coming into collision with people and things and opinions. And yet no
rules were ever laid down by which anyone can learn to acquire tact. It
is rather the natural result of a disposition to make people with whom
we are associated comfortable and happy, since in order to do this we
must constantly guard against arousing antagonisms or wounding the
susceptibilities of those around us.

Now, to illustrate by some instances of lack of tact: A lady guest at a
table where broiled ham was the meat provided, declined to take any, and
then added, "I don't think pork is fit food for any human stomach." Of
course an embarrassment fell upon host and hostess and all the company,
and the rest of the meal-time was passed in an ineffectual endeavor to
restore conversation to a harmonious basis. What caused this lady to
make such a remark? Simply lack of tact, which means that she had not
the fine sensitiveness that would prevent her from wounding the feelings
of her friends. She had no delicacy of perception as to the reflection
she cast upon her host and hostess by so brusquely condemning something
to which they were habituated. This is one instance of lack of tact, but
here is another of different character: A company of educated people sat
down at table together, and the conversation happened to turn on the
question of the authorship of Shakespeare's plays. One lady, who was a
recent college graduate and supposed to be possessed of an unusual
degree of culture, said in a most positive manner: "I think the
advocates of the theory that some one other than Shakespeare wrote the
plays attributed to him, simply show their ignorance and shallowness."
An uncomfortable pause fell upon, the company, for two of the best
informed people present were entirely convinced that some one other
than Shakespeare wrote the plays. It was simply lack of tact that
betrayed this lady into a positiveness and obtrusiveness of statement
that made others uncomfortable and aroused their antagonism. Here is