The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-22
OLITENEss, INsULAR AND CONT
MENTAL

little better than the world Of brute5. Civilized
men are far from unanimous but then they agree
70 differ civilly. In society people often make
war; but IN good society they never declare t.
Good breeding requires that even enemies should
avoid offensive forms and expressions. You mas
90 out with man to shoot him through the hear.
In a duel, but you must bow 10 him politely frst
An insult may even be returned politely. when
Lauzun broke his sword in the presence Of Louis
XIV, saying, 81 will no longer serve q king who
does not keep his word, the king threw his cane
out Of the window, adding, IL. shall never be
said that have threatened man of noble birth 4"
The tLrashing was given morally, and the out.
ragged royal dignity was fully satisfied.
As to polite rcbukes, they are not uncommon
and are far more easy to administer Frederick
called the Great OF Prussia was at least a very
great suut-takor. To save the trouble Of coutin1-
ally putting his hand in his pocket he had a
snuh-loN on he chimney piece ofcvery room ia
the suite Of rooms he occupied One day, when
busy in his cabinet, De saw q page, who faucisd
he was not observed, uuceremoni'usly tasting thc
royal snuff lie took no further notice az the
time; but about An hour afterwards he ordered
therp1gc TO bring him tue box.
-.. Take pinch, said the king. GLOW do you
find t3'
"ExccIlent sire"
"Aud the box 20
"Superb, sire
"yery. well, sir; keep it then. Il hrdly holds
enough for us two"
The study of the social code adopted by the
world In which we m We, is therefore necessary
for whoever wishes 70 figure credita5Iy I'm that
world. But rules alone are not sufficient; there
are exceptional occasions when they fail to apply,
and in which we must be guided by the spirit Of
courtesy. DctCrCnCg 20 others, obedience 20
elders, submission tp rank and authority, are the
very essence Of that spirit. George Ill once
CompimCnted DR.. johnson ia hig1ly na.tcring
terms respe ting his writings. Somebody asked
the DOCTOR "And what did you say T. all that 2"
"NOtbing,' was the iudiclOus reply. "Was l
TO banO compliments with my sovereign % lIl
accepted the royal appreciation, AS was his duty.
Anew ambassador, Lord S-,whOse sociaI tact
was highly spoken OF, arrived at the court of
lOus XIV. The king, wishing 20 test his polite
ness, invited him 90 a sh0Oting-pariy. A. the
moment of starring to drive % the woods, the
king drawing back, gave him the precedence,
syiUg, Get into the carriage, Monsieur = Am
bssAdOr." Lord s. did not wait 70 be twice
told to do so. Instead Of humbly retreating aCd
tempting to decline so great an honor he obeyed
AT once thus treating the royal invitation as an
order which he was not even permitted to discuss.
The king, WHO was the pJlites man Of his day,
perfectly appreciated the move, and remarked
with mile, Decidedly, Lord S is we'll
bred man"
1t is often, therefore, the truest politenoss
simply to 90 what you are requested to DO.
PoIiteness is not exactly virtue, but an imi-
taton and assumption of certain virtues. 10
induces us TO appear kind Setdenying, indul-
gent, modest, because il would be uncyil and
v rude to appear the contrary. We are polite for
our own sakes quite as much as for other peoples.
POlitCness is the art OF disg gIisug our feelings
and passions rather than OF rcpreSsing them; II
Is sense Of propriety rather than Of justice; IL
does not make man better, but il renders him
ialiritely more sJCiable-as is indicated by the
derivation of the word itself and its synonyms.
The root of potencss is polls, a town; courtesy
comes to us from courts; and ciYy ciriIitaS,
according to AnswOrth, is the courtesy which
citizens use to one another. Politeness, not con-
tent with avoiding everything that can possibly
displease, continually and actively strives to
care. 1t modifes the demeanor rs well as the
nduct, and adds charm to the most trHng
actions. When simply and naturally practised,
and without any aflectation it almost amounts
TO friendship and affection.
