The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-31
ENGLISH POLITENESS.
1t Varies Greatly from the American
Article and Is Less Agreeable.
Richard Harding Davis, in Harper,s.


If the S~cotchman. who certainly seems re-
served enough In our eyes, is chilled by the
Englishmans manner, it Is evident how
much more the American must suffer before
he learns that there is something better to
come, and that the E~nglishman's manner
Is ms own misfortune and not his inten-
YOU know them well enough to complain,
that we are too sensitive" and that we
are too quick to take offense. II never oc-
ours to them that it may be that they are
too brusoue. If you say, on mounting a
coach, L am afraid L am one too many,
1 fear 1 am crowding you ALL" you can
count upon their all answering, with per-
feet cheerfulness, Yes, you are, but we
didn't know ycu were coming. and there
them hat that is not perhaps the best way
of putting il. After a bit you find out that
they do not mean TO be rude, or you learn
TO be rude yourself. and then you get on
famously. l have had Americans come to
my rooms in London with tears of indig-
nation in their eyes, and tell of the way
and insulted and neglected. Why they
would ask. did they invite me to their
L didn't ask them TO. l didn't force myself
on them. / only wanted a word now and
then, just to make me feel 1 was a human
being. If they had only asked me, When
are you going away? it would have been
something; but to leave ne standing around
in corners, and to go through whole din
nerS without as much as q word. without
introducing me to anyone or recognizing
my eXistence-why did they ask me if they
only meant TO Insult me When they got
me there? Is that English hospitality
And the next day 1 would meet the people
with whom he had been staying and they
would say: I'VE have had such q nice COM
patriot of yours with us, such a well-in-
formed young man; | hope he will stop
with us for the shooting" AS far as they
knew they had done all that civility re-
quired, all they would have given their
neighbors. or have expected from their own
people. But they did not know that We
are not used to being walked over rough
shod, that we affect interest even il we do
not feel 1t, and that we tell social fibs If
II is going to make some one else feel more
comfortable. 1t is as if the American had
boxed with gloves all his life. and then met
n man who struck with his bare fists; and
il naturally hurts. And the most pathetic
not know how much better than their own
the breeding of the American really is.
It is like the line in the International
Episode. where the American woman
points out to her friend that their English
visitors not only dress badly. but so badly
that they will not appreciate how well
dressed the Americans are. | have seen a
whole roomful Of Englishmen sit still when
a woman came into her own drawing-room,
and then look compassionately at the
Americans present because they stood ID.
They probably thought we were following
out the rules of some book on etiquette,
and could not know to9t We were simply
more comfortable standing when a woman
was standing than we would nave been
sitting down. And IT will not do to say
In reDlv to this that these Englishmen of
and that / should not Judge by the middle
class. / am not judging of the middle
classes. ut was the best butter as the
March hare says.