05-behavior-第3章

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individuals　against　them。　　The　military　eye　I　meet；　now　darkly

sparkling　under　clerical；　now　under　rustic　brows。　　'Tis　the　city　of

Lacedaemon；　'tis　a　stack　of　bayonets。　　There　are　asking　eyes；

asserting　eyes；　prowling　eyes；　and　eyes　full　of　fate；　　some　of

good；　and　some　of　sinister　omen。　　The　alleged　power　to　charm　down

insanity；　or　ferocity　in　beasts；　is　a　power　behind　the　eye。　　It　must

be　a　victory　achieved　in　the　will；　before　it　can　be　signified　in　the

eye。　　'Tis　very　certain　that　each　man　carries　in　his　eye　the　exact

indication　of　his　rank　in　the　immense　scale　of　men；　and　we　are　always

learning　to　read　it。　　A　complete　man　should　need　no　auxiliaries　to

his　personal　presence。　　Whoever　looked　on　him　would　consent　to　his

will；　being　certified　that　his　aims　were　generous　and　universal。　　The

reason　why　men　do　not　obey　us；　is　because　they　see　the　mud　at　the

bottom　of　our　eye。



　　　　　　　　If　the　organ　of　sight　is　such　a　vehicle　of　power；　the　other

features　have　their　own。　　A　man　finds　room　in　the　few　square　inches

of　the　face　for　the　traits　of　all　his　ancestors；　for　the　expression

of　all　his　history；　and　his　wants。　　The　sculptor；　and　Winckelmann；

and　Lavater；　will　tell　you　how　significant　a　feature　is　the　nose；　how

its　forms　express　strength　or　weakness　of　will；　and　good　or　bad

temper。　　The　nose　of　Julius　Caesar；　of　Dante；　and　of　Pitt；　suggest

〃the　terrors　of　the　beak。〃　What　refinement；　and　what　limitations；　the

teeth　betray！　　〃Beware　you　don't　laugh；〃　said　the　wise　mother；　〃for

then　you　show　all　your　faults。〃



　　　　　　　　Balzac　left　in　manuscript　a　chapter；　which　he　called　〃_Theorie

de　la　demarche_；〃　in　which　he　says：　〃The　look；　the　voice；　the

respiration；　and　the　attitude　or　walk；　are　identical。　　But；　as　it　has

not　been　given　to　man；　the　power　to　stand　guard；　at　once；　over　these

four　different　simultaneous　expressions　of　his　thought；　watch　that

one　which　speaks　out　the　truth；　and　you　will　know　the　whole　man。〃



　　　　　　　　Palaces　interest　us　mainly　in　the　exhibition　of　manners；　which；

in　the　idle　and　expensive　society　dwelling　in　them；　are　raised　to　a

high　art。　　The　maxim　of　courts　is；　that　manner　is　power。　　A　calm　and

resolute　bearing；　a　polished　speech；　an　embellishment　of　trifles；　and

the　art　of　hiding　all　uncomfortable　feeling；　are　essential　to　the

courtier：　and　Saint　Simon；　and　Cardinal　de　Retz；　and　R；oederer；　and

an　encyclopaedia　of　_Memoires_；　will　instruct　you；　if　you　wish；　in

those　potent　secrets。　　Thus；　it　is　a　point　of　pride　with　kings；　to

remember　faces　and　names。　　It　is　reported　of　one　prince；　that　his

head　had　the　air　of　leaning　downwards；　in　order　not　to　humble　the

crowd。　　There　are　people　who　come　in　ever　like　a　child　with　a　piece

of　good　news。　　It　was　said　of　the　late　Lord　Holland；　that　he　always

came　down　to　breakfast　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　just　met　with

