The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-10-28
A GENTLEMAN: TWO DEFINITIONS OF THE
TERN.
I. The Ideal of a POet-PhilOsOpher.

OAOA6O oANA 8 Ii 0OAO 40
superior to all the accessory attributes of fortune,
such as rank and power, and as constituting what
is essential, real, and intrinsically valuable in the
individual. Tell me what you are, and I will tell
you what you are worth. "God and my Right"
there is the only motto that he believes in. < X X
The gentleman, then, is the man who is master
of himself, who respects himself, and makes 9TH
ers respect him. The essence of gentlemanliness
is self-rule, the sovereignty of the soul. It means
a character which possesses itself, a force which
governs itself, a liberty which afirms and regu-
lates itself, according to the type of true dignity.
But from self-respect a thousand other things
are derived-such as the care of a mans personnel
his language, of his manners; watchfulness over
his body and over his soul; dominion over his in
stincts and his passions; the effort to be self-suf-
fcient; the pride which will accept no favour;
carefulness not to expose himself to any humilia-
ton or modification, and to maintain himself in
dependent of any human caprice; the constant
protection of his honour and self-respect. \ = x
In order to lay himself open to no reproach, a
gentleman will keep himself irreproachable; in
order to be treated with consideration, he will al
ways be careful to observe distances, to apportion
respect, and to observe all the gradations of con-
v~entional politeness, according to rank, age, and
situation.-From Amiels journal.
II. By the Author of 'Lead, Kindly Light
It is almost the definition of a gentleman to
say he is one who never gives pain. X \ x He
carefully avoids whatever may cause a jar or a
jolt in the minds of those with whom he is cast,
all clashing of opinion or collision of feeling, all
restraint or suspicion or gloom or resentment,
his great object being to make everyone at ease
and at home. He has his eyes on all his company.
He is tender toward the bashful, gentle toward
the distant, and merciful toward the absurd; he
can recollect to whom he speaking; he guards
against unreasonable illusions or topics that may
~irritate; he is seldom prominent in conversation
and never wearisome.
He makes light of favors while he does them,
and seems to be receiving when he is comforting.
He never speaks of himself except when COM
PEELED, never defends himself by mere retort. He
has no ears for SANDER or gossip, is scrupulous in
imputing motives to those who Interfere with him,
and interprets everything for the best. He is
never mean or little in his disputes, never takes
an unfair advantage, never mistakes personalities
or sharp sayings for arguments, or insinuates evil
which he dare not say out. \ X X He has too
much sense to be affronted at insult. He is too
busy to remember injuries and too wise to bear
malice. X X x IF he engages in controversy
of any kind, his disciplined intellect preserves him
from the laundering discourtesy OF, better though
less educated minds, who, like blunt weapons, tear
and hack instead of cutting clean.
He may be right or wrong in his opinion, but
he is too clear-headed to be unjust. He is as sim
pie as he is forcible, and as brief as he is decisive.
Nowhere shall we find greater candor, considera-
ton, and indulgence. He throws himself into the
minds of his opponents, he accounts for their
mistakes. He knows the weakness of human ma
ture as we'll as it's strength. its province, and it's
limits.-John Henry Newman.