"Laws are coldly reasoned out and established upon what the lawmakers believe to be a basis of right. But customs are not. Customs are not enacted, they grow gradually up, impercetibly and unconsciously like an oak from its seed. In the fullness of their strength they can stand up straight in front a world of argument and reasoning and yield not an inch. We do not know how or when it became custon for women to wear long hair, we only know that in this country it is custom and that settles it. Maybe it is right, maybe it is wrong--that has nothing to do with the matter; customs do not concern themselves with right or wrong or reason. But they have to be obeyed; one may reason all around them until he is tired, but he must not transgress them, it is sternly forbidden. Women may shave their heads elsewhere, but here they must refrain or take the uncomfortable consequences. Laws are sand, customs are rock. Laws can be evaded and punishment escaped, but an openly transgressed custom brings sure punishment. he penalty may be unfair, unrighteous, illogical aand a cruelty; no matter, it will be inflicted, just the same. Cetainly then, ther can be but one wise thing for a visiting stranger to do-- find out what the local customs are, and refrain from offending against them...Custom is custom; it is built of brass, boiler iron,granite; facts,reasonings, arguments have no more effect upon it than the idle winds have upon Gibralter."
"The Gorky Incident" (1906)
Sam Pawlett