some　signal　good…fortune。　　In　〃_Notre　Dame_；〃　the　grandee　took　his

place　on　the　dais；　with　the　look　of　one　who　is　thinking　of　something

else。　　But　we　must　not　peep　and　eavesdrop　at　palace…doors。



　　　　　　　　Fine　manners　need　the　support　of　fine　manners　in　others。　　A

scholar　may　be　a　well…bred　man；　or　he　may　not。　　The　enthusiast　is

introduced　to　polished　scholars　in　society；　and　is　chilled　and

silenced　by　finding　himself　not　in　their　element。　　They　all　have

somewhat　which　he　has　not；　and；　it　seems；　ought　to　have。　　But　if　he

finds　the　scholar　apart　from　his　companions；　it　is　then　the

enthusiast's　turn；　and　the　scholar　has　no　defence；　but　must　deal　on

his　terms。　　Now　they　must　fight　the　battle　out　on　their　private

strengths。　　What　is　the　talent　of　that　character　so　common；　　the

successful　man　of　the　world；　　in　all　marts；　senates；　and

drawing…rooms？　　Manners：　manners　of　power；　sense　to　see　his

advantage；　and　manners　up　to　it。　　See　him　approach　his　man。　　He　knows

that　troops　behave　as　they　are　handled　at　first；　　that　is　his　cheap

secret；　just　what　happens　to　every　two　persons　who　meet　on　any

affair；　　one　instantly　perceives　that　he　has　the　key　of　the

situation；　that　his　will　comprehends　the　other's　will；　as　the　cat

does　the　mouse；　and　he　has　only　to　use　courtesy；　and　furnish

good…natured　reasons　to　his　victim　to　cover　up　the　chain；　lest　he　be

shamed　into　resistance。



　　　　　　　　The　theatre　in　which　this　science　of　manners　has　a　formal

importance　is　not　with　us　a　court；　but　dress…circles；　wherein；　after

the　close　of　the　day's　business；　men　and　women　meet　at　leisure；　for

mutual　entertainment；　in　ornamented　drawing…rooms。　　Of　course；　it　has

every　variety　of　attraction　and　merit；　but；　to　earnest　persons；　to

youths　or　maidens　who　have　great　objects　at　heart；　we　cannot　extol　it

highly。　　A　well…dressed；　talkative　company；　where　each　is　bent　to

amuse　the　other；　　yet　the　high…born　Turk　who　came　hither　fancied

that　every　woman　seemed　to　be　suffering　for　a　chair；　that　all　the

talkers　were　brained　and　exhausted　by　the　deoxygenated　air：　it

spoiled　the　best　persons：　it　put　all　on　stilts。　　Yet　here　are　the

secret　biographies　written　and　read。　　The　aspect　of　that　man　is

repulsive；　I　do　not　wish　to　deal　with　him。　　The　other　is　irritable；

shy；　and　on　his　guard。　　The　youth　looks　humble　and　manly：　I　choose

him。　　Look　on　this　woman。　　There　is　not　beauty；　nor　brilliant

sayings；　nor　distinguished　power　to　serve　you；　but　all　see　her

gladly；　her　whole　air　and　impression　are　healthful。　　Here　come　the

sentimentalists；　and　the　invalids。　　Here　is　Elise；　who　caught　cold　in

coming　into　the　world；　and　has　always　increased　it　since。　　Here　are

creep…mouse　manners；　and　thievish　manners。　　〃Look　at　Northcote；〃　said

Fuseli；　〃he　looks　like　a　rat　that　has　seen　a　cat。〃　In　the　shallow

company；　easily　excited；　easily　tired；　here　is　the　columnar　Bernard：

the　Alleghanies　do　not　express　more　repose　than　his　behavior。　　Here

are　the　sweet　following　eyes　of　Cecile：　it　seemed　always　that　she

demanded　the　heart。　　Nothing　can　be　more　excellent　in　kind　than　the

Corinthian　grace　of　Gertrude's　manners；　and　yet　Blanche；　who　has　no

manners；　has　better　manners　than　she；　for　the　movements　of　Blanche

are　the　sallies　of　a　spirit　which　is　sufficient　for　the　moment；　and

she　can　afford　to　express　every　thought　by　instant　action。



　　　　　　　　Manners　have　been　somewhat　cynically　defined　to　be　a

contrivance　of　wise　men　to　keep　fools　at　a　distance。　　Fashion　is

shrewd　to　detect　those　who　do　not　belong　to　her　train；　and　seldom

wastes　her　attentions。　　Society　is　very　swift　in　its　instincts；　and；

if　you　do　not　belong　to　it；　resists　and　sneers　at　you；　or　quietly

drops　you。　　The　first　weapon　enrages　the　party　attacked；　the　second

is　still　more　effective；　but　is　not　to　be　resisted；　as　the　date　of

the　transaction　is　not　easily　found。　　People　grow　up　and　grow　old

under　this　infliction；　and　never　suspect　the　truth；　ascribing　the

solitude　which　acts　on　them　very　injuriously；　to　any　cause　but　the

right　one。



　　　　　　　　The　basis　of　good　manners　is　self…reliance。　　Necessity　is　the

law　of　all　who　are　not　self…possessed。　　Those　who　are　not

self…possessed；　obtrude；　and　pain　us。　　Some　men　appear　to　feel　that

they　belong　to　a　Pariah　caste。　　They　fear　to　offend；　they　bend　and

apologize；　and　walk　through　life　with　a　timid　step。　　As　we　sometimes

dream　that　we　are　in　a　well…dressed　company　without　any　coat；　so

Godfrey　acts　ever　as　if　he　suffered　from　some　mortifying

circumstance。　　The　hero　should　find　himself　at　home；　wherever　he　is：

should　impart　comfort　by　his　own　security　and　good…nature　to　all

beholders。　　The　hero　is　suffered　to　be　himself。　　A　person　of　strong

mind　comes　to　perceive　that　for　him　an　immunity　is　secured　so　long　as

he　renders　to　society　that　service　which　is　native　and　proper　to　him；

　an　immunity　from　all　the　observances；　yea；　and　duties；　which

society　so　tyrannically　imposes　on　the　rank　and　file　of　its　members。

〃Euripides；〃　says　Aspasia；　〃has　not　the　fine　manners　of　Sophocles；

but；〃　　she　adds　good…humoredly；　〃the　movers　and　masters　of　our

souls　have　surely　a　right　to　throw　out　th