Manner maketh man
If fine stories move our hearts, fine manners win our admiration. Good manners distinguish a gentleman from an uncultured rustic. That is why it has been said: manner maketh man and want of it a fellow. A man is respected but a fellow is looked down upon. If you want to create a good impression upon those with whom you mix or come into contact, you can do so by your good manners. Other merits are often in the background, manners are always in the foreground. Very often people judge you by your manners rather than by what you are. It is so because for many people, the first impression is often the last impression, and indeed, the first impression is created by manners. Your solid virtues like intelligence and learning will not always be called into play, but your manners come into play every hour of your life. Lord Chesterfield, one of the best courtiers that England ever produced, says that good manners are the polish of other virtues; they set them off and show them to the best advantages. Even polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold, says he, and adds, it is better to shine like tinsel than to weight like lead. We often find in real life that a polished villain or a worthless person with good manners creates a better impression than a substantial person or a man of parts who lacks the polish of good manners. We are often judged by our ‘dress and address’ ie our manners. It has been aptly said that courtesy costs nothing and buys everything.
