Year: 1874

courtesy ana simplicity are his
leading features. The most highly
cultivated men are the least conceited,
and we generally find the pedantic
men Of small understanding. Ches-
terield embodies it's constituent ele-
ments in the term "politeness," which
he defines as benevolencc in trifles,
or a preference of others to ourselves
III the ordinary occurrences of life.
Gentleness, the foundation Of the
character, implies a reserved power,
and is to be distinguished from weak
ness, as it is from a passive tameness
of spirit and an unreasonable com
pliance with the dictates or the will
of others. 1t denounces no just right
from the fear of their frown and
yields no important truth to their
tlattery. A prominent feature of the
character is considerateness, which
may be said to consist Of delicacy in
the use of power-physlcal, moral,
and social. Forbearance and wisdom
in the exercise of this power-of that
which the husband exercises over the
wife, the father over his children, the
teacher over his pupils, and the old
over the young, the strong over the
weak, the master over his hands, the
rich over the poor, the educated over
the ignorant, the experienced over
the confiding-mark the gentleman.


Bashfulness is not inconsistent with
the character, and we are surprised
that so rare quality is not more
highly appreciated. The thoughts
and feelings of the retiring in dis
position are notless refined, although
they may not be expressed with the
grace Of the ready speaker or the i'm
petuosity OF the rattlepate. The dis
position frequently arises from the
mind running in channels other than
the commonplaces Of ordinary CON
versation, and consciousness Of in
feriority in the art Of pleasing. The
assumption Of the character is often
but stimulation of the more agreea-
BILE habits of society, and only the
veneer which hides depraved tastes
and vicious propensities. Nothing
more displays frivolous, selfish and
vulgar mind, than inattention to the
simple courtesies Of life; and without
this even profound learning is no
more than tiresome pedantry. a
person of this description says he
can be gentleman when he pleases.
A true gentleman never pleases to be
anything else, and never by any ac-
cident, derogate from this standard.
He cannot stoop to mean thing.
He never struts in borrowed plum
age. He never stabs i'll the dark.
He is not one thing to a mans face,
and another behind his back. Papers
not meant for his eyes are sacred.
Bolts and bars, locks and keys, bonds
and securities, and notices to tress-
passers are not for him. He is con-
sistent observer of the second great
commandment: whatever he judges
to be honorable he practices towards
all. Perhaps it was because of Thack-
erays keen-sightedness to detect, and
his readiness to expose and pillory
the snop, that he could the more gem
orally describe I gentleman. There are
many passages i'll his writing which
bespeak his appreciation Of the char
acter. The reader will remember his
famous prospectus of the RaN WoN
Gazette, which being conducted by
gentlemen, was to be addressed to
gentlemen. "Perhaps," he says, "a
gentleman is rarcr parsonage than
some of us think for. Which of us
can point out many such in his circle;
men whose aims are generous, whose
truth is constant, whose want of
meanness makes them simple, who
can look the world honestly in the
face with an equally manly sympathy
for the great and the small? We all
know hundred whose coats are
well made, and score who have eX-
cellcnt manners, and one or two hap
by beings who are what they call III
the inner circles, and who have shot
into the very centre and bull's-eye of
fashion; but of gentlemen, how many?
Let us take little scrap of paper,
and each make out his list"