There has happened another Revolution in the Point
of Good Breeding, which relates to the Conversation
among Men of Mode, and which I cannot but look upon
as very extraordinary. It was certainly one of
the first Distinctions of a well-bred Man, to express
every thing that had the most remote Appearance of
being obscene, in modest Terms and distant Phrases;
whilst the Clown, who had no such Delicacy of Conception
and Expression, clothed his Ideas in those
plain homely Terms that are the most obvious and natural.
This kind of Good Manners was perhaps carried to an
Excess, so as to make Conversation too stiff, formal
and precise: for which Reason (as Hypocrisy in
one Age is generally succeeded by Atheism in another)
Conversation is in a great measure relapsed into the
first Extream; so that at present several of our Men
of the Town, and particularly those who have been
polished in France, make use of the most coarse
uncivilized Words in our Language, and utter themselves
often in such a manner as a Clown would blush to hear.
This infamous Piece of Good Breeding, which reigns
among the Coxcombs of the Town, has not yet made its
way into the Country; and as it is impossible for
such an irrational way of Conversation to last long
among a People that make any Profession of Religion,
or Show of Modesty, if the Country Gentlemen get into
it they will certainly be left in the Lurch.
Their Good-breeding will come too late to them, and
they will be thought a Parcel of lewd Clowns, while
they fancy themselves talking together like Men of
Wit and Pleasure.
As the two Points of Good Breeding, which I have hitherto
insisted upon, regard Behaviour and Conversation,
there is a third which turns upon Dress. In this
too the Country are very much behind-hand. The
Rural Beaus are not yet got out of the Fashion that
took place at the time of the Revolution, but ride
about the Country in red Coats and laced Hats, while
the Women in many Parts are still trying to outvie
one another in the Height of their Head-dresses.
But a Friend of mine, who is now upon the Western
Circuit, having promised to give me an Account of
the several Modes and Fashions that prevail in the
different Parts of the Nation through which he passes,
I shall defer the enlarging upon this last Topick
till I have received a Letter from him, which I expect
every Post.
L.
* * * *
*
No. 120. Wednesday, July 18, 1711.
Addison.
’...
Equidem credo, quia sit Divinitus illis
Ingenium ...’
Virg.
My Friend Sir Roger is very often merry with me upon
my passing so much of my Time among his Poultry:
He has caught me twice or thrice looking after a Bird’s
Nest, and several times sitting an Hour or two together
near an Hen and Chickens. He tells me he believes
I am personally acquainted with every Fowl about his
House; calls such a particular Cock my Favourite,
and frequently complains that his Ducks and Geese have
more of my Company than himself.
