character-第43章

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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　her　across；　not　observing

that　she　was　in　liquor　at　the　time。　　But　the　spirit　of　the　act　was

not　the　less　kind　on　that　account。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　conduct

of　the　bookseller　on　whom　Johnson　once　called　to　solicit

employment；　and　who；　regarding　his　athletic　but　uncouth　person；

told　him　he　had　better　〃go　buy　a　porter's　knot　and　carry　trunks；〃

in　howsoever　bland　tones　the　advice　might　have　been　communicated；

was　simply　brutal。



While　captiousness　of　manner；　and　the　habit　of　disputing　and

contradicting　everything　said；　is　chilling　and　repulsive；　the

opposite　habit　of　assenting　to；　and　sympathising　with；　every

statement　made；　or　emotion　expressed；　is　almost　equally

disagreeable。　　It　is　unmanly；　and　is　felt　to　be　dishonest。　〃It　may

seem　difficult；〃　says　Richard　Sharp；　〃to　steer　always　between

bluntness　and　plain…dealing；　between　giving　merited　praise　and

lavishing　indiscriminate　flattery；　but　it　is　very　easygood…

humour；　kindheartedness；　and　perfect　simplicity；　being　all　that

are　requisite　to　do　what　is　right　in　the　right　way。〃　（3）



At　the　same　time；　many　are　unpolitenot　because　they　mean　to　be

so；　but　because　they　are　awkward；　and　perhaps　know　no　better。

Thus；　when　Gibbon　had　published　the　second　and　third　volumes　of

his　'Decline　and　Fall；'　the　Duke　of　Cumberland　met　him　one　day；

and　accosted　him　with；　〃How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Gibbon？　　I　see　you

are　always　AT　IT　in　the　old　waySCRIBBLE；　SCRIBBLE；　SCRIBBLE！〃

The　Duke　probably　intended　to　pay　the　author　a　compliment；

but　did　not　know　how　better　to　do　it；　than　in　this　blunt　and

apparently　rude　way。



Again；　many　persons　are　thought　to　be　stiff；　reserved；　and　proud；

when　they　are　only　shy。　　Shyness　is　characteristic　of　most　people

of　Teutonic　race。　　It　has　been　styled　〃the　English　mania；〃　but　it

pervades；　to　a　greater　or　less　degree；　all　the　Northern　nations。

The　ordinary　Englishman；　when　he　travels　abroad；　carries　his

shyness　with　him。　　He　is　stiff；　awkward；　ungraceful；

undemonstrative；　and　apparently　unsympathetic；　and　though　he　may

assume　a　brusqueness　of　manner；　the　shyness　is　there；　and　cannot

be　wholly　concealed。　　The　naturally　graceful　and　intensely　social

French　cannot　understand　such　a　character；　and　the　Englishman　is

their　standing　jokethe　subject　of　their　most　ludicrous

caricatures。　　George　Sand　attributes　the　rigidity　of　the　natives

of　Albion　to　a　stock　of　FLUIDE　BRITANNIQUE　which　they　carry　about

with　them；　that　renders　them　impassive　under　all　circumstances；

and　〃as　impervious　to　the　atmosphere　of　the　regions　they　traverse

as　a　mouse　in　the　centre　of　an　exhausted　receiver。〃　（4）



The　average　Frenchman　or　Irishman　excels　the　average　Englishman；

German；　or　American　in　courtesy　and　ease　of　manner；　simply　because

it　is　his　nature。　　They　are　more　social　and　less　self…dependent

than　men　of　Teutonic　origin；　more　demonstrative　and　less　reticent；

they　are　more　communicative；　conversational；　and　freer　in　their

intercourse　with　each　other　in　all　respects；　whilst　men　of　German

race　are　comparatively　stiff；　reserved；　shy；　and　awkward。　　At　the

same　time；　a　people　may　exhibit　ease；　gaiety；　and　sprightliness　of

character；　and　yet　possess　no　deeper　qualities　calculated　to

inspire　respect。　　They　may　have　every　grace　of　manner；　and　yet　be

heartless；　frivolous；　selfish。　　The　character　may　be　on　the

surface　only；　and　without　any　solid　qualities　for　a　foundation。



There　can　be　no　doubt　as　to　which　of　the　two　sorts　of　peoplethe

easy　and　graceful；　or　the　stiff　and　awkwardit　is　most　agreeable

to　meet；　either　in　business；　in　society；　or　in　the　casual

intercourse　of　life。　　Which　make　the　fastest　friends；　the　truest

men　of　their　word；　the　most　conscientious　performers　of　their

duty；　is　an　entirely　different　matter。



The　dry　GAUCHE　Englishmanto　use　the　French　phrase；　L'ANGLAIS

EMPETREis　certainly　a　somewhat　disagreeable　person　to　meet　at

first。　He　looks　as　if　he　had　swallowed　a　poker。　　He　is　shy

himself；　and　the　cause　of　shyness　in　others。　　He　is　stiff；　not

because　he　is　proud；　but　because　he　is　shy；　and　he　cannot　shake　it

off；　even　if　he　would。　　Indeed；　we　should　not　be　surprised　to　find

that　even　the　clever　writer　who　describes　the　English　Philistine

in　all　his　enormity　of　awkward　manner　and　absence　of　grace；　were

himself　as　shy　as　a　bat。



When　two　shy　men　meet；　they　seem　like　a　couple　of　icicles。　　They

sidle　away　and　turn　their　backs　on　each　other　in　a　room；　or　when

travelling　creep　into　the　opposite　corners　of　a　railway…carriage。

When　shy　Englishmen　are　about　to　start　on　a　journey　by　railway；

they　walk　along　the　train；　to　discover　an　empty　compartment　in

which　to　bestow　themselves；　and　when　once　ensconced；　they　inwardly

hate　the　next　man　who　comes　in。　　So；　on　entering　the　dining…room

of　their　club；　each　shy　man　looks　out　for　an　unoccupied　table；

until　sometimesall　the　tables　in　the　room　are　occupied　by

single　diners。　　All　this　apparent　unsociableness　is　merely