Evening star., 1925-07-24

Bright gentlemen In New York. who
have set themselves UP as both judge
and jury of mankind. delight in sneer-
ing copiously at the modern demand
for books on etiquette" etc. Only
FOUNDERS In bow ties" they say, want
them.
Yet this desire for help upon Ger.
tain matters Is as old as man. and
probably will continue after the self
constituted "intellectuals" have walked
to the fact that they have no mo-
nopoly upon brains.
Our old friend Epictetus, famous
Roman slave, who We'd with the
ing Stocism to his age and this. had
a regular series of Rules of Conduct
in his Encheiridion. or manual"
Telling others how they ought to
think, OF course. Is very old; II. L.
Mencken of New York has no copy
right upon 1t! Epictetus had ideas
OF his own upon what constitutes a
regular fellow" even as did Lord
Chesterfield.
Nor was he slow about expressing
| them, either. Immediately prescribe
some character and some form to
yourself" he says, which you shall
observe both when you are alone and
when you meet with men"
Then he expresses n few prejudices
| or his own concerning men and topics
| or conversation OF his day:
Let silence be the general rule
| or let only what is necessary be said
and In few words.
And rarely, and when the occasion
calls' we shall say something; but
| about none OF the common subjects
| not about gladiators, nor horse races
| nor about athletes, nor about eating
or drinking, which are the usual sub
)ects, and especially not about men
| as blaming them. or praising them
or comparing them"
II
How often, indeed, Is the conyersa
ton or those men whom Mr.. Mencker
playfully calls "yokels" confined en-
tirely to the above list Of topics, as
given by Epictetus.
Take away prize fights, hoss racing
athletics, eating and drinking, what
would thousands OF men find to talk
ABOUT! Perforce they would be dumb
III you are able. bring over by
your conversation, the conversation OF
your associates, to that which Il
proper. advises Epictetus; "but If you
should happen to be confined TO the
company Of strangers, be silent"
one VIII see many a youth minding
the Epictetian precept as he sits sill
entity IN the smoking end OF the Pull
| man, while the wise drummers talk
freely about gladiators. horse racing
| athletes, eating and drinking-espe
| cially drinking.
Let not your laughter be much
nor on many occasions. nor exces
siVe. continues the ex-slave Lord
Chesterfield gave much the same ad
vice to his son. who took it with little
relish, and probably guffawed every
| chance he got
Refuse altogether to take an oath
| II IL is possible: If it is not. refuse as
| far as you are able"
There is a neat little bundle Of ad
vice that many Il man could swallow
| whole. to his immediate and future
benefit. This includes, of course,
signing documents for friends
Avoid banQuets which are given
| by strangers and by ignorant per
| sons" says Epictetus. But IL ever
| there 10 occasion to Join them, lei
| your attention be carefully fixed, that
| you slip not into the manners of the
vulgar"
Epictetus becomes sententious: For
| you must know" he says, with per
feet Babbittian manners. that If your
| company be impure, he also who
keeps company with him must become