The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-16
BRASS WORKS.
PIONEER BRASS WORKS
Brass, Bronze and Aluminium CistinJi
A SPECIALLY. -
40 TO 10 s. Penn. ST.. Tel. 6fs.

in full. is to cast a slur upon the sentiment
expressed by that word. II is almost tho
same as saying either that the affection OF
the writer is worth very little or that the
phrson whom he addresses is Of small i'm
portance- In the one case there is a breach
OF self-respect and in the other there is a
breach OF respect for others; and upon
these two sentiments good anners are
based.
These may seem TO be small matters. and
so they are to the intellect; but we are all
governed and ought to be governed chiefly
preston not of ideas. but OF feelings; and
the feelings are infinitely more subtle than
receive pleasure or pain from the manner
Of his neighbors. and yet be unable 10 ex-
plain even 10 himself exactly why or how
sand forms and degrees Of kindliness. and
as many OF contempt or insult which are
expresseo IN manners, out wnlcn ianguaee
proach TO accuracy. The Importance OF
good manners is. therefore. rather TO be
felt than to be stated; and We are in sanger
Of Understanding them. because the in
tellect Is so much less subtle and less sem
sitive than the feelings; and IL is the in-
tellect which judges when one makes up
his mind. as we say. IL our communications
with each other was limited TO the bare use
OF words. we should seldom make ourselves
understood. And the more civilized. the
more highly trained and educated a man
becomes. the more numerous ard the more
complex are the feelings and shades OF
feeling which he is able TO express by man.
ner. However, these reflections are per-
Maps A tlEQI QlRftr<lOn from our <uOleCI.
which was the moral Importance OF good
manners. This is seen most clearly I'm the
relation Of the two sexes. Fine manners,
virtuous. and this is true; but they have
gone a long way toward preserving virtue.
1t is. the first step. we are told. Which
counts. A young woman who has good
manners-manners founded upon ~self-re-
spect. looks upon that first step with hor-
She will hardly take the first step: hardly.
l mean. permit any familiarity until she
is ready to take the last step. Whenever
out true self-respect and without the con-
sequent good manners is comparatively de-
and what should not be permitted. and. at
last, almost insensibly she crosses the fine
line Which sro separates a low st renS Is,e OF
in the course of some testimony reported
in a divorce case how. in a company OF
all OF them being married people. one man
kissed the woman who sat next 10 him.
and and told the s,o Others th,1, to pass pass >. II ,h along.
had kissed and been kissed They were
church" people. 10 use their own lam
guage. and the minister was one of them.
1t was he. in fact. IL I remember right.
who figured as plaintiff or defendant in
the divorce suit which subsequently, oc-
vorce suits could be expected of a circle In
which self-respect and good manners were
at so low an ebbi
But. IT might be objected. scandals and
divorce suits are the very things which
occur In what Is called the best. the most
fashionable society. both here and In Eng
land. This Is true. In all countries where
wealth accumulafes. and II becomes posi-
bic for some persons TO live In idieness and
luxury. there will be found among them
a small class. having. In most respects.
good manners. and yet being far from yfr-
tuous. This. i admit. Is true: but as TO
such people IL may be said that their good
manners obviously spring not from their
vices but from their virtues; their virtues.
indeed. notably the sense OF honor. are
directly connected with good manners.
Moreover, their good manners are usually
Inherited from more virtuous ancestors IL
Is impossible that such people should de-
velop good manners. on the contrary. We
see that among them precisely the cppo-
site Is taking place: their manners. though
still good in many respects. as i have said.
are in q state of decadence. The most
fashionable people In New York and Bos-
ton. as one sees them in public places. are
noisy and ostentati2us 10 the point OF vut-
garity. The more we examine the subject.
the more clear IL becomes that there II q
vital connection between scif-reSpect ana
good manners. that good manners depend
on respect for ones self and regard for
others: and that they. have very little 70
do with the Intellect. II II remarkable how
small is the part which the intellect PLAYS
in making men either good or happy. II
II were otherwise. there would be an I'M
mfnse injustice IN the scheme OF the world.
for great talents and much learning must
always be confined 10 a few. GOOD man
ners. on the other hand. might be the pos
session not only OF the few but OF the
many. There are no physical impossioii-
ties in the way. We may he sure that the
Lord intended them 10 be a universal pos
session. and II. among US. they fau fnr
short OF that. there must be some great
! defect In our social organization.