Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-16
REVIEW.
The Book of Etiquette; Compendium Of the
uhole Art of Politeness. lSmo PIP. SO.

drawing room table of q fair baroness, we
could not help fancying that IT must be the true
code of good and fashionable manners; other
wise it could not form the study OF so accom-,
plished person. The 'whole art ofPoliteness,"
said we internally within so small compass,
must be invaluable; and, such is the lnhrmity
of human nature that not content with paftlal
,Iapiarisms from it, allowable TO reviewer,
we absolutely made free and borrowed the
whole book
Having thus secured the precepts OF our
modern Chesterfield, we fastened, at our first
iS;snre moment, to become master of the indis-
nensable information, which, as the title-page
assured us is I" absolutely requisite, to the for
nation of a complete lady and gentleman
man and wife We presume, being conlunchvely
spoken Of as an individual, or one flesh Nor
had we read page before We found what a
great improvement had oeen maue since ole
preceding Chesterfield wrote. The march OF
intellect and the spirit of the age, could not be
more distinctly illustrated; and so different are
the precepts, that you can hardly imagine them
10 pertain to the same century, country ana
people.
Much bordering on these things, we feel it to
be our duty TO do our best towards elevatng
our friends to the present exalted standard oi
elegant life Passing by the high philosophical
princi2les unfolded by the Incompatible author
in his opening pages, we came at once with this
design to his practical instructions. And hrst
on the behaviour fitting for the dinner taole,
whittier you are to conduct the lady with whom
YOU have been conversing.
Gin offering your arm, curve it outward,
gracefully. For once [adds the author, as
Striking warning,1 heard of tall bony gentle
man, who thrust out his elbow so suddenly llt
was extremely sharpl that it hit the lady in the
side. cut open her silk dress, and caused her to
scream violently. fearing she had been stabbed!
You sEE,n he continues, impressing the suoJect,
how dangerous these angular sort oil move
ments aIe!"
No doubt they are, when men are such sharp
fellows. We would advise the unfortunate who
are EXPOSED to be conveyed to dinner by such
monsters, to put on at least two pair OF stays or
corsets with double ribs OF whalebone, as a pro-
lection. But we proceed.
"If you sit near the lady of the house, you
must select an early period OF the dinner at
which to take wine with her. Bowlng your
head, you should smile blandiy, and halt reach,
ing to the decanter, utter IN a SOIL tone, ohaii
have the pleasure,
Nothing can be more insinicating, and We
are quite prepared for the consequences.
"She will bow politely in return; when you
must about half fill her glass, and then your
own: You then make another very slight 'obe-
sance before taking the glass to your lips"
Upon part Of this advice we shall only notice,
that it differs from that of another unCommOniy
clever and genteel writer, who says, you ought
never to tlll lady's glass only hall full, but IN
variably a bumper, because, says he, II she
wants whole glass she can have 1t, and II she
wants only half glass, says he, she can leave
it, which reasoning doth appear to be consist
ent with the fact.
"Silyer forks" we are informed, are now
common at every respeC table table; and Tor my
part. cannot see how il is possible to eat din.
ner comfortably without them. The fingers are
the natural forks, and the best-but they are not
fashionable" What a pity! And next to
them is the capacious fork OF silver, You
should iiride your ridads, and then use the fork
exclusively, holding in the left hand pellet OF
bread close to the plate, as a sort of assistant.
Always use the napkin before drinking wine;
and if you are intent upon the latter with the
lady opposite you, desire the gentleman next
her with, simply, "May trouble you?"-to hii
her glass"
If there are no napkins, perhaps it would be
proper, "always before drinking wine," to use
the table-cloth, or if the lady nearest you wear
one of those large inconvenient gigos sleeves,
which keep Tapping in your face, 1t might not
be amiss to give your mouth sly wipe or two
with that Verbum sat.
"Then, as one good turn deserves another,
when the dessert appears, you should make an
offer to the lady Of the various kinds OF fruit.
You should crack the nuts for her, and deposit
we suppose, for your troubled and "oranges
should be peeled, and then cut in slices extreme,
ly thin, and powdered over with white sugar"
Because lit is impossible for lady to eat an
orange in any other way, without stretching her
mouth-spirting the juice over her dress and
into other peoples eyes-and staining her deli
cate skin the color of frogs"
Pray attend to this for the sake of your own
eyes, if not for the sake of the lady's mouth,
dress or skin. You may take our word for 1t,
that acid orange juice is monstrous disagree
bic eye-water, even though squirted at you from
sweet lips.
On behaviour at the tea-table, our Mentor is
equally instructive.
"Half the company generally consists of la
dies, full of smiles! how delightful! Now you
must be on the qui rire my young friend, to
supply the ladies with muffin, crumpet, toast or
bread and butter, by handing these delicacies
round to them (unless there be servant in the
room, waiting upon the company Also, you
must keep sharp eye upon the cups, and the
moment they are empty, convey them to the
tea-table. N. B. Mention the name Of the lady
nd nd