large/11299/affectionate_godmother_1701_librivox_64kb_mp3/godmother_02_glyn_64kb_35
large/11299/affectionate_godmother_1701_librivox_64kb_mp3/godmother_02_glyn_64kb
English
11299
A year or two ago I was staying in the North with a very great lady; we were all going in to Edinburgh for the day. A YEAR OR TWO AGO I WAS STAYING IN THE NORTH WITH A VERY GREAT LADY WE WERE ALL GOING INTO EDINBURGH FOR THE DAY
ed without tact and perfect manners on all occasions. The tendency of all modern society is toward vulgarity and display, with a ruthless, cynical, brutal worship of wealth, snatching at any means to the end of luxury and pleasure. People accept invitations from those they despise, for no other reason than because they are rich and the entertainment will be well done. It is awfully cheap, is it not, Caroline? and a long way from my basic principle which I explained to you, that one must not in any way degrade oneself. Try to be kind to everyone you come in contact with and make them feel at home, however humble they may be, if they are your guests; be gracious and thoughtful for their comfort and pleasure--you need never be familiar or gushing. Be simple and modest; all pretense is paltry and all boasting is vain; nothing but the truth lasts or gains any respect. I should like to tell you a little story, Caroline, before I finish this letter, as an instance of really exquisite manners. BUT PRESTIGE IS NOT ACQUIRED WITHOUT TACT AND PERFECT MANNERS ON ALL OCCASIONS THE TENDENCY OF ALL MODERN SOCIETY IS TOWARD VULGARITY AND DISPLAY WITH A RUTHLESS CYNICAL BRUTAL WORSHIP OF WEALTH SNATCHING AT ANY MEANS TO THE END OF LUXURY AND PLEASURE PEOPLE ACCEPT INVITATIONS FROM THOSE THEY DESPISE FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN BECAUSE THEY ARE RICH AND THE ENTERTAINMENT WILL BE WELL DONE IT IS AWFULLY CHEAP IS IT NOT CAROLINE AND A LONG WAY FROM MY BASIC PRINCIPLE WHICH I EXPLAIN TO YOU THAT ONE MUST NOT IN ANY WAY DEGRADE ONESELF TRY TO BE KIND TO EVERY ONE YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH AND MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME HOWEVER HUMBLE THEY MAY BE IF THEY ARE YOUR GUESTS BE GRACIOUS AND THOUGHTFUL FOR THEIR COMFORT AND PLEASURE YOU NEED NEVER BE FAMILIAR OR GUSHING BE SIMPLE AND MODEST ALL PRETENCE IS POETRY AND ALL BOASTING IS VAIN NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH LASTS OR GAINS ANY RESPECT I SHOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY CAROLINE BEFORE I FINISH THIS LETTER AS AN INSTANCE OF REALLY EXQUISITE MANNERS
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