An Essay towards Fixing the True Standards of Wit, Humour, Railery, Satire, and Ridicule (1744) by Corbyn Morris
page 82 of 88 (93%)
page 82 of 88 (93%)
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Persons of those Places and Seasons.
In _England_ the chief Point of it _formerly_ was plac'd, in carrying a _Respect_ in our Manners to all we convers'd with; whence every Omission of the slightest Ceremony, as it might be construed into a want of _Respect_, was particularly to be avoided; So that _good Breeding_ became then a precise Observance and Exercise of all the Motions and Ceremonies, expressive of Respect, which might justly be paid to every Person; --This, as it is easy to imagine, requir'd much Nicety in the Adjustment upon many Occasions, and created immense Trouble and Constraint, and most ridiculous Embarrassments. However, these Modes of _good Breeding_ were not to be abolished, as it was impossible to dispense with the _Respect_ annex'd to them, without some further Pretence than of their _Inconvenience_ only; which no Person could decently urge, or admit in his own behalf, when it was his Province to pay any Ceremonies to another; In this Difficulty it was at last happily observ'd, for the Advantage of genteel Commerce and Society, that _whatever gives Trouble, is inconsistent with Respect_; Upon which Foundation, all Ceremonies which create Embarrassments or Trouble to either Side, are now justly exploded; And the _Ease_ of each other is the Point most peculiarly consulted by _well-bred_ Persons. If this Attention to _Ease_ was properly conducted, so that it might always appear to have _Respect_ for its Motive; And only to act in Obedience to _that_, as the ruling Principle, it would then comprehend the just Plan of _good Breeding_; But as _this_ was formerly |
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