  SUGGESTED BY THE ATTITUDE OF THE FRENCH PRESS ON THE FASHODA QUESTION THAT man is surely in the wrong, And lets his angry passions blind him, Who, when a person comes along Behind him, And hits him hard upon the cheek (One whom he took to be his brother), Declines to turn and let him tweak It should be his immediate care, By delicate and tactful dealings, To ease the striker’s pain, and spare His feelings; Nor should he, for his private ends, Make any personal allusion Tending to aggravate his friend’s Confusion. For there are people built this way: They may have scratched your face, or bent it, Yet, if you reason with them, they Resent it! Their honour, quickly rendered sore, Demands that you should suffer mutely, Lest they should feel it even more Acutely. I knew a man of perfect tact; He caught a burglar once, my man did; He took him in the very act, Red-handed; What kind of language then occurred? How did he comment on the jemmy? Did he employ some brutal word Like “demme”? Or kick the stranger then and there, Or challenge him to formal battle? Or spring upon the midnight air Certainly not! He knew too much; He knew that, as a bud is blighted, Your burglar’s honour, at a touch, Feels slighted. He saw, as men of taste would see, That others’ pride should be respected; Some people cannot bear to be Detected. Therefore his rising wrath he curbed, Gave him a smile as warm as may be, Thanked him because he’d not disturbed The baby; Apologized for fear his guest Might deem him casual or surly For having rudely gone to bed So early. The night was still not very old, And, short as was the invitation, Would he not stay and share a cold Collation? So was his tact not found at fault; So was he spared, by tasteful flattery, What might have ended in assault Or battery. Soft language is the best—how true! This doctrine, which I here rehearse, ’ll Apply to nations: it is u- Thus England should not take offence When from behind they jump upon her; She must not hurt their lively sense Of honour. For plain opinions, put in speech, Might lead to blows, which might be bloody, A lesson which the press should teach And study! Owen Seaman. |
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