, 1880-10-08
A Criticism on our Manners,

Mr., James Jackson Jar.es, a vel,
known critic of art, has been writing
from Italy to the Times a series OF let
ters which analyze our American man
ners and contrast them with the nan.
ners of the older society ct Europe, and
particularly of Southern Europe Nr.
Jarves has lived long il Italy, hut .n2
went there from Boston, and The Ameri
can manners, to which he gives his chief
attention, are those he has oh,erFd in
the Puritan capital b
1t is very plain thar, Mr., Jaryes re-
members unpleasartly the breeding Of
Boston, which seems to him all the more
revolting in its coldness and stiffness
when he sits in comparison with that of
Florence, for instance. He objects to
the Bostonians for their lack Of sponta-
neity and for the frequent absence of
grace and courtesy in their bearing, and
says one very good and true thing when
he observes chat while our Puritan
friends are making most patient and
praiseworthy efforts to increase their ac
quaintance with art, of the simple and
genuine love of beauty for the sake Of
beauty they have very little. They are
not spontaneous reoples - '.-.,.
Therefore, their courtesy betrays a
lack of grace and of ease which never
fails to show itself where the instinctiye |
J enjoyment OF beauty and the inbred de-
sire of pleasing are not pleasant. You
can polish man, but nosschool Oh man:
rais will make him b. gracious and and
courtly gentleman, courteous from natu-
raj repugnance to rude and inharmon
ioussi conduct, and with delicate per-
ception of what is required Of him, and |
witha careful regard for the minor rights
and feelings ofgthose with whom he as
sbciatesa. He must be, born with the
qualities which are the basis Of all true
manners, and they must be trained to
their right devalenment. For no man.
ners can be cal CO thoroughly polite and
thoroughly well-bred which do not seem
to be the natural expression Of the in
dividual. They must not be assumed
with an effort and for the occasion, but
must come spontaneously, orshave been
made by long habit second nature.
That is why an experienced man of the
world finds So little difficulty in detect
ing what is called snob or cad III Il
II is great mistake TO suppose, as
some men do, that feminine beauty de-
parted from Boston generations ago,
never to return, In truth, no city of |
its size in the Uniony can present finer
types Of beautiful womanhood than Bos- |
ton, and they are very frequent. The
girls in the shops are much better look
ing than the ayerage,of young women in
the same employment elsewhere; and
The Rev. Phillip Brooks breaches in
Trinity Church in the midst Of very
garden Of losely girls, whose beauty is
Genhanced by theA depression of@admira-
tion and devcut faith in the preacher
which animates their isoftly-outlired
countenances. Some of them may put
) on eyeglasses, TO, observe the stalwar.
bachelor rector more closely, but both
eve glasses and angular figures are more
uncommon, Jig Trinity, Chnych than some
of the maligners of Boston woud haye
JUS believe. 1It isrtguer the stranger in
Boston is surprised to meet so many
young people of both sexes who carryr
the badge, Of nearsig ghtedpsss, but there
are hosts Of pretty girls there who have
no need to display it! !4nfop .o,h
yet Mr. Jarvis speaks truly
when he talks OF the frequent lack Of
ideal grace in the manners of Boston
women THey Seem, Indeed, very often
to despise sweetness and graciousness Of
bearing. They will dote on pictorial art,
land in Ihodsehoia sa' they aare. adopts
while classicahmusic inspires their am
bition but TIN; that most beautiful and
lovely Of all barts, the Artfaf pleasing,
they take little pains to be proficient
This criticism does not apply to Bos,
ton womer only. It has, indeed, a very
general appiication oin this cbuntry.
What is called culture has been preached
about and urged for many years, until
the term has become almost odious, and
there is, now a, very general and com
mendable desire on the part of the peo
pie who have any education to 60 on
with the process. But how many girls
are aware that above all beauty of per-
son, with which our women are SO Law
! ishly endowed and even aboEe stores of
aknowledgeIih 4ndsic and art, languages,
mathematics, physics and metaphysics,
! are the sweet and gracious and charm.
ing manners which are The expression
OF an honest desire to please, and love.
illness tofTdisposition that finds satisfac.