Then again, the use of "'gentleman" and "lady" differentiates people who habitually use them from those who in many con-noxious rightly prefer "man" and "woman." Carefully studied lange uage becomes a succession of mirrors of the ages to which its style and tendencies belong. Thus the decay of ceremoniousness is an interesting study. It is curious that when phrases like "your humble servant, sir," "Sir, I kiss your hands," Your servant, madam, good morrow to you," were commém, people of the highest classes of society permitted themselves a freedom of language which would not be permitted today. In the early part of the eighteenth century Lady Strafford writes in a letter: My father is laid up with the-gout; I believe I shall jumble my guts out between this and Russell Street, for since my father has been ill I have gon every day."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.