Daily Republican., 1884-01-18

i
tlemanP ? II ~ used every day by boil
gentle and simple, and we make boil
10 say tiiHt therA ID not one ina hundred
who fully understands the strict con
notation of the term.
1t Is q hybrid word, compromise
between the language introduced bJ
the Normans and that in possession
Of the country at the period of the Con
quest.
The Norman word was as the French
word is now gentilhomme.
The first sy yllabe was retained, willis
the second was abandoned In favor o
its Saxon equivalent man.
Among the Romans the word GENT
lis signified belonging to gems nI
known family or clan. One who was
sine gente, on the other hand, was
one whom no gems acknowledged, and
who might thus be said to be ignobly
born.
In England the word is continually
COMPOUNDED with Esquire but it is moi
equivalent A patent OF arms confer.
the rank of esquire, and there IL proba.
bly, no other legal mode by which al
untitled person can acquire 1t, unless h.
be the holder of a dignified ofiice hui
at the present day we distinguish
between gentleman by birth and 4
gentleman by profession and socia
recogniti1'. but both phrases are loose
ly applied
The full and legitimate meaning Of
the word gentleman signifies that char
acter which Is distinguished by slricI
honor, selfpossession, torbearance,gen.
erous as well as refined feelings, and
polished deportment-a character tA
which all meanness, explosive irrita
bleness and peevish fretfuness, are
alien TO which, consequently, a gen.
erous candor, scrupulOus veracity,
courage, both moral and physical, dig
nifty, and selfrespect, a studious
avOidsnce of giving offense to others,
or depressing them, and liberality in
thought, argument and conduct are ha.
bitual, and have become natural.
Perhaps we are justified in saying
that the character of the gentleman
implies an addition of refinement OF
feeling and loftiness of conduct to the
rigid dictates of morality and the pre-
cepts of religion.
Where NO many important quail ies
and distinct attributes, held In higl
and com non esteem, are blended intt
one character, we must be prepared u
meet with corresponding csricaturet
and mimicing impersOnations o.
faulty, vicious, or depraved disposition,
and passions.
We find, for example, the sensitive
/ nf ha utI NJ Z "a p f.aif faI '
the touchy duelist !; his courage, by thu
arrant bully ; his calmness Of mind
by supercilious Or stolid indifference, o.
a fear of betraying the purest emotions
his refinement of feeling, by sentimen
tality or affectation his polished man
ners, by a punCtiliOus observance o
trivial forms his ready compliance
with conventional forms, in order Il
avoid the pain Of giving otfense II
Others, or his natural habit Of movinj
III those forms which have come to b.
established among the accomplished
by the silly hunter after new fashions
or a censurable and enfeebling love o
appreciation his liberaiity, by tn
spendthrift his dignity and srlf re
spect, by conceit or dogged resistance
to acknowledge error or wrong: hi
candor, by all iil-natured d. sire OF tell
ling unwelcome truths his freedom
from petuIance, by incapacity Of en-
thusiasm, and his composure Of egotisn
But these distorted reflections from
i Leforminp mirror do not derract from
tha re,i nortb md the imnortant a,
trihntes nf the weli.nronortioned oripi
nal
There are millions If actions which 9
gentIe,nan cannot And tI,e heart to ner
form aI,bonob the law of the Ian,
wnmia parmit tbsro and ougbt N nar
mit them lest an intermeddIinp des
nn,;s,n .houId stiaa oil freednr of ac
iion,
Tb. forhaar;no ,,se ~ rouer 10 sur,
attribute ot the trne pentleman. indeed
~ ~s ,navsay rus w that nowsr nbvaical moral
nuraly soc;,I or noliticai IL one of IN,
innch'st 'stones ot genuine rantlemansb n
The nowar Which the husband ha
over his wife in which we must IN
clnie The immunity with which he ma,
ha untind IN her tho father over hi'
oh;idran tha taacbar ovar his nnniis
,bs nld onar tho vonno and tho vpnns
ouor o ~ ia aaad ina strnno over m.
wanL tba nMosr nvor H. ,nsn ~,
~ masra, ~ a vssssi ovsr b;s bands. IN,
~ - manis,r,ts % ovsr tho c;tizen The am
-. 90. H. om,,iorod ,ha r;ot
pyh o. 80, .ha adno.taa orsr ~.
Un1stt.rad ths axnar;e encad ,var III.
con6d;no. tbs keener ola secret ovs,
IT,. ~ o., ~ tornha. 10 e,,f.od nra,
.h n ordina,n n " , sr.n ny ,b s snIsUa, oro, oo,
| oAC oiuib"Ay ht"n ONoh .ho SIosoA oso'