TheindifferenceexhibitedbyLavengroforwhatismerelygenteel，comparedwithhissolicitudenevertoinfringethestrictlawsofhonour，shouldreadasalutarylesson。Thegeneralityofhiscountrymenarefarmorecarefulnottotransgressthecustomsofwhattheycallgentility，thantoviolatethelawsofhonourormorality。Theywillshrinkfromcarryingtheirowncarpet—bag，andfromspeakingtoapersoninseedyraiment，whilsttomattersofmuchhigherimportancetheyareshamelesslyindifferent。NotsoLavengro；hewilldoanythingthathedeemsconvenient，orwhichstrikeshisfancy，provideditdoesnotoutragedecency，orisunalliedtoprofligacy；isnotashamedtospeaktoabeggarinrags，andwillassociatewithanybody，providedhecangratifyalaudablecuriosity。Hehasnoabstractloveforwhatislow，orwhattheworldcallslow。
Heseesthatmanythingswhichtheworldlooksdownuponarevaluable，soheprizesmuchwhichtheworldcondemns；heseesthatmanythingswhichtheworldadmiresarecontemptible，sohedespisesmuchwhichtheworlddoesnot；butwhentheworldprizeswhatisreallyexcellent，hedoesnotcontemnit，becausetheworldregardsit。IfhelearnsIrish，whichalltheworldscoffsat，helikewiselearnsItalian，whichalltheworldmeltsat。IfhelearnsGypsy，thelanguageofthetatteredtent，helikewiselearnsGreek，thelanguageofthecollege—hall。Ifhelearnssmithery，healsolearns—ah！
whatdoeshelearntosetagainstsmithery？—thelaw？No；
hedoesnotlearnthelaw，which，bytheway，isnotverygenteel。Swimming？Yes，helearnstoswim。Swimming，however，isnotgenteel；andtheworld—atleastthegenteelpartofit—actsverywiselyinsettingitsfaceagainstit；
fortoswimyoumustbenaked，andhowwouldmanyagenteelpersonlookwithouthisclothes？Come，helearnshorsemanship；averygenteelaccomplishment，whicheverygenteelpersonwouldgladlypossess，thoughnotallgenteelpeopledo。