The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1914. THE DECADENCE OF COURTESY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 54, 24 July 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1914. THE DECADENCE OF COURTESY.

The (piestion which at one time was freqe cutty the subject of correspondence in the press was as to whether or not the days of chivalry had passed. An equally important query at the present time is whether courtesy is no longer held in practical remembrance. In the course of his sermon at St. Mary's last Sunday o\ cuing, the Vicar made some very straightforward remarks on the absence of courtesy in this democratic age, more particularly referring to the demeanour of girls towards their mothers and acquaintances It 19 somewhat of a coincidence that the same subject should have formed the theme of Canon Kawnsley when preaching at St. Paul's Cathedral, London, on the same day. Thus, at two ends of the earth, as it were, v.'e lind the pulpit being used to denounce the manners of the rising generation of the day, and with just cause, though it is with a feeling of regret that the admission is made. It is a great step from the stern repressive code of the Puritan times to the open defiance and contemptuous manners of to-day, and the contrast marks the two extremes. It is neither necessary nor useful to inquire which of the two phases of life is preferable, inasmuch as they are both objectionable and unnatural. There can, however, be no doubt that the behaviour of children, as well as of young men and women, has, in a general sense, greatly deteriorated, and . that courtesy is rapidly becoming a lost attribute of civilisation and culture. That it should be necessary to use the pulpit in any endeavor to resuscitate good manners is in itself a' strpng indictment against the tendencies of the day, but if the evil is to be eradicated and the British race saved from backsliding into barbarism, there must be an organised eli'urt made, and in this the church does well to join. The relationship of mother and daughter in its natural and true state as developed by ages of refined culture and deep affection, should be one of the most beautiful acts of creation. The ideal mother should be the daughter's dearest friend, guide, and example, and there should exist between them an affectionate bond that can bear all strains, overcome all troubles, enhance all joys, and engender true happiness, the daughter always looking up to the mr.ther with filial reverence and respect, and unconsciously becoming permeated with that true courtesy which keeps back the harsh words or hasty deeds that give rise to wounded feelings and sometimes cut like the thong of a bullocl whip. What girls of the day call freedom is an abuse of one of the grandest words in our vocabulary. Freedom deios not give girls a license to flaunt their mothers, or to abuse the natural goodness of heart of the same mothers

by imposing on their natural love and making them household drudges to be ustfu] only when they are at the beck and. call of their flighty children. Fieedom does not give girls a license to make themselves cheap in the eyes of lh>! opposite sex, and destroy the canons of chivalry and courtesy. Freedom docs not mean the overthrow of decorous ' conduct, the jerking of a nod over the shoulder, when a bow should be made. Freedom does not give girls a license to flaunt their parents and behave like foild animals free of all restrict and guidance. Yet in the name of freedom are all these, and many more evils becoming so rampant that one almost fears it will he necessary to revert to ancient nic thods. including the curfew bell, in oidcv to reinstate young womanhood into the proud position it occupied in the middle ages. The only alternative sei ins to .be that Liberty, Equality and Fraternity which heralded the French Revolution and let loose all the worst passions known fo mankind. Canon FWwnsley places a finger en one of the causes of thils new upheaval—the lack of home life, which he characterises as a national peril. If this be true as regards England—and to a large extent it is—it is doubly true as regards the demociatic people of Australasia. It may he that the educational system is somewhat to blame for the evil, but if homes vi ic made more attractive and were used to a greater extent for social gatherings, there would not be the excuse for young people to be continually going out to seek recreation and amusem< nt. The home circle has an uplifting influence, while the attractions of the sheets, the- theatres, and other such excitements have a decidedly opposite tendency. '.Chivalry and courtesy are like twin brothers, and they shed a radiance over the lives oE those who find them a dwelling-place. Of politeness tiieri is an abundance, but it is only a till- veneer that covers the ghastly skeleton of selfishness. Those who wish to be truly happy and useful citizens will find it greatly to their advantage to study and practise courtesy. No matter how- humble may be the position in life of any man. lie can still be a true gentleman—the finest creature on the earth—and it is equally true that any girl may be a true lady. Then why not strive after the best instead of the worst?