delicatesse

To this Syſtem of Religion were tagged ſeveral ſubaltern Doctrines, which were entertained with great Vogue: as particularly, the Faculties of the Mind were deduced by the Learned among them in this manner: Embroidery, was Sheer Wit; Gold Fringe was agreeable Converſation, Gold Lace was Repartee, a huge long Periwig was Humor, and a Coat full of Powder was very good Raillery: All which required abundance of Fineſſe and Delicateſſe to manage with Advantage, as well as a ſtrict Obſervance after Times and Faſhions.

1704, [Jonathan Swift], “Section II”, in A Tale of a Tub. […], London: […] John Nutt, […], →OCLC, pages 61–62

In the catalogue [Murray] Garde relates a story about [John] Mawurndjul’s father, [Anchor] Kulunba. “We don’t reject balanda when they come,” the old man told his son, “otherwise they will return to their place with a feeling of shame.” This is an amazing piece of delicatesse: “We don't want the white people to go home feeling ashamed of their ignorance or their awkwardness.”

2018 July 28, John McDonald, “Walk in a great forest of signs”, in The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, N.S.W., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 10