Our Deportment: Or the Manners, Conduct and Dress of the Most Refined Society

Project Gutenberg, John H. Young

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• Publié par: nugur
• Nombre de lectures: 23
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg eBook, Our Deportment, by John H. Young This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Our Deportment Or the Manners, Conduct and Dress of the Most Refined Society Author: John H. Young Release Date: January 25, 2006 [eBook #17609] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR DEPORTMENT*** E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, MandM, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net/) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 17609-h.htm or 17609-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/7/6/0/17609/17609-h/17609-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/7/6/0/17609/17609-h.zip) OUR DEPORTMENT Or the Manners, Conduct and Dress of the Most Refined Society; INCLUDING Forms for Letters, Invitations, Etc., Etc. Also, Valuable Suggestions on Home Culture and Training. Compiled from the Latest Reliable Authorities, by JOHN H. YOUNG, A.M. Revised and Illustrated.[Illustration] F. B. Dickerson & Co., Detroit, Mich. St. Louis, Mo. Pennsylvania Publishing Co., Harrisburgh, Pa. Union Publishing House, Chicago, Ill. 1881. [Illustration] To go through this life with good manners possessed, Is to be kind unto all, rich, poor and oppressed, For kindness and mercy are balms that will heal The sorrows, the pains, and the woes that we feel. [Illustration] Copyrighted by Freeman B. Dickerson, 1879 and 1881. [Illustration] Preface. No one subject is of more importance to people generally than a knowledge of the rules, usages and ceremonies of good society, which are commonly expressed by the word "Etiquette." Its necessity is felt wherever men and women associate together, whether in the city, village, or country town, at home or abroad. To acquire a thorough knowledge of these matters, and to put that knowledge into practice with perfect ease and self-complacency, is what people call good breeding. To display an ignorance of them, is to subject the offender to the opprobrium of being ill-bred. In the compilation of this work, the object has been to present the usages and rules which govern the most refined American society, and to impart that information which will enable any one, in whatever circumstances of life to acquire the perfect ease of a gentleman, or the gentle manners and graceful deportment of a well-bred lady, whose presence will be sought for, and who, by their graceful deportment will learn the art of being at home in any good society. The work is so arranged, that every subject is conveniently classified and subdivided; it is thus an easy matter to refer at once to any given subject. It has been the aim of the compiler to give minutely all points that are properly embraced in a work on etiquette, even upon matters ofseemingly trivial importance. Upon some hitherto disputed points, those rules are given, which are sustained by the best authorities and endorsed by good sense. As the work is not the authorship of any one individual, and as no individual, whatever may be his acquirements, could have the presumption to dictate rules for the conduct of society in general, it is therefore only claimed that it is a careful compilation from all the best and latest authorities upon the subject of etiquette and kindred matters, while such additional material has been embraced within its pages, as, it is hoped, will be found of benefit and interest to every American household. J.H.Y. [Illustration] Contents. CHAPTER I. PAGE. INTRODUCTORY 13 CHAPTER II. MANNERS. Good manners as an element of worldly success--Manner an index of character--The true gentleman--The true lady--Importance of trifles--Value of pleasing manners--Personal appearance enhanced and fortunes made by pleasing manners--Politeness the outgrowth of good manners 20 CHAPTER III. INTRODUCTIONS. Acquaintances thus formed--Promiscuous, informal and casual introductions--Introduction of a gentleman to a lady and a lady to a gentleman--Introduction at a ball--The manner of introduction--Introducing relatives--Obligatory introductions--Salutations after introduction--Introducing one's self--Letters of introduction--How they are to be delivered--Duty of a person to whom a letter of introduction is addressed--Letters of introduction for business purposes 31 CHAPTER IV. SALUTATIONS. The salutation originally an act of worship--Its