Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-06-24
TfE NAgTlnsBuRe PEgALn
JoFx 7. aEnr. EDITOR &pRopaiEros.
Saturday, June oath, 1893.
THE TRUE GENTLEMAN.
How Many of Us WI Measure
Up to This High
Standard.

denn1tlon OF a gentleman. The
remarkable passage occurs in his
SIX Discourses Addressed to
the Catholics in Dublin -
g 1t is almost definition of a
gentleman to say that he is one
who nevers pain. This descrip-
ton is both refined and, so far as
it goes, accurate. He is mainly
occupied in merely removing the
obstacles which hinder the free
and unembarrassed action of
those about him, and he concurs
in their movements rather than
takes the initiative himself. His
benefits may be considered as
parallel to what are called COM
forts or conveniences in arrange
ments of a personal nature, like
an easy chair or good fire, which
do their part in dispelling cold
and fatigue, though nature pro-
vides both means of rest and ami
NAL heat without them.
"The true gentleman, in like
manner, carefully avoids what
ever may cause jar or jolt in
the minds of those with whom he
is cast-all clashing of opinion,
or collision of feeling, all re-
straint, or suspicion, or gloom, or
resentment 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, gen.
tie toward the distant, and merci-
full toward the absurd. He can
recollect to whom he is speaking;
he guards against unreasonable
illusions, or topics which may
irritate; he is seldom prominent
in conversation, and never weari-
some. He makes light of favors
when he does them, and seems
to be receiving when he is con-
ferring. He never speaks of him
self except when compelled, new
er defends himself by mere re-
tort he has no ears for SANDER
or gossip, is scrupulous in impu.
ting motives to those who inter
fere with him, and interprets
everything for the best. He is
never mean or little in his dis
putes, never takes unfair advan-
tage, never mistakes PERSONAL
ties or sharp sayings for argu.
ment, or insinuates evil which he
dare not say out. From long
sighted prudence he observes the
maxim of the ancient sage, that
we should ever conduct ourselves
toward our enemy as if he We're
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 INDECENT to bear
malice. He is patient, forbear-
ing, and resigned on philosophic-
al principles he submits to pain
because it is inevitable, to be-
reavement because it is irrepara-
BILE, and to death becausei it is his
destiny. If he engages in con-
troversy of any kind, his discip-
lined intellect preserveds him
fromthe laundering discourtesyof
better, perhaps, but less educated
minds, who, like blunt weapons,
tear and hack instead of cutting
clean, who mistake the point in
argument, waste their strength
on tritles, misconceive their adj
versary, 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 great
er candor, consideration, indul-
gence he throws himself into
the minds of his opponents, 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 pro.
found and large-minded to ridi-
Guile religion or to act against it;
he is too wise to be a dogmatist
or fanatic in his infidelity. He
respects piety and devotion he
even supports institutions as ven
cradle, 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
denouncing them. He lis a friend
of religious liberation, and that
not only because his philosophy
has taught him to look ON all
forms of faith with an impartial
eye, but also from the gentleness
and effeminacy of feeling, which
is the attendant on civilization.
"Not that he may not hold a
religion, too, in his own way,
even when he is not a Christian