tant consequences
of this view of society, if not indeed the most important.

Again, we can thus explain one of the most curious facts of the present
world. 'Manner,' says a shrewd observer, who has seen much of existing
life, 'manner gets regularly worse as you go from the East to the West;
it is best in Asia, not so good in Europe, and altogether bad in the
western states of America.' And the reason is this--an imposing manner
is a dignified usage, which tends to preserve itself and also all other
existing usages along with itself. It tends to induce the obedience of
mankind. One of the cleverest novelists of the present day has a
curious dissertation to settle why on the hunting-field, and in all
collections of men, some men 'snub and some men get snubbed;' and why
society recognises in each case the ascendancy or the subordination as
if it was right. 'It is not at all,' Mr. Trollope fully explains, 'rare
ability which gains the supremacy; very often the ill-treated man is
quite as clever as the man who ill-treats him. Nor does it absolutely
depend on wealth; for, though great wealth is almost always a
protection from social ignominy, and will always ensure a passive
respect, it will not in a miscellaneous group of men of itself gain an
active power to snub others. Schoolboys, in the same way,' the novelist
adds, 'let some boys have dominion, and make other boys slaves.' And he
decides, no doubt truly, that in each case 'something in the manner or
gait' of the supreme boy or man has much to do with it. On this account
in early society a dignified manner is of essential importance; it is,
then, not only an auxiliary mode of acquiring respect, but a principal
mode. The competing institutions which have now much superseded it, had
not then begun. Ancient institutions or venerated laws did not then
exist; and the habitual ascendancy of grave manner was a primary force
in winning and calming mankind. To this day it is rare to find a savage
chief without it; and almost always they greatly excel in it. Only last
year a red Indian chief came from the prairies to see President Grant,
and everybody declared that he had the best manners in Washington. The
secretaries and heads of departments seemed vulgar to him; though, of
course, intrinsically they were infinitely above him, for he was only
'a plundering rascal.' But an impressive manner had been a tradition in
the societies in which he had lived, because it was of great value