Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-03-01
ENGLISH MANNERS
John Bulls SELF con.efou. s.p>rsov-
fty Only Had Breeafnx


John Buii'. s~if con.~,,,.
fty Only had Breeding.
IL IL seldom. indeed. that an English.
man VIII acknowledge that man OF
any other nation has the advantage OF
him In any respect Indeed. there f.. I
believe, only one fault which we are
nationally ready TO allow may be fair.
~ attributed to us-a certain lack Of
charm Ina manner. In recent wears
when have lived much abroad.
nave several times heard the English
people say, What a pity Il n we
haven't more charming mannersr,
III we are ever to have as pleasant
manners as our neighbors the first idea
we must get rid OF Is that II Is a sign
OF weakness TO be agreeable. A gfm-
let eye aud stiff upper lip are not
sure Indications OF a moral grin or
even or physical strength. Giants. We
know, can be genial. and a smiling
saint can be quite as godly as the
austere skeleton with en- expression
Ike distressed monkey bemoanIng
the sins OF the m0Skey house. To
nave what il sometimes called imam
ner Is not to write yourself down e.
teminate. We English laugh heartily
at what we call the "bowing and
scraping' OF Frenchmen and Italians
as IL we thought that by bending his
body man parted from his masculin-
ity. This is folly and betrays only a
confusion OF mind that wakes scorn
in the intelligent.
When n Frenchman or an Italian
comes into a drawing room he bows
low and kisses the hand Of his hostess
mis- Is pretty. but II Is not pretty
pretty" IL indicates a not servIle
gratitude for hospitality accorded and
a graceful respect for ones hostess
The Englishman's entrance into room
ana greeting are more brusoue and
show less courtesy. Then we are. as
rule, much more ION our dignity"
with those whom we consider beneath
us in station than are the other Euro
pean nations except the Germans. We
Ike To mark our position.
l suppose there is nothing more es-
senually underbred than standing on
ones dignity" yet many Of our Eng
lish aristocracy do II as well as the
nouveaux riches. They seem to think
II necessary TO give themselves airs
WhyF l often wonder. especially when
l note the easy simplicity and well bred
familiarity so universal among foreign
ers or the same class. The English
man, Tor instance. usually treats serv-
ants merely as servants" TO use a
phrase | have often heard I'm English
mouths lie Is probably quite Just to
them. lie often prides himself on that
But he Is markedly detached. He is
not human with them. II must alvays
be n case OF master TO servant. never OF
man 10 man. His servant il TO him a
machine. He speaks 10 him with curt
GOODNESS. He looks at him with
frosty eye that is likely TO chill.
Again l ask. WHY" Where is the
necessity OF this tacit and perpetual
insistence on difference OF position?
The foreigner-horrid but useful word
seldom bothers about such matters.
lie treats the people round about him
who minister 10 his comfort with n
friendly familiarity. and rarely indeed
do they try 10 take advantage OF il.
They In their turn venture TO be cor
dial
We English are not bad hearted. but
we are bad hammered. and as most OF
us know this we ought to make an ef-
Tort TO mend our manners. The truly
good manner comes from being inst
this-unaffectedly human and simple
without arriere pensee. Surely we
ought 10 be able in time 10 manage TO
be that. Ii Is ali very we'll 10 comfort
ourselves with such phrases as "our
bark is worse than our bite" No
doubt IL Is, but a barking dog IS a nut
sance. He sets nerves on edge. We
too often set foreign nerves on edge
by our bluntness, our rough awkward
ness, our determination 10 have our
own way in trifes at all costs and our
unwillingness 10 see that the habits and
customs prevalent in other countries
are not bound 10 be idiotic merely be-
cause they are different from our own
Il viii Ice sincere" says the gruff
Englishman 10 himself when he sets
foot on foreign soil. None of vour
foreign nonsense FOR me- How pleas
ant Europe Will be when John Bull
and his wOmankind can be sincerely
chaCming!-I.Ondon Mail