The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-02-11
DISCOURTEOU S S4LUT4TI0NS.

~ there ~ ore thing more disg usting than
another-as indeed there is-it must be the
ne1arl"us practice of making ones saluta-
liohS scaniy or slaDgy, custom which,
,n"nrh infinitely more honored in the
hrehch than IN the observance has invaded
an ranha Of sGCi1ry. FTcm the Prince OF
a'es on his throne to the beggar on the
B"WeIy the clipped coin of courtesy is cur
rent. lie most common lin both senses of
inc "oid) OF these phrases, is the atrocious
aobIeviatlon " Thanks." 1t is tue that we
nave the warrant of Shakespeare for it, for
docs not francisco remark, "For this relief
much thanks, ," but es the bard of Avon was
VIGOROUSLY loose as to cases and mum bers,
we may be pardOned for declining to &C C pit
his Authority. A judgment should light
upon the individual who makes mieuse of
80 simple, gracious and manly phrase of
courtesy as Thank you," one which in it's
proper employ fits all possible cases that
may arise between persons bearing to each
other any possible relations. A judgment
did indeed Overtake the two children in
Mr.. Longfellow's poem who, at the tourna-
ment on the feast of Pentecost, drank Of the
very cool draught and
Gave many q courteous Thank"
They, died miserably, did those children,
| and deserved 80 to die, since Thank !" is
even more atrocious than 'thanks.' Can any
one imagine in the last scene OF Lear -
scene 30 tender and so true-the dying King
saying:
Pray you undo this button. ThAnkGG
No; the word ia an insult to kindness, and
dishoners alike those who use it and those
towards whom it is employed.
Another almost equal atrocity, though
less epidemic, s the valgarizing of parting
sa'utatioEs. SO-ioDg," possibly an AmeC
termination of the oriental " Raaam, ;" is the !
worst of these, though it is not much worse |
than the !" au river" " au reservoir" aud |
" olive oil" where With Americans of limi.
ted mental, moIHl AID pathological gifts
counterfeit the French GurerOir. We have
the most perfect of parting salatetione,
" Good-by" infinitely preferable to our
thinking to the adieu," or the flare vel, -
which always has suspicion of buskins
and footlights about it. Many persons rho
are hsbitually addicted to the use of " So
long" have no adequate idea of the ineffa-
Die meanness of the phrase. That only can
be obtained by the process of substitution.
Let us improve Shakespeare-populari
and nineteenth centarize him, as it were.
Can the lovers of Verona charm us if their
passionate phrase be
That I shall cay so.lopg til it be to. moIroW."
or the fallen Cardinal compel cur pity by
breathing long $50 long" TO all his great
nessf Much OF the force and dignity of the
dne passage where De Quincy describes bis
opium dream would be lost if for ever
lasting farewells!-a yet again-ever- {
lasting farewells!" employ ever.
lasting SO longs !" or even 'EYorIastiug {
Au RESERVOIRS? Then again, in the Wee
10y OF lrdia's rather gushy verse, j
Farewell and yet again fIrowaNI Andyc
Never i1rs well II iarswellb be 70 faro [
Our lIves IN usic TO the seif-same air I
+ "by bye" be substituted for ''gaIc =. e.ln a
he poem cauuot fail to lose some of it's i
ieatness and sweetness. Thus restored, q
IT. Aldrich might become the author of a r
idiculous copy of verses beginning i
40 such host of pretty things" a
md the author of "Cbilde Harold" appear t
o wicked and familiar generation re- g
marking
my ratlve lanc-sjoom o
None can have go hearty an admiration b
# expressive slang judiciOusIy employed, as Y
'urselves. In the present economy of t
hiDgs, slang to a great degree means a
'axoD, but, as ia said in Connecticut of g
eacons, there is q difference in slaDRa {
'etween the conventional expressions of a
he collective idiocy of the tune, and the
eTse presentation of fact or sentiment of
road humanity, there Is as much differ. r
nee as there is between city and country a
1ud. We cannot, peThaps, hope for a re- a.
urn to those AusOnian days when the .
oman who, in lieu OF "Valew observed "
o his intimate ava val" was hurled fiom O.
be Tarpeiian rock amid the reclamation of G.
Ilebs and patricians, but We may at least IL
q allowed to entertain conjecture of a b
lme when the man who says "tbanks!D a,
fill be expedited with kicking feet down y
ospitable stairs amid the derisiVe "so- :,
ongs" Of the company.