New-York tribune., 1867-03-14
Il is of spontaneous growth. An italian rustic, no


IL Is of spontaneous growth An italian rustic, ho'
says, has often finer manner than English EARL
But the Italian, with all his elegance of bearing,
cannot stand in comparison with the supple
Greek. A native of Athens Smyrna, or Rhodes, will
fleece youwith grace that more than finclinesyoU
to forgive him for the cheat But even he must yield
the palm to the Arab each of whose gestures is less
son in the highest Of social arts. All the Orienaa
have this nameess beauty and charm of manner.
Syrian peasant welcomes You to his stone hut with
ease and dignity which caliph could not mend
Mr.. Dixon sums up his argument in evidently
premature generalization. The gift of seeming soft
and gracious which we call manner inclines in reg
ular order from East to West in Europe it is best
in stamboul, worst in London; in the world, it i'd
best in Cairo, worst at Denver and Salt Lake. The
rule holds good for all the links between the extremi-
ties of this great chain The finer courtesies of fe
according to the experience of Mr.. Dixon are more
apparent in st. Louis than Salt Lake; in New-York
than In st. Louis; in London than i'll NewYork; IN
Paris than in London; in Rome than in Paris; in
Athens than in Rome; in Stamboul than in Athens
in Cairo and Damascus than Stambou; and if ever
he goes westward to California he will expect find
worse manners IN San Francisco than at st. louis
and Salt Lake.
We do not fully admit the fact that Mr.. Dixon
urges with such stress of eloquence still less do
ton Nations, he asserts fall off in manners with
the advance of freedom and prosperity. In society,
as in arts and letters manner means mediocrty.
Men who show great force Of character cannot show
a fine manner which implies polish smoothDess and
conformity. Hence, men Of the highest genius are
called eccentrics and originals. In this way ME-
Dixon undertakes to account for the want of courte-
ous manners iii the United States. 1t is the result OF
a general law namely, that manner is but note anG
sign of long submission to the will OF a master.
Hence must not be surprised that the Americans
have exchanged the graces of demeanor for solid and
fruitful liberties The habits of self-hep make
them insensbe to the little courtesies which form
the polish and charm of social life Doubtless there
is a foundation for such droll picture the follow
ng but to represent the prevalent fashion in the
United States would show that the writer was more
greedy Of information than choice in his company
Perhaps, the liberty which is more than any other
likely TO amuse traveller iii this country. is the free
dom with which every one helps himself to anything
he may want In railway-car, anybody who likes
it will sit down in your place, push away your
satchel, seize upon your book Thought of asking
your leave in the matter may not occur to him for
hours. lent book to n in the at 81. Louise
lie kept il two days and nights; and then asked me
if / was reading it myself. On my saying yes, hs
simply answered, 1t is amusing; you will have q
good time On the Pennsylvania Central line, lady
entered into my state-rOom, pretense OF looking
out upon a river she Kept my seat, for which had
paid an extra fare until her journey ended. If You
ask for any dish at dinner your neghbor, shoud the
fancy take him. will snatch portion of it from be-
meath your nose When was leaving Salt Lake City,
Sister Alice the daughter of Brigham Young, put mp
some very fine apples in box for me to eat by the
way; at a station the Plains found that lady,
in the wagon, had been opening my
box and helping herself 10 the fruit; and when she
saw me looking at her, with some surprise perhaps
visible on my face, she merely said, | am trying
whether your apples are better than mine! In th9
Western country will fire off your pistols, try
on your gauntlets Any one thinks himself at liberty
to clean his clothes with your brushes, run his hair
through your comb, and warm himself in your great
coat These things are not meant to be offensive.
fellow gives and takes; lends you bgfalo-bde on
frosty night; helps himself to your dlnkine-cup 40
the morning we'll. The manner isEot fine, but the
heartness sSpleasant and ycu would be unntelligi-
bic if yoursad a Complaint Every ODE yon meet has
the way which in Europe would " called original
Men of genius, and men cs uncommon force on
character arc doubt oiten eccentric IN TINS coun
try as we'll as elsewhere; but an acquaintance with
the cultivated classes of American society might
show that il is no in that respect than IN tho
same classes in Europe. Our most energetic Fresi"
dent, Andrew Jackson, was model OF suaViy I'D
private life greatest statesmen, Henry Clay and
Daniel Webster, were remarkable for the fascina"
ton of their manner as for the splendor of their
eloquence and among the living, whom propriety'
does not allow to name. our two most renowned
poets are much distinguished respectively Tor theiR
dignity and sweetness in social intercourse as for the
same qualities in their writings, while our most
original essayist teaches the beauty Of fine manners
as q branch of the fine arts, and shows In his own
person rare example of their successful cultivation