True Manliness by James Freeman Clarke, 1886
MANLINESS means perfect manhood, as womanliness implies perfect womanhood.
Manliness is the character of a man as he ought to be, as he was meant to be. It expresses the qualities which go to make a perfect man, — truth, courage, conscience, freedom, energy, self-possession, self-control.
But it does not exclude gentleness, tenderness, compassion and modesty. A man is not less manly, but more so, because he is gentle. In fact, our word ” gentleman ” shows that a typical man must also be a gentle man.
By manly qualities the world is carried forward.
The manly spirit shows itself in enterprise, the love of meeting difficulties and overcoming them.
The resolution which will not yield, which patiently perseveres, and does not admit the possibility of defeat.
It enjoys hard toil, rejoices in stern labour, is ready to make sacrifices, to suffer and bear disaster patiently.
It is generous, giving itself to a good cause not its own, it is public-spirited, devoting itself to the general good with no expectation of reward.
It is ready to defend unpopular truth, to stand by those who are wronged, to uphold the weak.
Having resolved, it does not go back, but holds on, through good and evil, sure that the right must win at last.
And so it causes truth to prevail, and keeps up the standard of a noble purpose in the world.
@David57 Hey David! Thank you for sharing this amazing piece with us. Many people compare being manly to being tough, but true manliness also includes gentleness and kindness. It's not limited to specific traits. This was a much needed insight. 😊
A wonderful post, especially in today's age when men are considered to have "toxic masculinity" more often than not. The virtues listed here are as necessary as ever for dealing with the slings & arrows of life...it is interesting that gentleness was already known to be desirable in men even in the 19th century. So much for our (post)modern enlightenment!
Unfortunately, like all ideals, it is one that can be hard to live up to & quite easy to fall short of.