The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-04
GOOD HUMOR.
Il Has a Social Value Which Is Not Easily
OTereStinatHd.

A great deal has been said OF the charms
OF the old French salons, those delightful "a
unions where the brightest spirits of spark
ling era met in free and familiar converse.
each showing his own best and drawing out
the best Of the others. The peculiar grace
of the old salon has passed away with the
days Of the old regime. Even in France the
salon of this century is not that OF the last.
Other people, other WAYS" The society
which composed the salons of the eigh-
teenth century was like brilliant growth OF
peoples and corn-fowers nodding and nov
ing in the breeze upon the roof OF athatched
cottage. Beautiful in itself, this growth is
but a token of the age of the rOtting
that"h and that OF the ruined dwelling
beneath it. 1t needed but the tap of
chlld'5 hammer upon the tottering llntels,
and almost in breath there was nothing
left bnt heaps of debris and here and there
an astonished flower left living and
wondering in the midst of the destruction.
What were some of the influences which
fostpred the gay flowers of the old salon?
First of all was the freedom that comes from
assured position and social equality. Bow
ing to the monarch as the one supreme, and
Ignoring the great masses below them with
an unconscious selishness incomprehensible
to-day, the men and women who composed
the salons we're on social plane that ad-
United but slight inequalities. They under
stood each other. If there were chickering's
and jealouses, they were-like the differences
in well-disciplined family-kept beneath
the surface. Every member OF circle was
known to all the others, not specifically,
but thoroughly; not only each in his
own person, but each historically,
that is, in the history Of his ancestors: This
sort OF acquaintance Is essential TO the
freest exchange OF thought and epigFam. No
slightest aliusion or turn OF phrase Is lost
The brightest sallies Of wit, the keenest
flashes of wisdom. are those which are ut
tered in strictly family circle, where all
the members are bright and cultivated, and
though often widely differing, are yet united
by an electric touch of sympathy.
This sympathetic freedom was the ozone
of the French salon. Its sunshine, soft and
genial. if not penetrating, was good humor.
The society of men and women who look
at all things in the pleaSantest light, who
never take unmeant affronts. whose pres
ence is always oil upon the troubled waters,
must OF necessity be agreeable. The French
have always appreciated this, and have Gull
tivaied good humOr as polite accomplish
ment.
BY other nations this has sometimes been
deemed a token of insincerity. No so. To
be always good humored is simply to ignore
offenses wherever this is possible; to bear
no grudge; 10 utter no harsh criticisms to
respect the pet foibles of ones associates;
to tolerate all amiable weaknesses; to not
see or, seeing to ignore, all the attempts Of
the rudely nurtured to slight or to snub
those whom they care not to favor; and even
to submit to any endurable amount of i'm
position rather than to disturb the general
peace-in short, to think more of the COM
mon goodwill and happiness than OF ones
own individual tastes, prejudices, desires,
or even rights that are not essential to ones
own moral aud physical well-beng or to
that of other persons.-HarpeT'S Bazaar.