character-第52节

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street；　or　at　home。　　The　civil　workman　will　exercise　increased

power　amongst　his　class；　and　gradually　induce　them　to　imitate　him

by　his　persistent　steadiness；　civility；　and　kindness。　　Thus

Benjamin　Franklin；　when　a　working…man；　is　said　to　have　reformed

the　habits　of　an　entire　workshop。



One　may　be　polite　and　gentle　with　very　little　money　in　his　purse。

Politeness　goes　far；　yet　costs　nothing。　　It　is　the　cheapest　of　all

commodities。　　It　is　the　humblest　of　the　fine　arts；　yet　it　is　so

useful　and　so　pleasure…giving；　that　it　might　almost　be　ranked

amongst　the　humanities。



Every　nation　may　learn　something　of　others；　and　if　there　be　one

thing　more　than　another　that　the　English　working…class　might

afford　to　copy　with　advantage　from　their　Continental　neighbours；

it　is　their　politeness。　　The　French　and　Germans；　of　even　the

humblest　classes；　are　gracious　in　manner；　complaisant；　cordial；

and　well…bred。　　The　foreign　workman　lifts　his　cap　and　respectfully

salutes　his　fellow…workman　in　passing。　　There　is　no　sacrifice　of

manliness　in　this；　but　grace　and　dignity。　　Even　the　lowest　poverty

of　the　foreign　workpeople　is　not　misery；　simply　because　it　is

cheerful。　　Though　not　receiving　one…half　the　income　which　our

working…classes　do；　they　do　not　sink　into　wretchedness　and　drown

their　troubles　in　drink；　but　contrive　to　make　the　best　of　life；

and　to　enjoy　it　even　amidst　poverty。



Good　taste　is　a　true　economist。　It　may　be　practised　on　small

means；　and　sweeten　the　lot　of　labour　as　well　as　of　ease。　　It　is

all　the　more　enjoyed；　indeed；　when　associated　with　industry　and

the　performance　of　duty。　　Even　the　lot　of　poverty　is　elevated

by　taste。　　It　exhibits　itself　in　the　economies　of　the　household。

It　gives　brightness　and　grace　to　the　humblest　dwelling。　　It

produces　refinement；　it　engenders　goodwill；　and　creates　an

atmosphere　of　cheerfulness。　　Thus　good　taste；　associated　with

kindliness；　sympathy；　and　intelligence；　may　elevate　and

adorn　even　the　lowliest　lot。



The　first　and　best　school　of　manners；　as　of　character；　is　always

the　Home；　where　woman　is　the　teacher。　　The　manners　of　society　at

large　are　but　the　reflex　of　the　manners　of　our　collective　homes；

neither　better　nor　worse。　　Yet；　with　all　the　disadvantages　of

ungenial　homes；　men　may　practise　self…culture　of　manner　as　of

intellect；　and　learn　by　good　examples　to　cultivate　a　graceful　and

agreeable　behaviour　towards　others。　　Most　men　are　like　so　many

gems　in　the　rough；　which　need　polishing　by　contact　with　other　and

better　natures；　to　bring　out　their　full　beauty　and　lustre。　　Some

have　but　one　side　polished；　sufficient　only　to　show　the　delicate

graining　of　the　interior；　but　to　bring　out　the　full　qualities　of

the　gem　needs　the　discipline　of　experience；　and　contact　with　the

best　examples　of　character　in　the　intercourse　of　daily　life。



A　good　deal　of　the　success　of　manner　consists　in　tact；　and　it　is

because　women；　on　the　whole；　have　greater　tact　than　men；　that　they

prove　its　most　influential　teachers。　　They　have　more　self…

restraint　than　men；　and　are　naturally　more　gracious　and　polite。

They　possess　an　intuitive　quickness　and　readiness　of　action；　have

a　keener　insight　into　character；　and　exhibit　greater

discrimination　and　address。　　In　matters　of　social　detail；　aptness

and　dexterity　come　to　them　like　nature；　and　hence　well…mannered

men　usually　receive　their　best　culture　by　mixing　in　the　society　of

gentle　and　adroit　women。



Tact　is　an　intuitive　art　of　manner；　which　carries　one　through　a

difficulty　better　than　either　talent　or　knowledge。　　〃Talent；〃　says

a　public　writer；　〃is　power：　tact　is　skill。　　Talent　is　weight：　tact

is　momentum。　　Talent　knows　what　to　do：　tact　knows　how　to　do　it。

Talent　makes　a　man　respectable：　tact　makes　him　respected。　　Talent

is　wealth：　tact　is　ready…money。〃



The　difference　between　a　man　of　quick　tact　and　of　no　tact　whatever

was　exemplified　in　an　interview　which　once　took　place　between　Lord

Palmerston　and　Mr。　Behnes；　the　sculptor。　　At　the　last　sitting

which　Lord　Palmerston　gave　him；　Behnes　opened　the　conversation

with〃Any　news；　my　Lord；　from　France？　　How　do　we　stand　with

Louis　Napoleon？〃　　The　Foreign　Secretary　raised　his　eyebrows　for　an

instant；　and　quietly　replied；　〃Really；　Mr。　Behnes；　I　don't　know：　I

have　not　seen　the　newspapers！〃　　Poor　Behnes；　with　many　excellent

qualities　and　much　real　talent；　was　one　of　the　many　men　who

entirely　missed　their　way　in　life　through　want　of　tact。



