Alfred George Gardiner (1865 to 1946) was born at Chelmsford in
Essex in 1865. He started his literary career as a journalist. At the
age of 37, he was appointed editor of the Daily News, London.
Under the pseudonym (pen name) ‘Alpha of the Plough’, he
made regular contributions to the Daily News, The Manchester
Evening News etc. His essays are uniformly elegant, graceful
and humorous. ‘The Pillars of Society’, ‘Pebbles on the Shore’,
‘Many Furrows and Leaves in the Wind’ are some of his best
known writings. His uniqueness lies in his ability to teach the
basic truths of life in an easy and amusing manner. He raised
the question of morality in everyday life.
In, On Saying ‘‘Please’’, he points out the value of good manners in social life
and emphasizes the importance of courtesy and politeness in daily behaviour. He shows
how polite speech and manner sweeten the atmosphere around and how discourtesy
and ill manners spoil or pollute it.
