Nicholas Monsour is an artist and film editor born and raised in Los Angeles.

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Monday
Feb082010

Modern Manners and Social Forms

I found this gem from the golden age of American Victoriana in a thrift store in Chicago.  It is by one "Mrs. Julia M. Bradley", a psuedonym for the book's publisher, James B. Smiley — and the internet tells me it was referred to spitefully in the letters of Mark Twain (probably not this exact copy).  The cover is by far the most interesting part, altough I keep it on hand should I ever be curious about such subjects as the "Treatment of Servants":

Train servants to answer the door-bell properly.  Require them to treat all comers politely, and be careful to explain to them your rules about the 'not at home' formula.

or "The Ettiquette of Balls":

If a lady shows symptoms of weariness at any time, stop at once and escort her to a seat.  No offence should be taken if a lady manifests a desire to stop at any time.  If when escorted to a seat she releases the gentleman to find another partner, he should not accept the release.

 

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