Theorigin，orbetterthederivation，ofmannersisnodoubt，tobesoughtelsewherethaninaconsciouseffortonthepartofthewell-manneredtoshowthatmuchtimehasbeenspentinacquiringthem。Theproximateendofinnovationandelaborationhasbeenthehighereffectivenessofthenewdepartureinpointofbeautyorofexpressiveness。Ingreatparttheceremonialcodeofdecoroususagesowesitsbeginninganditsgrowthtothedesiretoconciliateortoshowgoodwill，asanthropologistsandsociologistsareinthehabitofassuming，andthisinitialmotiveisrarelyifeverabsentfromtheconductofwell-manneredpersonsatanystageofthelaterdevelopment。
Manners，wearetold，areinpartanelaborationofgesture，andinparttheyaresymbolicalandconventionalisedsurvivalsrepresentingformeractsofdominanceorofpersonalserviceorofpersonalcontact。Inlargeparttheyareanexpressionoftherelationofstatus，——asymbolicpantomimeofmasteryontheonehandandofsubservienceontheother。Whereveratthepresenttimethepredatoryhabitofmind，andtheconsequentattitudeofmasteryandofsubservience，givesitscharactertotheaccreditedschemeoflife，theretheimportanceofallpunctiliosofconductisextreme，andtheassiduitywithwhichtheceremonialobservanceofrankandtitlesisattendedtoapproachescloselytotheidealsetbythebarbarianofthequasi-peaceablenomadicculture。SomeoftheContinentalcountriesaffordgoodillustrationsofthisspiritualsurvival。
Inthesecommunitiesthearchaicidealissimilarlyapproachedasregardstheesteemaccordedtomannersasafactofintrinsicworth。
Decorumsetoutwithbeingsymbolandpantomimeandwithhavingutilityonlyasanexponentofthefactsandqualitiessymbolised；butitpresentlysufferedthetransmutationwhichcommonlypassesoversymbolicalfactsinhumanintercourse。
Mannerspresentlycame，inpopularapprehension，tobepossessedofasubstantialutilityinthemselves；theyacquiredasacramentalcharacter，ingreatmeasureindependentofthefactswhichtheyoriginallyprefigured。Deviationsfromthecodeofdecorumhavebecomeintrinsicallyodioustoallmen，andgoodbreedingis，ineverydayapprehension，notsimplyanadventitiousmarkofhumanexcellence，butanintegralfeatureoftheworthyhumansoul。Therearefewthingsthatsotouchuswithinstinctiverevulsionasabreachofdecorum；andsofarhaveweprogressedinthedirectionofimputingintrinsicutilitytotheceremonialobservancesofetiquettethatfewofus，ifany，candissociateanoffenceagainstetiquettefromasenseofthesubstantialunworthinessoftheoffender。Abreachoffaithmaybecondoned，butabreachofdecorumcannot。“Mannersmakethman。“