TootherEuropeans,thebestknownqualityoftheBritish,andinparticularoftheEnglish,is“reserved”.Areservedpersonisonewhodoesnottalkverymuchtostrangers,doesnotshowmuchemotion,andseldomgetsexcited.Itisdifficulttogettoknowareservedperson:henevertellsyouanythingabouthimself,andyoumayworkwithhimforyearswithouteverknowingwherehelives,howmanychildrenhehas,andwhathisinterestsare.Englishpeopletendtobelikethat.CloselyrelatedtoEnglishreserveisEnglishmodesty.Withintheirhearts,theEnglishareperhapsnolessconceitedthananybodyelse,butintheirrelationswithotherstheyvalueatleastashowofmodesty.Self-praiseisfelttobeimpolite.Ifapersonis,letussay,verygoodattennisandsomeoneaskshimifheisagoodplayer,hewillseldomreply“Yes,”becausepeoplewillthinkhimconceited.Hewillprobablygiveananswerlike,“I’mnotbad,”or“IthinkI’mverygood,”or“Well,I’mverykeenontennis.”Evenifhehadmanagedtoreachthefinalsinlastyear’slocalchampionships,hewouldsayitinsuchawayastosuggestthatitwasonlyduetoapieceofgoodluck.Sincereserveandmodestyarepartofhisownnature,thetypicalEnglishtendstoexpecttheminothers.Hesecretlylooksdownonmoreexcitablenations,andlikestothinkofhimselfasmorereliablethantheyare.Hedoesn’ttrustbigpromisesandopenshowsoffeelings,especiallyiftheyareexpressedinflowerylanguage.Hedoesn’ttrustself-praiseofanykind.Thisappliesnotonlytowhatotherpeoplemaytellhimaboutthemselvesorally,buttotheletterstheymaywritetohim.Tothosewhoarefondoffloweryexpressions,theEnglishmanmayappearuncomfortablycold.
