The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-19
ENGLISH MANNERS.
sehn Balls Self Conscious Superior
itx Only had breeding.

ity Only had Breeding.
II IL seldom, indeed. that an English
man Will acknowledge that man Of
any other nation has the advantage Of
him In any respect. Indeed, there II.
believe. only one fault which we are
nationally ready 10 allow may be fair.
ly attributed TO us-a certain lack OF
charm In manner. In recent years,
when | have lived much abroad, !
have several times heard the English
people say. What a pity II 10 we
haven't more charming mannersr'
II we are ever 20 have as pleasant
manners M our neighbors the FIRST idea
we must get rid OF Ia that II is a sign
Of weakness 10 be agreeable. A GIN.
let eye and stiff upper lip are not
sure Indications OF a moral grip or
even Of physical strength. Giants, we
know, can be genial. and smiling
saint can BIO quite as godly as the
austere skeleton with an expression
like distressed monkey bemoaning
the sins Of the monkey house. To
have what In sometimes called man.
ner" Ia not TO write yourself down ef-
fesninate. We English laugh heartily
at what we call the Blowing and
scraping' Of Frenchmen and Italians
as II we thought that by bending his
body man parted from his masculin.
ity. This Ia folly and bctrays only
confusion Of mind that wakes scorn
In the Intelligent.
When q Trenchman or an Italian
comes into drawing room he bows
low and kisses the hand OF bis hostess.
This Is pretty, but It Is not pretty
pretty" II indicates q not serylle
gratitude for hospitality accorded and
a graceful respect for ones hostess.
The Engllshman's entrance into a room
and greeting arc more brusque and
show less courtesy. Then we are, as
rule, much more ION our dignity"
with those wLlm We consider beneath
us IN station than IRE the other Euro
pean nations except the Germans. We
like 20 mark our position.
! suppose there Is nothing more es-
scntlally underbrel than standing on
ones. dignity" yet many Of our Eng.
lish aristocracy do # ns well as the
nouyeauS riches They seem TO think |
II necessary 10 give themselves airs. |
Why often wonder especially when |
note the easy simplicity and well bred |
NO universal among foreign |
ers 0f the same class The English. |
man, for instance. usually treats serv.
ants merely as servants" TO use q
phrase have often heard In English |
mouths. lie ID probably quite Just TO
them. He often prides himself on that
But he Ii markedly detached. He Ia
not human with them II must always
be case Of master 10 servant, never OF
man 10 man. His servant IL to him a
lie speaks to him with curt
coldness. lie looks at him with
frosty eye that Is likely TO chill.
Again | ask, "Whyr Where is the
necessity Of this tacit and perpetual
on difference OF positionf
The foreigner horrid but useful word
seldom bothers about such matters.
He treats the people round about him
who minister TO his comfort with a
friendly familiarity. and rarely indeed
10 they try TO TAXA advantage OF 1t.
They in their turn venture to be cor.
iial.
We English are not bad hearted, but
We are bad hammered, and as most of
IL know this we ought to make an Of.
ort TO mend our manners. The truly
,ood manner comes from being Just
his-unafiectedly human and simple
Without arriere pensce Surely we
'ught to be able in time TO manage to
'e that, II is all very well to comfort
ourselves with ouch phrases as "our
ark is worse than our bite" No
Ioubt II Is, but barking dog is a nui.
ance. lie sets nerves on edge. We
90 often set foreign nerves on edge
y our bluntness, our rough awkward
ess, our determination to have our
wn way In tribes at all costs and our
nwlllingness to see that the habits and
ustoms prevalent In other countries
re not bound to be idiotic merely be.
ause they are different from our own.
II will be sincere" says the gruff
.nglishman to himself when he sets
Dot oh foreign soil. None OF your
oreign nonsense for mer' How pleas.
mt Europe will be when John Bull
nd his womankind can be sincerely
harming!-London Mail