chain-a man who sits across his chair, or inclines his chair back upon two legs, or holds his leg in any posture with his hands,-manifests an unmistakable want of good breeding. Both should be quiet, easy, and graceful in their carriage; the man, of course, being allowed somewhat more freedom than the lady.

6. If an object, or person, is to be indicated, you must do it by words. A wave of the hand, or a slight movement of the head may answer in some cases; but never point with your finger, nor point at persons with anything. How often has the pointing of fire arms in jest proved a source of life-long wretchedness to those who have done it!

7. Physical education is almost a necessary qualification of the well bred man and woman. It is well for a gentleman to know how to fence, to box, to ride, to shoot, to swim, and to play at billiards; he must also know how to dance, to walk, and to carry himself. Every lady should know how to dance, whether she intends to dance in society or not; the better her physical training the more healthful and graceful she will be. Calisthenic exercises, swimming, skating, archery, riding, and driving, all help to strengthen the muscles and render them supple, and are therefore desirable. In round dances to hold a lady's hand in an unseemly manner, either upon the hip or behind the back, is exceedingly coarse, and wholly unpardonable. Many ladies who are fond of dancing refuse to dance round dances at all.

8. We must learn to avoid sudden and hasty movements as well as the giving way to quick resentments. Matters that may seem small or insufferable in themselves, often require more careful forethought and attention than those of greater moment.

9. Dwell not upon the personal peculiarities of your neighbors, nor allude to them if it can be avoided.

10. The act of shaking hands is better suited for friendly greetings than for a court ceremony. Men in high position should be spared a frequent repetition of it on occasions of public reception; a bow, or gentle inclination of the head is a sufficient interchange of civilities on such occasions; and perhaps it is enough in the ordinary salutation between the sexes.

11. One should be a cheerful helper as well as a cheerful giver, and serve graciously when he serves at all; not averting the eyes, nor thrusting or throwing things towards a person with haste or rudeness, but handing them with gentleness and care. Service churlishly rendered has nothing noble, generous nor manly to commend it.

12. There are two ways of passing strangers or acquaintances on the street; one is to brush by them with a rude, contemptuous swagger, or thoughtless rush, with, perhaps, a piercing whistle, or loud shout directed to some distant quarter; and the other is to show them some respectful recognition of their presence. The latter is by far the best way for our own credit.

13.

None but course natures will withhold kindly respect from foreigners. The well-bred child would not even stare at them; and much less would he ever dream of assailing them with insulting words, or with missiles.

14. Where manners are put on for the occasion, it will soon be discovered that they do not wear well: they must be thoroughly ingrained to do that. If the child does not

acquire good manners at school, it exhibit them any where else.

will not be likely to

15. Some of the ablest writers have claimed that one of the superior excellencies of monarchical and aristocratic governments, consists in their maintaining a high standard of manners. The rising generation, therefore, whose duty it is to become the future supporters of the Republic, must see that there is no degeneracy of manners under that form of government; for ill, uncultivated manners can never commend themselves to the favorable consideration of mankind. It was the opinion of Socrates (as we learn from Xenophon) that they who know how to behave, and yet do not behave well, are no better than the ignorant and uncouth, who do not know what good manners are.

SENSIBILITY.

I would not enter on my list of friends,

(Though grac'd with polished manners and fine sense,
Yet wanting sensibility) the man

Who needlessly sets his foot upon a worm.
An inadvertent step may crush the snail
That crawls at evening in the public path;
But he that has humanity, forewarned,
Will tread aside, and let the reptile live.
For they are all-the meanest things that are—
As free to live, and to enjoy that life,

As God was free to form them at the first,

Who in His sovereign wisdom made them all.

ARTICLE IV.

CONVERSATION.

1. Pronunciation should be carefully acquired from the standard dictionary. All local phrases, affectations of foreign accent, mannerisms, exaggerations and slang are inadmissible in good society. Equally to be shunned are inaccuracies of expression, hesitation, and undue use of French or other foreign words, and anything approaching to flippancy, coarseness, triviality, or prevarication. The voice should never be loud, nor accompanied with much gesticulation; and the features should ever be under strict control. A half opened mouth, a grinning smile, a`loud laugh, a vacant stare, a wandering eye, a tone of voice pitched too high, a bickering strain of cominent on what one says are all evidences of ill breeding. One may be as awkward with the mouth as with the arms or legs. A reasonable control of visible emotion, whether of laughter, or anger, or mortification, or disappointment, is considered a sure mark of good breeding.

2. Next to unexceptionable grammar, correct elocution, and a frank, self-controlled bearing, it is necessary to be genial. Do not go into society unless you can make up your mind to be cheerful, sympathetic, animating, as well as animated. Dulness is one of the unforgivable

offences. Society does not require you to be as hilarious as if you had just come into a fortune, but you have no right to look as if you had just lost one.

3. Testify your respect, your admiration, your gratitude, by deeds, not words. Words are easy, deeds difficult. Few will give weight to the first, but the last carry confirmation with them.

4. All slang and cant phrases are vulgar, and show a want of proper breeding. They lower the tone of society and the standard of thought. It is a great mistake to suppose that they are in any way a substitute for wit, or for refined sprightliness.

5. Scandal is the least excusable of all conversational vulgarities. It is a greater offence against society than theft; for it is more impossible to protect one's self against it. It is not only an offence against good manners, but it is a moral wrong. No well-bred person will ever repeat it, nor even lend it a willing ear. The receiver of scandalous tales commits almost as great a fault as he who deals in them. If we prefer each other in honor we shall seldom entertain ill thoughts against our neighbors.

6. Religious controversy is a subject which should never be introduced in general society. It is the one subject on which persons are most likely to differ, and least likely to preserve their temper.

7. Interruption of the speech of others is a great sin against good breeding. It has been aptly said that if you interrupt a speaker in the middle of his sentence, you act almost as rudely as if when walking with a companion you were to thrust yourself before him and trip him, or stop his progress.

8. To listen well, is almost as great an art as to talk