The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-14
A GEN TLEMAk.
Cardinal Newmen's Defined Him.

Cardinal Newmen's Defined Him.
From the London Daily News.
1t is almost definition of gentleman TO
say that he is one who never miles pain
The description is both relied, AID so far as
it goes accurate. He is mainly occupied in
merely removing the obstacles which hinder
the free and uuembarrassed action IF those
about him, and he concurs with uaeir move
mentS rather than take the initiative him
self. His benefits may be considered as
parallel TO what are called comforts or
conveniences in arrange en;s of a personal
nature-hke an easy chair or good fire.
which do their part in dispeling Id and
fatigue, though nature provides both means
of rest aud animal heat without
them. The true gentleman in
like manner carefully AVOIDS whatever NAV
cause jar or jolt in the minds
of those with whom he is
cast - all clashing of opinion,
of collision of feeling, ali restraint, or sus-
piclon, or gloon, or resentment; his great
concern being to make every one at their
ease and at home. Ho has his eyes on all
his company he is tender toward the bash
full, gentle toward the distant, and merciful
toward the absurd. He can recollect to
,, whom he is speaking; he guards against I'M
seasonable illusions, or topics which may
irritate; he is seldom prominent in CONVEX
sation, and never wearisome. He makes
light of favors when he does EN-, and
seems to be receiving " hen he is clnferring.
He never speaks of himself except when
compelled, never defends himself by a mere
retort: he has no ears for slaCder 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 mis-
takes personalities or sharp savings for
arguments, or lnsinuates evil which he dare
not say out. From long-slghted prudence
he observes the maxim or the ancient sage,
that we should ever conduct ourselves
toward our enemy as if he were one day 20
be our friend. He has too much good sense
to be affronted at insults: he is too well
employed to remember injuries aud too
lndolent to bear malice. He Is patient, for
bearing and resigned on philos phic princi-
pies; he submits to pain because it is newt
able, to bereavement because it is irrepqra-
BILE, and to death because it is his destiny.
II he engages in controversy Of any kind
his disciplined intellect preserves him from
the blundering discourtesy of better
perhaps, but less educated minds, who, like
blunt weapons, tear and hack instead of
cutting clear, who mis-, axe the point in
argument, waste their strength in trifes,
misconceive their adversary, and leave the
question mora 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
ne is decisive. Nowhere shall we find
greater candor, consideration, indulgence;
he throws himself into the minds of his op-
ponents, he accounts for their mistakes. He
knows the weakness OF human reason as
well as its strength, its province, and its
limits.
If he be an unbeliever, he will be too
profound and large-minded to ridicule re-
ligion or to act against it; he is to wise to
be dogmatist or fanatic in his infidelity.
He respects pietv and devotion; he even
supports institutions as venerable, beauti e.
full or useful, to which he does no. assen nj /;
be donors the ministers of religion, and it
contents him TO decline its mysteries with
out asSailing or denouncing them. He is a
friend Of religious federation, and that not
only because his philosophy has taught him
to look on all forms of faith with an i'm
partial eye, but also from the gentieness
and effeminacy of feeling which is the
attendant or civilization. Not that
he may not hold a religion, too. in
his own way, even whea he Is not
christi IN. In that case his religion
is one OF imagination and sentiment;
1t is the embodiment of those ideas of the
sublime. majestic and beautiful without
which there can be no large philosophy.
Sometimes he acknowledges the being Of
God, sometimes lie invests an unknown
principle or qualities with the attribute of
perfection. And this deduction Of his rea-
son or creation of his fancy he makes the
occasion of such excellent ihoughts and the
starting point of SO varied and systematic
a teaching that he even seems like disciple
of christianity itself. From the very accu-
racy and steadiness of his logical powers
he is able to see what sentiments are con-
sisteut in those who hold any religious doc
trine at all, and he appears to Others t. feel
and to hold whole circle of theological
truths, which exist in his mind not other
wise than as number of deductions.