The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-20

| 0&f " ID WOHatTlut nOW huaHI HGn- | sibie and even clever people are will ing to accept with readiness the most | improbable statements concerning men | and things without the slightest de. sire and certainly without the small est effort to learn the truth. Broad, sweeping and wholesale assertions pass unchallenged, and are handed down to the next generation as his- | torical facts. Was Dr. Johnson the | horrid old Bruin he was represented to be? Was he quite so black as he
 was painted7 We know not. That he
 was relentless in controversy with his How now sir?" and You do not see your way through the argument, sirT' and such characteristic expressions, Is l true, but for so dogmatic person, he was unusually reasonable, and. what personal. vindictive and abusive speeches do we not hesr in our court
 rooms today. from men utterly desti-
 ute of genius! The man who could purpose of helping street urch in l over a mud puddle, may not have been so polished in manner as Chesterfield,
 but he was not wanting in the in- stincts of true courtesy.
 Coieridge, like the old peripatetic philosophers, walked about as he talk ed, prodigally scattering wisdom, his mind flowing on like the sea, that "ne'er feels retiring ebb." Yet exhaustless and untiring as was his eloquence and imagination, in every direction. he not only paused to hear but cordially welcomed suggestion from another mind cratic, and recreant to the most imperative duties as his unfortunate habit rendered him. his habitual politeness was not un- frequently remarked by his numerous friends.
 notwithstanding Charles Lambs disposition to test the quality of his
 friends by odd speeches and whimsical
 rudeness, and often deprived himself
 of many a pleasure, that he might re-
 main at home to entertain very tire
 some people who insisted upon visit ing him. His good manners, and cour- teous bearing toward those who per- formed menial offices for him, were notable. and his sentiments upon what constitutes the true gentleman are clearly voiced in one of his delight
 full essays. He enjoyed hearty laugh
 sometimes at the expense of his
 friends, and often at his own, and
 could not resist the temptation to say
 good thing and pray who does. who
 Is able to say 1t?
 AS for Leigh Hunt. the praises of
 his most beautiful manners won in
 the mouths of all his contemporaries,
 melodius in tone. eloquent ip choice Of
 words. and aIluring in accent. for
 there was an irresistible charm in his
 very pronunciation, his talk was as
 delicious to listen to as the rarest
 music and however warm the argu-
 Hent might become, he always waited
 fairly and patiently to hear the other
 side. and unlike most eager 'conversers
 never interrupted. Indeed 1t is ordi-
 narily the people who are without
 genius, who insist upon airing their
 opinions, and interrupt other takers
 without mercy or consideration. Kind
 ly and gentle as Wordsworth ever was,
 he never forgot in the midst of his
 musings and mumblings as he walk
 ed his garden paths, to accost the old
 wonian who passed him on her way
 to the duties of her daily vocation. and
 when one morning as his mind was
 attracted to the beautiful flight and
 poising and cooing of the doves that
 frequently his grounds, he, good
 naturedly asked the old woman how
 she most admired the pretty creat-
 ures, and she replied: "Baked in a
 pie. sir" 1t Is not recorded that he
 laughed or even made a discourteous
 retort
 4A1nAhCA8 dAO AtON AC4EA0Q HI uulNGEsl@. ties or polytechnique schools: they are the flower of the fostering care and cultivation of the home. Sterile soil does not produce the graceful and lux uriant plant, nor do penury hardship and severe environment, render a man a knight of the drawing room, hence Carlyle, rugged and severe in aspect, was not attractive in manner. Those move best who have learned to dance, and this man of staid and simple man. ner, could but betray the character of his early education. Profoundly stirred by the incense of admiration which his genius, scholarship and patient labor had won, he seemed always striving for that gesolute calmness which could master his natural timidity. The oya. ton of the multitude moved and pleas. ed him, but the man of retired habits was both glad and sorry, both relieved and regretting, to get away from the plaudits of the crowd. ShVness and embarrassment and ignoradce of "sa- voir faire," are not essentially bad man. ners. If. as Emerson says, and surely 1t is true, he is the most polite person who puts every other person most at his ease, certainly, Carlyle showed the spirit of truest courtesy toward John Stuart NH, whose carlelessness had been the destruction of the first manu- scrtpt or the 'Erench Revolution" Not a reproach. not word of insatience or anger fell from his lips. Sir Isaac New ton, one of the most courteous gentle men of his time, having a similar ex- perience, said but a few. words. ''oh. Fido. what have you dohe!" We have need to ponder the trials. the mlsfor- tunes and the patience of geniusl
 Keats. who. as his teacher said, al- ways took the part of the oppressed boy at school and fought right valiant ly too, was considerably polite. In- justice to the weak and unfortunate, infuriated him, and once when a piece Of local tyranny was being discussed, he amused his companions by shouting: ''Wby is there not a human dust-hole, into which to tumble such fellowsT"
 Robert Louis Stevenson, the most ex. quisite writer of English of his Rensr- ation, truly had taste for other peo- pie, and other people had a taste for him" He was as Gosse says, the most lovable and unselfish of human beings. offended with great dimculty and per- fectly appeased by the least show of repentance. Always willing in travel