The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-10-18
mfistGIIantons,
For the Ayis & IntelIigencer.
What is a Gentleman 2

There are some spirits nobly just, unwarped by
peli or pride,
G reat in the calm, but greater still when dashed
by adverse tide
They hold the rank no king can give, no sta
ton can Disgrace.
Nature puts forth her gentlemen, and monarchs
must give place"
To be gentleman is one Of the leading
ambitions among men. To be styled a
gentleman, is by men of sense, regarded
as higher and prouder title, than the
high sounding names which herald no.
bility of birth. And rightly 80. A
"Rothschild" can buy title but not
the qualities that make gentleman. A
sufficient quantity of yellow shining n ct.
al, can purchase lands, houses, education !;
nay, sometimes, social position-but no
gold can obtain the distinction ola gen.
tleman. High social position may make
the gentleman more conspicuous, but it
cannot make the character. A gentleman
may adorn the shop as we'll as the Office
may be distinguished by unmistakable
characteristics in cabin, no less than in a
palace. No wonder then that men should
hold 1t such sacred privilege to be known
as a gentleman and that men should
regard it as the highest indignity to
be reckoned out of such an honorable
rank. And yet, it is no less a truth,
that there are but few of the many aspi-
rants to this high and noble title Of gen.
tleman, who merit its application to them.
Though it has always been the ambition
of all, it is attained only by the few. And
though it is open to all competitors, the
prize is obtained by very small number
Mere assertion proves nothing, 1 grant, so
let us look a little at the examples history
and humanity present to our view.
Opening Ancient History, we meet a
Brutus. Some have styled him, the
champi,n of liberty, the unselfsh patriot.
This is matter of controversy, but one
thing is not, and that is, he was no gehtle-
man. As friend of liberty, he bad a
right to strike that mortal blow, but as the
friend Of Caesar, it should have been an
open one. No gentleman attacks an enc
my secretly. His actions and words chal-
lenge scrutiny and defy assault. The
sportsman who kills his bird on the ground
is looked upon as unworthy the name.
And tho reason is obvious. 81 will take
no mean advantage of even a bird
He shall have, ut least, one. chance for his
life" How must we regard the man who
to his fellow meu is the treacherous, Graf
ty, sneaking cnemy-not the open, avow-
ed, manly foe? Caesar, though mighty
man Of valor, an. Industrious statesman, a
great orator, was no gentleman. One
quality prevented his being SO. He was
deceitful. His word was the bauble of
his convenience. sopinions were never
reflected in the false mirror of bis pro-
fessions. And when we come to look at
macy of the military and statesmen of the
present time, We cannot say, with truth,
they are gentlemen. They wear a coat OF
many colors, and seem to put always that
one most prominent which suits the con-
veniency Of the hour. But let us look at
humanity around us, and see the number
ofgentlemen We can muster. Yon swsarer
thinks be is one, but tell him his every
oath places him farther away from the OBJ