment
is to be found at home, should miss that
enjoyment by disregard of litte things.
which, after all, make up the sum of hu-
man eXiStance!
What u large amount Of actual dis
comfort in lie would be prevented il all
children were trained, both by pfecept
and example, to the practice of common
politencss II they were taught to speak
respectfully 10 parents, aud brothers and
sisters, to friends. neighbors and stran-
gers, what drawings, aud squalings, and
snarlings would be stiled II their be,
havior within doors was regulated by n
few of the common rulos of good breed
ing. how much natural and proper dis
gust would be spared II courtesy Of
demeanor towards all whom they meet
in field or highway. we'e instilled. how
much more pleasant would bo our own
travels and rustic Iamblos Every pa,
rent has personal interest in this mat
ter and il every parent would but make
the needfll effort, a great degree of gross
inciviity would soon be swept away
from our hearths and homes, and thus
we venture to recommend politeness as a
branch Of family economy.