304 AWAKENING OF ENGLAND. 



trouble to do dignified acts," continues this 

 Shorter Catechist, "it is worth while to take 

 a little more and allow the dignity to be 

 common to all concerned." 



Our rustic poor have no manners like 

 these ; yet they possess a courtesy which is 

 of a finer flavour than that of the rich. In 

 the amenities of commerce the poor are more 

 ceremonial. If I, for instance, want to sell 

 a pig to a cottager, he will, on his arrival, 

 compliment me on my view and on my cattle 

 before he looks in the sty. Then he will tell 

 me that the pig is a very nice pig, " ah, that 

 she be," before the peculiar ritual of the dealing 

 begins. There is no abrupt verbal pistol-shot, 

 " What do you want for it ? " of the upper class 

 when purchasing a hunter or a motor car. 



The rustic poor have not learnt to express 

 themselves in print. Socially they are not 

 even vocal. We have many essays on their 

 manners by members of the educated classes ; 

 but when the poor begin to write about the 

 manners of the upper classes, we shall have 

 satire of a new and wonderful order. 



The relationship between the modern 

 country parson and the elderly labourer is 

 sometimes, nowadays, a humorous spectacle. 



