Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-04
Heroism and HEROES.

|
OF Ours.)
otis but step from the sublime TO
tho ridiculous"
A society gentleman. in these parts
some time ago, who was a sort of stu
| dent Of men and women, blandly re-
marked Of his wife, that she had a great
| deal of mannerism, but no manners.
Rem tetigit acu. He told the exact
truth and no one disputed the point
with him. She knew the theory of the
thing, but couldn't work it. She made
a great show Of courtesy, but it was all
show. She made a tremendous effort
to display graces, not one OF which she
in very truth possessed. AS we used to
say in the days of old hintlock muskets:
"She was forever making a flash in the
pam"
Old Dr. McGuffey used to teach his class
deliberately and carefully the difference
between feeling and sentiment. Feeling,
he said, was like the water bubblng
from the spring. the very life and soul
and spirit Of the heart manifesting itself;
like the lily, the rose, or the violet.
breathing out its perfume. Sentiment was
the water put up in packages for sale;
the odor Of the flowers distilled and
bottled for havoring or pertaining, as oc-
casion might call for them. Just as the
fine lady, the dandy. the soapmaker. the
apothecary, or confectioner may use a
havoring or seasoning for divers pur-
cal artist uses sentiment, bright or
sombre, glad or funereal, for effect, to ac-
complish certain results, to make certain
impressions.
1t is just in this way that manners and
feeling have been made 20 give way 10
mannerism and sentiment and the soul of
manhood has suffered. Mannerism and
sentiment have made a business Of their
wares. They run a sort OF department
establishment. They have the tailor
and mantua-maker. and milliner and
dancing. master and dealer In bridal
and mourning goods. and under |
takey, and tomb-stonier and sexton.
and iddler-all under their control |
with the fashionable boardir school on |
good terms. So It Is that "the thing |
may always be had on order. In man |
ners, all that conyentionality, fashion. |
etiquette may require. can be had on |
cards or in iibrettos. Or a master of the |
branch, for a small fee, may be had 10
drill the entire person. with the skill Of
a hair-dresser: to wind up and set the
human machine for any occasion. The
inc gentlemen or lady performs as a per-
iect piece Of fancy work. a
So, when sentiment is wanted, both
oy and sorrow are found all reduced
% an exact science-and their shows as
graceful. and neatly put 10
Is the best tailor-made dress. on an
occasion Of JOY you have only 10 leave
memorandum with the monopolists.
md they will attend to the whole mat
er for you, decorations, dainties, and
and they will fix up the
personnel Of the household, and work
he whole mac1ine-secundum artem. A
uneral will be managed just with the
anne preciseness and perfect art, only you
must give them particulars; and they will
how you how sorry you ought 10 |
ook, and what exact grade of mourning
ou ought to wear, etc. Moreover, II
they will engage a rough
iding preacher 10 harrow the congrega-
Ions feelings and stir them up; though !
his is fast going out of fashion with
enteel people.
The business run by mannerism and |
sentiment may do very well for shallow
md machine-made people. Ii does very
veil for the crowd. And a crowd is a
rowd, whatever be their claim TO high
less. But 1t dries up the soul. II kills
he spirit of man and woman IL makes
he whole Of life but strutting and
retting for an hour upon the stage-a
ale told by an idiot sgnifying nothing.
md the man and woman that values
lanhood and womanhood must be dis
nited from the wrctchcd assembly OF
he inane, and so by themselves 10 re- .
over and restore their native dignity
nd life.
The world IS all fun OF frauds and
hows and counterfeits, and mere out
ides Of humanity. As we have man
erism and sentiment in place OF man
ers and feeling, so we have everywhere
eroics in the the place OF heroism. Sen
alton is in the air. and cases Of heroics | /
re met with all about. You may
ecognize them in the street, the
ait, the expression OF coun- ,
nance the tones OF the voice in every .
oyement, all indicating a crazy, quix-
ic, self-conceit. AL this IS 10 true hero
m Just what mannerism and sentiment
e 70 essential courtesey and good feel y
g. Modesty is the life and soul and en- G
,diment OF true heroism. The highest
no that mere humanity has ever known
as Paul. the Apostle. And who will
arge him with mannerism. sentimental
2, or sensational he<oics? Who can make b.
modern stock-actor out OF the material
the chapter on charity? Higher still.
: see the hero OF all heroes. Behold my
rvant whom have chosen. mine elect
whom my soul delighteth, He shall
t strive nor cry. nor cause his voice 10
heard in the streets A bruised reed
all he not break. nor quench the smok-
3 fax. yet he shall not fail nor be dis
uraged.