Such　is　the　power　of　manner；　combined　with　tact；　that　Wilkes；　one

of　the　ugliest　of　men；　used　to　say；　that　in　winning　the　graces　of

a　lady；　there　was　not　more　than　three　days'　difference　between　him

and　the　handsomest　man　in　England。



But　this　reference　to　Wilkes　reminds　us　that　too　much　importance

must　not　be　attached　to　manner；　for　it　does　not　afford　any　genuine

test　of　character。　　The　well…mannered　man　may；　like　Wilkes；　be

merely　acting　a　part；　and　that　for　an　immoral　purpose。　　Manner；

like　other　fine　arts；　gives　pleasure；　and　is　exceedingly　agreeable

to　look　upon；　but　it　may　be　assumed　as　a　disguise；　as　men　〃assume

a　virtue　though　they　have　it　not。〃　　It　is　but　the　exterior　sign　of

good　conduct；　but　may　be　no　more　than　skin…deep。　　The　most　highly…

polished　person　may　be　thoroughly　depraved　in　heart；　and　his

superfine　manners　may；　after　all；　only　consist　in　pleasing

gestures　and　in　fine　phrases。



On　the　other　hand；　it　must　be　acknowledged　that　some　of　the

richest　and　most　generous　natures　have　been　wanting　in　the　graces

of　courtesy　and　politeness。　　As　a　rough　rind　sometimes　covers　the

sweetest　fruit；　so　a　rough　exterior　often　conceals　a　kindly　and

hearty　nature。　　The　blunt　man　may　seem　even　rude　in　manner；　and

yet；　at　heart；　be　honest；　kind；　and　gentle。



John　Knox　and　Martin　Luther　were　by　no　means　distinguished　for

their　urbanity。　　They　had　work　to　do　which　needed　strong　and

determined　rather　than　well…mannered　men。　　Indeed；　they　were　both

thought　to　be　unnecessarily　harsh　and　violent　in　their　manner。

〃And　who　art　thou；〃　said　Mary　Queen　of　Scots　to　Knox；　〃that

presumest　to　school　the　nobles　and　sovereign　of　this　realm？〃

〃Madam；〃　replied　Knox；　〃a　subject　born　within　the　same。〃　　It　is

said　that　his　boldness；　or　roughness；　more　than　once　made　Queen

Mary　weep。　　When　Regent　Morton　heard　of　this；　he　said；　〃Well；　'tis

better　that　women　should　weep　than　bearded　men。〃



As　Knox　was　retiring　from　the　Queen's　presence　on　one　occasion；　he

overheard　one　of　the　royal　attendants　say　to　another；　〃He　is　not

afraid！〃　　Turning　round　upon　them；　he　said：　〃And　why　should　the

pleasing　face　of　a　gentleman　frighten　me？　　I　have　looked　on　the

faces　of　angry　men；　and　yet　have　not　been　afraid　beyond　measure。〃

When　the　Reformer；　worn…out　by　excess　of　labour　and　anxiety；　was

at　length　laid　to　his　rest；　the　Regent；　looking　down　into　the　open

grave；　exclaimed；　in　words　which　made　a　strong　impression　from

their　aptness　and　truth〃There　lies　he　who　never　feared　the

face　of　man！〃



Luther　also　was　thought　by　some　to　be　a　mere　compound　of　violence

and　ruggedness。　　But；　as　in　the　case　of　Knox；　the　times　in　which

he　lived　were　rude　and　violent；　and　the　work　he　had　to　do　could

scarcely　have　been　accomplished　with　gentleness　and　suavity。　　To

rouse　Europe　from　its　lethargy；　he　had　to　speak　and　to　write　with

force；　and　even　vehemence。　　Yet　Luther's　vehemence　was　only　in

words。　　His　apparently　rude　exterior　covered　a　warm　heart。　　In

private　life　he　was　gentle；　loving；　and　affectionate。　　He　was

simple　and　homely；　even　to　commonness。　　Fond　of　all　common

pleasures　and　enjoyments；　he　was　anything　but　an　austere　man；　or　a

bigot；　for　he　was　hearty；　genial；　and　even　〃jolly。〃　　Luther　was

the　common　people's　hero　in　his　lifetime；　and　he　remains　so　in

Germany　to　this　day。



Samuel　Johnson　was　rude　and　often　gruff　in　manner。　　But　he　had

been　brought　up　in　a　rough　school。　　Poverty　in　early　life　had　made

him　acquainted　with　strange　companions。　　He　had　wandered　in　the

streets　with　Savage　for　nights　together；　unable　between　them　to

raise　money　enough　to　pay　for　a　bed。　　When　his　indomitable　courage

and　industry　at　length　secured　for　him　a　footing　in　society；　he

still　bore　upon　him　the　scars　of　his　early　sorrows　and　struggles。

He　was　by　nature　strong　and　robust；　and　his　experience　made　him

unaccommodating　and　self…asserting。　　When　he　was　once　asked　why　he

was　not　invited　to　dine　out　as　Garrick　was；　he　answered；　〃Because

great　lords　and　ladies　did　not　like　to　have　their　mouths　stopped；〃

and　Johnson　was　a　notorious　mouth…stopper；　though　what　he　said　was

always　worth　listening　to。



Johnson's　companions　spoke　of　him　as　〃Ursa　Major；〃　but；　as

Goldsmith　generously　said　of　him；　〃No　man　alive　has　a　more　tender

heart；　he　has　nothing　of　the　bear　about　him　but　his　skin。〃　　The

kindliness　of　Johnson's　nature　was　shown　on　one　occasion　by　the

manner　in　which　he　assisted　a　supposed　lady　in　crossing　Fleet

Street。　　He　gave　her　his　arm；　and　led　h