Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-02-12

DECLINE OF PoLIrENEss.-In the gen.
eral breakup of social habits, to which we
are all more or less contributing with
Light hearts, the rules of polteness would
seem to be gradually disappearing. II
the new conditions of our lives have de-
veloped no sui table etiquette, they have at
least produced an inordinate self suffciency
" Department has been the butt of
facetious writers, and it is hard to say
whether etiquette has suffered more from
priggish friends or from satirical scoffers,
There are many persons who think disre-
gard of ceremonial fine proof of advanced
ideas, Yet nothing is better proved than
that noble manners have been part of
every noble age. To acquire them vas
reckoned a chief part of education. and
ouly half witted persons were excused
from the obligations of etiquette. Not
being capable of the manly dignity which
requires and bestows respect, they might
chatter and smirk at will, but they were
not admitted to the equality which is
claimed by our free and easy professors f
impoIiteness. Social ritual has been so
abused for purposes of vanity and syco-
phancy that it is easier to expose its alb
surdity than to prove its value. Distinc-
tons of rank have played so mischievous
a part whenever social corruption has set
in that it is tempting to fancy we can get
on with simpler machinery. In reality,
however rules of gesture are almost as nee
essary to sustain civility asr ules of speech,
and we can hardly realize how we should en-
Gure much further neglect of them, partcu
lllly when our free fashions came to be exsg-
gerated by the classes below us. Mischief
enough comes Of careless language but
the no-meaning and impertinence of our
phrases would be restrained in some de-
gree if our familiarities of manner were
kept within due bounds. There is no
surer dissolvent Of home affections than
discourtesy, and domestic ritual is almost
necessary to due observance of the fifth
committeeman only one that
promises social stability. Our manners
have changed since it was usual, for in
stance, that a son should ask his fathers
blessing before he assumed independence,
and our social securities have certainly
not improved. At the most superficial
glance, 1t is plain that our intercourse with
our fellows has lost much of its old charm,
and has become a tax on time and temper
We Gid our parties with more gold than we
can afford we infuse haughtiness in vain
champagne is not strong enough to raise
our depressed spirits when encompassed
by our friends. Interminable croquet
professional music, desperate dressing, are
the links Of life. A symptom of our in
creasing unsociableness is the impossibility
Of general conversation. Our dull anc
doubtful talk must be kept private, anC
We should sink under boredom and shy
ness were we to find ourselves in a sailor
such as once gave tone to the educated
world. Wit is banished from our drawing
rooms by the egotism that whispers it:
own aff4irs and will listen to nothing else
aud by the shyness that las never beer
cured by obligatory ceremony. \ mai
who can salute the company with grac
has learned to stand social fire In DR.
Dasent's pleasant story Three to One
there is a bockhead who wins distinctio
AMI regard by merely bowling well. Bu
bowling well means much. SATURDAY Re
rje1r