The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-17

| her cOuntrymen; but an incident OF I'M
morning on which she wrote cons0let
her amply. II was raining THAT detai
seems needless elaboration 10 English reau
ersD. and among the lady's fellOw-passei
gers on "A tram-car was an elderly ant
nervous waeherwoman and a youth. appar
emily "A bank clerk, absorbed in a book. In,
| washerwoman reached her journeys end
stopped the car, and stood hesitatine
on the step before sea OF mud
churned by hurTying vehicles. The
conductor babe her descend; the bank
clerk, reused, saw what was the matter
sprang up, offered his arm, escorted
the old laundress Ia the sidewalk, regained
the car. and recommended MS studies as u
nothing had happened. But modesty de-
cciycd him, for this good action had re-
suit. II restored the authoress's equanimity
Forthwith she dismissed those doleful and
unpatriotic imaginings. Had such an incl
dent or any like it passed before her eyes in
Europe: NO. Therefore fig for. your
graces Of manner and your smoOthnesses OF
speech. The American is the true knight
Of Courtesy.
Perhaps the conclusion is sound. We
would not pronounce if we could. Tor IL
seems vastly unimpOrtant. But the tale
has its significance from another point OF
view. 1t represents notion widely spread.
Not this lady alone assumes that attention
to her sex ccndOnes all other oilenses
against courtesy. Very many people, in
deed. have come to take il for grant
ed that this and nothing else is signi-
icd bv the word Louis le Grand held
the same view. He could shout and swear,
break his stick on n servants shoulders.
threaten his great Prime Minister with the
same treatment, and almost brighten the
old man to death; but he never spoke 10 a
lady. though il were raining torrents, with
out uncOyering his head Nevertheless, it
is commonly agreed that Louis the Magni-
icent was a selfish and mannerless
bully. We only cite him in passing, how
ever, as an extreme illustration. The
Car Nicholas offers another. lie also
showed Difference and consider
alton for ladies peculiarly charming IN a
man of such sternness. They tell pretty
stories Of this trait at It. Petersburg ; they
also tell how he ordered every girl in the
Imperial school for Daughters Of Officers TO
be fiOgged-sOme three hundred Of them
for breach Of discipline by one. Ii Is not
suggested. Of course, that the bank clerks
courtesy was OF the skin-deep sort but.
dropping bis personality henceiorward, 1t Is
plain that attention - the sex is not indu-
bitable evidence Of gcntlemanly feeling all
round.
our authOress admits by hypothesis that
il is compatible with rough manners; for
the adventure is expressly told a. compen-
satiOn for annOyances Of the kind. But III
the Old-fashiOncd view, which we persist ~
regarding as the true one. rough manners
are the very opposite OF courtesy. More
over. man may be- attentive and deieren-
tal towards woman, yet full Of selilshncss,
low in his moral tone, unpnnciplcd, and
In ut
If us could name a few instances. If put 10
it, sir Gawain was the Knight OF
Courtesy, and his supreme triumph
was kissing the bride. imposed on him
when she begged that favor; a lOathly
wretch, endowed with every nauseOus attri-
butte which medieval experience or the
trOuyere's fancy could suggest-nOt other
wise endowed. however. Three times sir
Gawain granted her prayer. though he ielt
very i'll. ana at the third kiss naturally
there was a transformation. such beau
fcOus bride he presented To the Court next
iav. that Glneyere herself felt jealous.
such is tho pretty legend familiar TO school
Urls. who do not inquire closely why the
gallant knight was summoned and COM
PEELED 10 marry this dreadful creature. For
al the extravaganza Of those myths and
the reckless sacrifice Of such probabilities
even as belong 10 a fairy tale. there are
MANY touches Of human nature IN them, II
we 20 back 10 the original.
Courtesy was that system of manners APP
proved at " Court or taken rs apprOvcd-a
theory which tended always to become
practice. 1t was regarded as prerogatye
If gentle" blood; which. again, being in
ierpretod. signifies the blood Of persons be-
longing 10 a gcns-a family. Inc spanish
Germ for q gentleman exactly defines this
ohio dc algo), "scn Of
such persons had the credit OF
their ancestors To sustain besides their own
character. AT all times. doubtless. they az
fccted manners superior 10 the common nerd:
though il is appalling TO think What the man.
ners Of the herd must have been when we
read how its supcriOrs behaved. There II
no doubt that the great improvement which
ave birth 10 "cOurtcsy''-thc word, and
probably the form which we think deserving
II that title-arOse Immediately after the
'rusados. at the end of the twelfth century.
such close connection j. suggested IN
many points that grave authorities have
granted the credit Of il to the influence Of the
~aracens. II is plain. indeed, that Christian
and rOmancers OF the period re-
,OeniZed striking similarity betwiXt their
improved usages and those Of the Paynim,
which they explained by a legend Of >aladin
receiving knighthOOd with all sOlemnlty
from Hugh Of 'labarla.
We must not 20 deeper into the origin OF
the institution. But these considerations
show that courtesy, in the beginning as now,
was gracious form Of intercourse. We have
given it "A derapp,ication: for in the early
iays il had reference only 10 equals, nut the
courteous man is courteous 10 all at present.
There is an impressive illustration OF TINS
difference between the rights Of gentle and
simple i'm the treatment Of the burghers OF
Calais and Of the French gentlemen after
Poitiers. In the latter case, says Froissart,
each ENGLISH and GascOn knight asked his
prisoner what ransom he could nay without
and let him 20 at the price
named. 1T was common for them to say
that they would not straiten any knight or
squire 80 that he should not be able 10 live
well and maintain his honor Contrast
with this fine example Of courtesy the be-
layiOr Of the same men towards the low
born patriots OF Calais. such distinctions
are opposed to the very spirit Of courtesy a.
we understand it now; but still 1t IS code
)f manners. not OF mOr'ls. sentimental
poets and nOyelists Of the day may argue
that the TWO cannot bee ASSOCIATED; that he
who shows fine manner. tact, cOnsidera-
ton. regard for others feelings, and self
sacrifice i'm social matters. must needs be
kindly and good. Those who believe the
theory cannot have seen much of the world
nor read much Of history.
In any case, a brusque bearing, a rough
address are utterly Incompatible with cour-
tesv. The man who displays them may
possess thousand virtues, but lac has not
this accomplishment. nor the first element
II il. 20 we return 10 our authOrcss and
her illustrations The politeness and good
feeling Of the bank clerk are most com
mendablc. II is probably true that such
incidents do not occur in Europe; and If
they be not remarkable in New York, Amer
lean citizens have just cause for pride. But
all this has no bearing on the question Of
courtesy. The world signifies Il graceful
and obliging tone in daily intercourse; if
that be wanting person is not courteous,
though he devote his life 10 helping wash
srwOmen OF tramcars.- James Gazette.
ADULTERATlONS IN FOOD.
A Law Suggested to Check Dangerous
Form of Fraud.