Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-10
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES Z. TRACEWELI..

Lord Chesterfield was one Of the
first OF the writer's on getting ahea d
In the world" The way this WAS &C.
complished, In those days. " a man
were gentleman" was To attach
himself to some court and hatter his
way, by pOliteness and general cul.
ture, into a place OF usefulness and
prominence.
n. one allows for the difference in
time and the general state az things.
he will find that much Of what Lord
CheSterheld says II as applicable to-
day as when he wrote. There Is an
eternal urge among men ito get
on as witness the scores Of
"etiqustte books" and Success books
which have flooded the American
market In the past 10 years.
Everywhere men feel the lack or
social culture, and "A desire to get
wise" some way or other. Lord
Chesterfield's advice. on many points.
Is AS pertinent today as ever
Frequent the best COMPANY. the
really best people. and YOU will nor
mally grow into the best actions, III.
best way of talking. Lord Chesterfield
declares. Nor by ''bsat people" does
he necessarily mean moneyed people
or those lin society" He would rather
be In the company OF Pope and Add.
higher rank in society. for he felt that
he would set more out of such Learned
men.
che sterh@ld was for abstractinc the
last particle of benefit out of all he
met, a like advice to that given by
our own Benjamin Franklin,
When In foreign countries. he told
MS son, do not conSort with other Eng
ishmen. but take every opportunity
OF assoclating with the cultured men
and women OF the country.
when YOU are walking along a roa Il
talk with peasants and others and rrv
TO remember all the facts they give
you. Keep an album. not one filled
win foolish sentiments. but one in
which facts may be noted down.
LORD Chesterfield put his thoughts
upon paper without fear or favor. for
he had no idea they would ever be
printed. So we. as modern readers.
beneht from the honest thoughts OF
an honest fellow
In reading these letters. il is peces.
Sary to keep this fact in mind for
they exienuate his position on many
matters. Every man in his heart ha d,
ms secret thoughts and convictions.
which by no means will he ever ad
NIT, even TO himself
Lord Chesterfield simply put some
or these on paper. SO many OF his
remarks strike Us of today as ultra
cynical. which in reality are only hon.
esq expressions of truth as he was
given TO see the truth.
No writer can do more than that,
most hardly ever do il AT all
Lord chesterfield's Letters ma de
hit instantly. Readers Of high and
low degree saw at once that thew
were being allowed to peep through
the windows of a mans soul. and see
1ust exactly what went on inside
Even the surly DIR. Johnson. who
had been rebuffed by Chesterfield. ad
nlitted that the letters were i'm.
Inensely interesting. even il they did
teach the manners of A dancing
school master" There was. OF course
AS In most that johnson said. some
truth in his criticism.
Lord Mahon. A great literary light
IN his day, declared of the letters
Viewed as compositions. they appear
almost unrivaled for a serious episto
larry style: clear. elegant and terye
never straining at effect, and We,
never hurried into carelessncss.
The Quarterly Review of 1915 said
In point OF style. Il finished ella ssica
work: they contain instructions for
the conduct of life that will never be
obsolete. Instinct with the most con.
sumnate good sense and knowledge
OF life and business. and certainly
nothing can he more attrac tive tina n
the style In which they are set before
their readers"