The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-06-01
Respecting Ones Person
ality.

The following, from an exchange, Is
very applicable to certain parties in our
town:
Even on the witness stand there are
certain bounds set to the questions that
may be asked. Yet in private life there
are persons so incurably ill-bred and
with Il diseased curiosity that imme-
diatcly on their introduction to any one
they feel at liberty to make the most
delicate inquiries, and seem to. be I'M
conscious Of their gross impertnencc
These individuals make themselves at
home on very short notice. They hard
~ learn your name when they proceed
with brazcn check to catechise you as to
the whole history Of your life and its be-
longings. They have no conception
that it is only ones most intimate friend
that can take such freedom. The idea
that mans personality should be res
| pccted, and that until he sees fit to in
part and to invite confdence-that it is
/ intolerably offensive to break in upon Il
reserve which is really essential to the
constitution ofpolitc socicty-nevcr oc-
cur to the WI garians Of whom we speak
They are as follows: Who ask you
what you are doing, how long you have
done it, what you are paid for doing it,
how you like those with whom you are
associated, whether the business is pros
porous, and numbcrlcss other matters Of
personal and private detail, which are
even respected in court Of justice, UNI
less they have Il direct bearing ON the
issue in hand. 1t is very hard to know
how to deal with such insuilcrablc
idiots Their ohtnsc is not one to war
rant II breach Of the peace, since it is
mainly committed by those who never
learned the first rudimcnts Of polite be-
havor. They ought not to be killed on
sight for being ignorant Of the cIemcn-
tary principles Of good breeding. 1t is
likely they have never had an opportu-
nifty to know what is decent and proper
in this behalf, They may actually
think they are making themselves quite
entertaining and agreeable by asking
You about your most private affairs. 1t
is, however, in bad taste, and those
who are unconsciously gliding into the
habit cannot correct it too soon. Wait
until man, himself, begins to make
personal revelations before you disturb
that reserve which is Il mans castle, and
III which he may safely and rightly en-
trench himself 50 long as he does not in
fringe the rights Of others. Nothing is
more delightful in this world than the
realm Of ones own thoughts, which is
apart from the external life which one
lives, and into which he retreats for rest
and solacc. TO invade this dominion is
to yulgarizc the whole Of life. Coarse
grained people with clumsy wits and
gross ways cannot understand the pro-
found value which another class sets up
On this incstimablc privilege Of an inner
!, life, with which the world has nothing
to do, which asks no sustcnancc from the
world, no pay from it, and shrinks from
its inspection and famiiaritics. The
immediate jewel Of the soul is in this
| caskct. At the first note of u hostile
invasion, all the garrison y up in arms.
There is not nerve that does not quiv-
err when this citadel, where the "sweet
sessions Of silent thought" are held, is
assailed, Ic who wish in your own ma
lures something that is not soilcd by
contact with sordid things, respect the
personality of others, and in your inter
change with men and women under
stand the Limitations which govern that
intercourse, and which make it tolcra-
bic.