Re: "Don't:" the title for proper (Victorian)conduct /speech -- Mississippi Valley Brigade

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Date Posted: Friday, January 28, 11:56am
Author: Chuck Toney
Subject: Re: "Don't:" the title for proper (Victorian)conduct /speech
In reply to: Chuck Toney 's message, ""Don't:" the title for proper (Victorian)conduct /speech" on Friday, January 28, 11:51am

>"Dont:" was a small book costing 1 shilling in 1880
>when the book was first printed in London. The book
>was first written by an American prior to that date
>and generally listed the expectations of polite people
>prior to its writing. The right to publish it was
>bought by Field and Tuer, Ye Leadenhalle Press. It
>was widely sold in England as a guide to proper
>behavior and manners of speech. Interestingly, it was
>based on the actual customs of Victorian England when
>it was written for Americans. It should be accurate
>for the period of the Civil War.
>
>I will share the chapters with you over the coming
>weeks as I transcribe them to text from the small book
>form.
>
>We'll begin with the Preface as written by the
>American author. The British publisher had their own
>preface which I shall not provide as it informs the
>British reader about the American expressions and
>translates them to the mother tongue.
>
>"Preface (American)
>
>It so happens that most of the rules for society are
>prohibitory in character. This fact suggested the
>negative form adopted in this little book, and
>permitted the various injunctions to be expressed in a
>sententious and emphatic manner.
>
>Many of the rules here given are necessarily drawn
>from established authorities, but a considerable
>number of them are the result of the complier's
>personal observation and experience.
>There are some persons, no doubt, who will condemn
>many things here said as unnecessary, because
>generally known. It was necessary to include familiar
>rules in order to give completeness to the list; but
>any one who carefully observes will find that nearly
>every rule given is frequently violated by persons of
>at least good social standing.
>
>Other critics may condemn some of the injunctions as
>over-nice. All that can be said to these persons is,
>that every one has the lawful right to determine for
>himself at what point below the highest point he is
>content to let his social culture stop.
>
>The plan of the book does not include questions of
>etiquette, except incidentally. There are various
>volumes that set forth all the details of receiving
>visitors and making visits, of parties, of dinners, of
>card sending and receiving, etc., to which those
>interested are referred.
>
>CENSOR
>New York"
>
>The table of contents are as follows (so you can look
>forward to the topics covered):
>
>"Contents
>
>I. At Table
>II. In Dress and Personal Habits
>III. In the Drawing-Room
>IV. In Public
>V. In Speech
>VI. In General
>VII. Affectionally addressed to Womankind"
>
>I will post the first chapter within a couple of days.
>
>Chuck

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Replies:

Re: "Don't:" the title for proper (Victorian)conduct /speech -- Dusty Lind, Saturday, January 29, 07:21am
- Re: "Don't:" the title for proper (Victorian)conduct /speech -- dusty Lind, Saturday, January 29, 07:23am