they are
the outcome of a general habit of thought, they have come into being
through a long succession of precedents. We cannot explain them fully to
children; they can only have the summary and results of them, and these
are dry and grinding, opposed to the unpremeditated spontaneous ways of
acting in which they delight. Manners are almost fatally opposed to the
sudden happy thoughts of doing something original, which occur to
children's minds. No wonder they dislike them; we must be prepared for
this. They are almost grown up before they can understand the value of
what they have gone through in acquiring these habits of unselfishness,
but unlike many other subjects to which they are obliged to give time
and labour, they will not leave this behind in the schoolroom. It is
then that they will begin to exercise with ease and precision of long
practice the art of the best and most expressive conduct in every
situation which their circumstances may create.

In connexion with this question of circumstances in life and the
situations which arise out of them, there is one thing which ought to be
taught to children as a fundamental principle, and that is the relation
of manners to class of life, and what is meant by vulgarity. For
vulgarity is not--what it is too often assumed to be--a matter of class,
but in itself a matter of insincerity, the effort to appear or to be
something that one is not. The contrary of vulgarity, by the word, is
preciousness or distinction, and in conduct or act it is the perfect
preciousness and distinction of truthfulness. Truthfulness in manners
gives distinction and dignity in all classes of society; truthfulness
gives that simplicity of manners which is one of the special graces of
royalty, and also of an unspoiled and especially a Catholic peasantry.
Vulgarity has an element of restless unreality and pretentious striving,
an affectation or assumption of ways which do not belong to it, and in
particular an unwillingness to serve, and a dread of owning any
obligation of service. Yet service perfects manners and dignity, from
the highest to the lowest, and the manners of perfect servants either
public or private are models of dignity and fitness. The manners of the
best servants often put to shame those of their employers, for their
self-possession and complete knowledge of what they are and ought to be
raises them above the unquietness of those who have a suspicion that
they are not quite what