Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-29

Ths Tur,us Though IN Dniiy use, IL n Hard
.5s& Pe One,to Define.


,ss4 sg,3 UnaSto Define.
There u u phrasn in everyday use
which, while ID mny be made to bear
quito a number of meanings, is not,
perhaps, easy Of definition in lis gen
orally accepted sense "Good taste"
we would oil fain be possessed Of, for
II il " priceless gem, whose heautify-
ing influenco will infallibly peryade
nur dress, our mode Of life, our COM
partnership, our hobbies, and even our
occupations.
Perhaps the nearest synonym for
'igoQd taste'i in our curiously made
quats and redundant language is the
perception OF the fitness OF things.
The possessor of the latter quality, says
the Philadelphia Times, may also lay
clainlSto the former; they are, indeed,
one and the snme thing, In dress II is
| especially noticeable, The beauty Of d
tdlletjwill entirely depend on its suita-
| biity'to the circumstances under which
| ", isworn
ppe has soon neat plain cotton
frock, Of Spartan design, spotless as TO
SOLAR md trinity belt, look utterly and
entirely charming in q country lane or
at.theahreakfast table. Transplant it,
let w say, to the center of q garden
| fete or o concert hall, md 1t becomes
| the reverse of all that we understand
by smart, fot 1t is tho same gown on
| thu sumo wearer, but tho secret Of its
beauty was embodied In its suitability.
| So tho tr!mmest tailor. made frnclS
ever built, tho perfect modelling Of
which has been delight to oil holders.
| ia the street, would be meet cause for
| rldioulo did Its owner intrude 1t into
| Mrs. 4o;and-So's reception rooms.
Equally dire would BIO the result from
| an esthetie point Of Wow did we. ven,
4 ture To follow our ordinary ayocation
| in laces, muslins and dainty silks, suitaf
BILE only for garden parties and such
/ functions,
1 No matter how beautiful each
separate article of attire mly be, 1t
4 will lose all beauty directly III. ceases
4 to BIO in keeping with its surroundings.
4 A white hat on day Of bitingly cold
east wind how 1t makes us shiYer! a
\ heavy velvet mantle worn whom the
4 Thermometer stands at 50 degrees in
| the shade what an additional sense of
heat it nnconsoiously impnrts! The
/ very rags on the heggars in the street,
do they NOT move Us TO compassion or
disgust when they are unsuited to the
season and the weather.
4 Nothing is SO utterly repulsivs as
shabby hnery; nothing so sordid as
tawdry snartness. Far better a sacls
4 and knotted cord for girdle than the
tinsel and artificial flowers and
feathers. devoid of curl, which adorn
the grent fringes and doubtful cleanli-
ness Of SO many OF the working women
folk in tho lower walks of life. Its
unsuitability is its undoing Fer this
reason / cannot think the Salvation
Army uniform altogether ugly. At all
events, who ennld compare tho neat,
cleanly, womaniy appearance Of these
women with their gaily-hetli1cned
sisters Of the flower baskets and street
stalls9 Verify, there is . place for
everything, and everything in its place
4 looks well.
4 As ia dress, so to some extent in man
pers. OF course, the aim OF everyone
should be to have no Manner properly
speaking, but to he simply ones
natural self. but there are occasions
when good taste requires the assumption
OF certain qualities, even If we possess
them not, Especially will it sometimes
happen that silence IL required of the
spirit when the flesh is fain 10 speak,
One has heard Of cases Of learned men
= listening with atfability and apparent
interest to some person expounding hit
Ignorance Of q subject on which Tho
listener was, a recognized authority,
Occasions, too, will certainly arise
when tho suppression OF our iatura
, characteristics will be required of us.
Tho woman Of taste maybe m arch
! hunorist, for instance, but she wi lin
doubtedly refrain from any ebullitiol
of sparKliug wit when paying visits u
! coincidence. She may, on tho othol
hand, be gifted with the prophetio IN,
visionary powers Of Cassindra, II
} which cnse she will, Of course, post
mono her prognostications of complete
ruin toa bride and bridegroom unit
after the Wedding breakfast. unleh
prevented by conscientious scr,iples
, she might even postpone it indefinitely
Again, the person Of taste will no
lose friend for the sake OF an, epigran
| nor will she mako IL m inyariaple ruiz
J on hearing an anecdote to remark tina
4 it is d chestnut. 1t may be ons, o
/ course. Did anybody ever hear an anec
dote that wHs notp But there arc ,occa
> siops when to withhold the truth j
4 the part of n friend.
t In settling topic OF compensation
v 1t should, is far as possible, DO i
ID Keeping WIN Inv OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES thilN'S
$ which it Ia to be carried op In
wine merchants house one does not q
Il out OF one's way To Introduce the sun
i jcct Of total abstinence, nor wonld on
5 i ;.ilude pointediy to the iniquity of tn
Il stage to- an aoter, OF ut Wnsleya
/. prayer meeting descant on the heant
S of Anglican ritual, 1t ia never we'll
h wax too eloquent Oh the advantages 4
y ones own country to a foreigner, M
al To gnneraliEe good tlSle is ceriainl
one Of the most potent factors 10 III
o longevity Of friendship. 1t renders !
n possessoi. tuntfui,ythRt IL ~ say. unol
i trusiye, and on iinneasions blind. I'll
10 latter is q great ar., parh;lps the groatei
/ which we have opportunity Of prhet {
Il ing in orr daily life, and how often
II is abused.
]. " The inumentat which to look ava,
e the word which not 10 speak, the cria
Il Mt which not to smile the powers
!, recognize these supreme moments
Il good t,lste personified. May we remen
ii Der il when next we SEQ mn imnacula
IN male in pursuit Of his hest hat aero
s. O muddy street, or u lady OF pdipe'
ID tendencies inadvertently seRtcd on
I. slide caused by tho artless FRANKS
i, little children. M.&
VI tsays VIII b. Hays trsr.
nr nv ,,,a,, ,.I.x,, IL, y,