results. By kindness, cheerfulness, and forbearance, we can
be happy almost at will; and at the same time spread happiness about us
on every side. We can encourage happy thoughts in ourselves and others.
We can be sober in habit. What can a wife and her children think of an
intemperate husband and father? We can be sober in language, and shun
cursing and swearing--the most useless, unmeaning, and brutal of
vulgarities. Nothing can be so silly and unmeaning--not to say shocking,
repulsive, and sinful--as the oaths so common in the mouths of vulgar
swearers. They are profanation without purpose--impiety without
provocation--blasphemy without excuse.

This leads us to remark, in passing, that in this country we are not
sufficiently instructed in the Art of Good Manners. We are rather gruff,
and sometimes unapproachable. Manners do _not_ make the man, as the
proverb alleges; but manners make the man much more agreeable. A man may
be noble in his heart, true in his dealings, virtuous in his conduct,
and yet unmannerly. Suavity of disposition and gentleness of manners
give the finish to the true gentleman.

By Good Manners we do not mean Etiquette. This is only a conventional
set of rules adopted by what is called "good society;" and many of the
rules of etiquette are of the essence of rudeness. Etiquette does not
permit genteel people to recognize in the streets a man with a shabby
coat though he be their brother. Etiquette is a liar in its "not at
home,"--ordered to be told by servants to callers at inconvenient
seasons.

Good manners include many requisites; but they chiefly consist in
politeness, courtesy, and kindness. They cannot be taught by rule, but
they may be taught by example. It has been said that politeness is the
art of showing men, by external signs, the internal regard we have for
them. But a man may be perfectly polite to another, without necessarily
having any regard for him. Good manners are neither more nor less than
beautiful behaviour. It has been well said that "a beautiful form is
better than a beautiful face, and a beautiful behaviour is better than a
beautiful form; it gives a higher pleasure than statues or pictures; it
is the finest of the fine arts."

Manner is the ornament of action; indeed a good action, without a good
manner of doing it, is stripped of half its value. A poor fellow gets
into difficulties, and solicits help of a friend. He obtains it, but it
is with a "_There_-take that; bu