Paul is curious town. flvOrite resort of
invaids and idlers, whose population eonse-
quenty consists. of certain number of inhabit-
ants and very great many strangers. Every
body lets furnished apartments, from the
humblest citizen to the highest parsonage.
Generals, counts, and marquises advertise their
rooms with south aspect aud fine view of the
Pyrenees." There is no harm in this; it is CON
venient but it lately gave occasion for sharp
retOrt.
Madame C, the wife of one of the richest
merchants in Paris, was remarked for the
elegance of her dress. Such elegance, displayed
by a simple cOmmoner, dspleased one of the
: noble danes of Pau, Madame la Comtesse
dAsteTisk.
"What do you call that ?" she said contempt
uousy glGncing at the Parsienne.
"That is Madame @" was replied to her.
"Ah yes, know, the COmtossc answered
Madame C, who overheard every word
OF the conversation, inquired in turn, loud enough
to be heard, and pointing with her finger to the
bAughty lady, "What do you call that I?
"It is Madame d'Asterisk."
"Ah yes know. Shes o letter Of lodgings.
We think of taking her rooms next season."
In the very highest society the same pair of
gloves may not be worn twice at least they must
never betray the slightest trace of having been
worn. Morning gloves, walking gloves, calling
gloves, evening gloves, must be ever spotless,
fresh, and new. Consequently the gloyers bill
is one Of the heaviest items Of the personal
budget. NJ. Mortemart- Boisse states that man
of fashion may easily spend eighteen thousand
francs, or seven hundred and twenty pounds a
year, on gloves. Those who have less than seven
hundred year must compromise the matter as
well as they can.
Soon after the Lady Blanca Biaucavile dis
RBraced herself iby a lOVematch with Mr.. Nero
MEobody, happened to dine at a wealthy man.
sion. OF course everybody had their word 10 say
"Poor things!" observed a dowager by my
side, "they have only eigh. hundred year be-
tween them"
ono more !" exclaimed the lady of the house.
"Why that will only just serve them for gloves"
"lt is very lucky for me, said, "that il is not
yet the fashion TO dine in gloves; for never had
. eight hundred year, and most likely never
shall"
The fine folks present were good enough not to
appear shocked at my bold confessiCa of glove
! less poverty, but bore il with the equsnimty
|. with which we support other peoples SORROWS.
Gloves should tic like a second skin and he
worn buttOned at the wrist. A French authority
(Alphonso Karr) tells you to thke a gcntlemans
hand with your own ungloved, in token of frank.
ness and sincerity; but to keep your glove on
when you touch a lady's is proof of the respect
with which you regard her. Gloves also have
their court etiquette. If you are honored by the
P,pe with an audience, his secret chamberlain,
MOnsignore BoHomeO, begs you 10 take Off your
gloves before entering "rhe Holy Father" he
tells you, "lke the Holy Communion, is ap.
preached only with ungloved hands," l sup.
!, pose 1t was in obedience 20 a similar rule that
the sor1eresscs Of old, as Candida and Sagana,
took out their false teeth and took of their false
hair before they set to work TO raise the ghosts of
the dead
The cravat merits more attention than is often
bestowed upon it. IL meets yOu face 10 face
every time you converse with a gentleman; you
cannot help observing IL. II is the pedestal as il
we're, on which The whole of the countenance Is
tased. An ill-ted, wsped.up, muddled crayat
is enough TO prejudice you against a new
acquaintance. OF all our articles of clothing Il
is the only one which is proof OF the wearer's
personal taste and skin. We draw on our stock
ings we pull on our boots, we slip on our coat
) d we put on our hat; but we are Obliged 70
adjust and tie our cravat. Stocks, with false and
ready made oWs, convenient enough for peOp pie
who dress in hurry, will be disdained By the
raoIv we'll dressed man almost aq rnuch as popar