The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-09-14
THE IDEAL GENTLEMAN.
Cardinal Newman's Remarkable Definition
and Description.

and DESCRIPTION.
This is Cardinal Newman's definition of a
gentleman. The remarkable passage occurs in
his SIX Discourses Addressed to the Catholics
in Dublin:'
SIT is almost a definition of a gentleman to
say that he is one who never inflicts pain. This
description is both refined, and, so far as it goes,
accurate. He is mainly occupied in merely re-
moving the obstacles which hinder the free and
unembarrassed action of those about him, and
be concurs in their movements rather than takes
the initiative himself. His benefits may be con-
sdered as parallel to what are called comforts
or conveniences in arrangements of personal
nature, like an easy chair or a good fire, which
do their part in dispelling cold and fatigue,
though nature provides both means of rest and
animal heat without them.
''Ihe true gentleman, in like manner, care
fully avoids whatever may cause a jar or jolt
in the minds of those with whom he is cast-all
clashing of opinion or collision of feeling, all
restraint, or suspicion or gloom or resent
ment: his great concern being to make every
one at their ease and at home. He has his eyes
on all his company; he is tender toward the
bashful, gentle toward the distant, and merci-
ful toward the absurd. He can recollect to
whom he is speaking; he guards against unsea-
sonable illusions, or topics which may irritate;
he is seldom prominent in conversation, and
never wearisome. He makes light of favors
when he does them, and seems to be receiving
when he is comforting. He never speaks of
himself except when compelled, never defends
himself by mere retort he has no ears for
SANDER or gossip, is scrupulous in imputing
motives to those who interfere with him, and
interprets everything for the best. He is never
mean or little in his disputes, never takes unfair
advantage, never mistakes personalities or
sharp sayings for argument or insinuates evil
which he dare not say out. From long-sghted
prudence he observes the maxim of the ancient
sage, that we should ever conduct ourselves
toward our enemy as If he were one day to be
our friend.
''He has too much good sense to be affronted
at insults; he is too well employed TO remember
injuries, and too indOlent to bear malice. He is
patient forbearing, and resigned on philosophi-
cal principles; he submits TO pain because ii is
inevitable, TO bereavement because it is irrepar-
able, and to death because it is his destiny. If
he engages in controversy Of any kind his disci-
plined intellect preserves him from the blunder-
ing discourtesy of better perhaps, but less edu-
Gated minds, who, like blunt weapons, tear and
hack instead of cutting clean, who mistake the
point in argument, waste their strength on
tTihes, miscOnceiYe their adversary, and leave
the question more involved than they find it,.
He may be right or wrong in his opinion, but he
is too clear-headed to be unjust; he is as simple
as he is forcible, and as brief as he is decisive.
"Nowhere shall we find greater candor, con
Slderatlon, Indulgence; he throws himself into
the minds OF his opponents, he accounts for
their mistakes, lie knows the weakness of
human reason as well as its strength, its PROV
ince, and its limits If he be an unbelever he
will be too profound and large-minded to rid-
cule religion or 10 act against II; he is too wise
to be a dogmatist or fanatic in his infidelity.
He respects piety and devotion; he even sup
ports institutions as venerable, beautiful, or
useful, TO which he does not assent; he honors
the ministers Of religion, and it contents him to
decline its mysteries without assailing or de-
nouncing them. He is a friend of religious
toleration, and that not only because his phil
Osophy has taught him TO look on ali forms of
faith with an impartial eye, but also from the
Rare mechanical and scenic effects at Ker-
nans. realistic balloon voyage.