The Polite Gentlemen's Guide to Proper Etiquette

Book excerpt: From advice on how to treat ladies to how to behave at a party this handy 19th-century guidebook will delight readers with it's entertaining nuggets of wisdom. Ever wondered what to do in polite society if you find an insect in your food? Or how a gentleman should ask a lady to dance? And what on earth is the etiquette for smoking cigars? First published in 1860, this classic guide to gentlemanly behavior is a veritable mine of information and indispensable advice for aspiring gentlemen. No matter if a man finds himself at home, in the street, or in a place of amusement, he has but to leaf through this book to learn how best to behave, and indeed how not to behave. And if he can find time between his numerous invitations to balls and hunting parties, he could benefit from a perusal of the sections on gentlemanly deportment and conversational technique. Not forgetting, of course, the all-important advice on how to treat ladies, surely an integral part of any true gentleman's training.