Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Low Society

On the Brink (1865) by Alfred Elmore
Bad society then may be divided into three classes: 1. That in which both morals and manners are bad; 2. That in which the manners are bad, be the morals what they will; 3. That in which the manners appear to be good, but the morals are detestable. The first is low, the second vulgar, the third dangerous society. 
Few people but undergraduates, young ensigns, and aspiring clerks and shop-boys, will need to be warned against low society. Where vice wears no veil, and decency forever blushes, the man of any self-respect, to say nothing of taste and education, will speedily be disgusted. The first proof of lowness is seen at once in undue familiarity. If there are women in company, you will at once discover their character from the manner in which they allow themselves to be addressed; but if not you will doubtless ere long be yourself subjected to a freedom of treatment, which you will readily distinguish from ease of manner, and know to be beyond the proper limits. Familiarity on first introduction, is always of bad style, often even vulgar, and, when used by the openly immoral, is low and revolting. A man of self respect will not be pleased with it even when it comes from the most respectable, or his superiors; he will despise it in his equals, and will take it almost as an insult from those who do not respect themselves... 
--The Habits of Good Society (1863), page 37

No comments:

Post a Comment