t be? And Joseph Addison comes upon the
scene and by the sincerity, graciousness and gentle excellence of his life
and work, says, "Neither!"

* * * * *

The little village of Wiltshire is noted as the birthplace of Addison, who
was the son of a clergyman, afterward the Dean of Lichfield. An erstwhile
resident of Lichfield, Samuel Johnson by name, once said of Joseph
Addison, "Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar but not
coarse, elegant but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the
volumes of Addison."

For elegance, simplicity, insight, and a wit that is sharp but which never
wounds, Addison has no rival, although more than two hundred years have
come and gone since he ceased to write.

Addison was a gentleman--the best example of a perfect gentleman that the
history of English literature affords. And in letters it is much easier to
find a genius than a gentleman. The field today is not at all over-worked;
and those who wish to cultivate the art of being gentlemen will find no
fearsome competition. In fact, the chief reason for not engaging in this
line is the discomfort of isolation, and the lack of comradeship one is
sure to suffer. To be gentle, generous, kind; to win by few words; and to
disarm criticism and prejudice through the potency of a gracious presence,
is a fine art. Books on etiquette will not serve the end, nor studious
attempts to smile at the proper time, nor zealous efforts to avoid
jostling the whims of those we meet; for to attempt to please is often to
antagonize.

Sympathy, Knowledge and Poise seem the three ingredients most needed in
forming the gentle man. I place these elements according to their value.
No man is great who does not possess Sympathy plus, and the greatness of
men can safely be gauged by their sympathies. Sympathy and imagination are
twin sisters. Your heart must go out to all men, the high, the low, the
rich, the poor, the learned, the unlearned, the good, the bad, the wise,
the foolish--you must be one with them all, else you can never comprehend
them. Sympathy! It is the touchstone to every secret, the key to all
knowledge, the open sesame of all hearts. Put yourself in the other man's
place, and then you will know why he thinks certain thoughts and does
certain deeds. Put yourself in his place, and your blame will dissolve
itself into pity, and your tears will wipe out the record of his misdeeds.
The saviors of t