The civil workman will exercise increased
power amongst his class, and gradually induce them to imitate him
by his persistent steadiness, civility, and kindness. Thus
Benjamin Franklin, when a working-man, is said to have reformed
the habits of an entire workshop.
One may be polite and gentle with very little money in his purse.
Politeness goes far, yet costs nothing. It is the cheapest of all
commodities. It is the humblest of the fine arts, yet it is so
useful and so pleasure-giving, that it might almost be ranked
amongst the humanities.
Every nation may learn something of others; and if there be one
thing more than another that the English working-class might
afford to copy with advantage from their Continental neighbours,
it is their politeness. The French and Germans, of even the
humblest classes, are gracious in manner, complaisant, cordial,
and well-bred. The foreign workman lifts his cap and respectfully
salutes his fellow-workman in passing. There is no sacrifice of
manliness in this, but grace and dignity. Even the lowest poverty
of the foreign workpeople is not misery, simply because it is
cheerful. Though not receiving one-half the income which our
working-classes do, they do not sink into wretchedness and drown
their troubles in drink; but contrive to make the best of life,
and to enjoy it even amidst poverty.
Good taste is a true economist.
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