form in different nations--The bow, its proper mode--Words of salutation--Manner of bowing--Duties of the young to older people--How to avoid recognition--Etiquette of handshaking--Kissing as a mode of salutation--The kiss of friendship--The kiss of respect 42 CHAPTER V. ETIQUETTE ON CALLS. Morning calls--Evening calls--Rules for formal calls--Calls at Summer resorts--Reception days--Calls made by cards--Returning the first call--Calls after a betrothal takes place--Forming new acquaintance by calls--The first call, by whom to be made--Calls of Congratulation--Visits of condolence--Keeping an account of calls--Evening visits--"Engaged" or "not at home" to callers--General rules relative to calls--New Year's calls 52 CHAPTER VI. ETIQUETTE ON VISITING. General invitations not to be accepted--The limit of a prolonged visit--Duties of a visitor--Duties of the host or hostess--True hospitality--Leave-taking--Invitations to guests--Forbearance with children--Guests making presents--Treatment of a host's friends 69 CHAPTER VII. ETIQUETTE OF CARDS. Visiting and calling cards--Their size and style--Wedding cards--Leaving cards in calling--Cards for mother and daughter--Cards not to be sent in envelopes to return formal calls--Glazed cards not in fashion--P.P.C. cards--Cards of congratulation--When sent--Leave cards in making first calls of the season and after invitations--Mourning cards--Christmas and Easter cards--Cards of condolence--Bridegroom's card. 75 CHAPTER VIII. CONVERSATION. Character revealed by conversation--Importance of conversing well--Children should be trained to talk well--Cultivation of the memory--Importance of remembering names--How Henry Clay acquired this habit--Listening--Writing down one's thoughts--Requisites for a good talker--Vulgarisms--Flippancy--Sympathizing with another--Bestowing compliments--Slang--Flattery--Scandal and gossip--Satire and ridicule--Religion and politics to be avoided--Bestowing of titles--Interrupting another while talking--Adaptability in conversation--Correct use of words--Speaking one's mind--Profanity --Display of knowledge--Double entendres--Impertinent questions --Things to be avoided in conversation--Hobbies--Fault-finding --Disputes 84 CHAPTER IX. DINNER PARTIES. Dinners are entertainments for married people--Whom to invite--Forms of invitations--Punctuality required--The success of a dinner party--Table appointments--Proper size of a dinner party--Arrangement of guests at table--Serving dinner a la Russe--Duties of servants--Serving the dishes--General rules regarding dinner--Waiting on others--Monopolizing conversation--Duties of hostess and host--Retiring from the table--Calls required after a dinner party--Returning hospitalities--Expensive dinners not the most enjoyable--Wines at dinners 106 CHAPTER X. TABLE ETIQUETTE. Importance of acquiring good habits at the table--Table appointments for breakfast, luncheon and dinner--Use of the knife and fork--Of the napkin--Avoid fast eating and all appearance of greediness--General rules on the subject 123 CHAPTER XI. RECEPTIONS, PARTIES AND BALLS. Morning receptions--The dress and refreshments for them--Invitations--Musical matinees--Parties in the country--Five o'clock teas and kettle-drums--Requisites for a successful ball--Introductions at a ball--Receiving guests--The number to invite--Duties of the guests--General rules to be observed at balls--Some suggestions for gentlemen--Duties of an escort--Preparations for a ball--The supper--An after-call required 129 CHAPTER XII. STREET ETIQUETTE. The street manners of a lady--Forming street acquaintances--Recognizing friends in the street--Saluting a lady--Passing through a crowd--The first to bow--Do not lack politeness--How a lady and gentleman should walk together--When to offer the lady the arm--Going up and down stairs--Smoking in the streets--Carrying packages--Meeting a lady acquaintance--Corner loafers--Shouting in the street--Shopping etiquette--For public conveyances--Cutting acquaintances--General suggestions 145 CHAPTER XIII. ETIQUETTE OF PUBLIC PLACES. Conduct in church--Invitations to opera, theatres and concerts--Conduct in public assemblages--Remain until the performance closes--Conduct in picture galleries--Behavior at charity fairs--Conduct at an artist's studio 157 CHAPTER XIV. TRAVELING ETIQUETTE. Courtesies shown to ladies traveling alone--Duties of an escort--Duties of a lady to her escort--Ladies should assist other ladies traveling alone--The seats to be occupied in a railway car--Discretion to be used in forming acquaintances in traveling 167