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The Gentlemen's Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness

The Gentlemen's Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness - Cecil B. Hartley This is one of those accidentally funny books. Granted some of the book is quite helpful in manners so if you ignore the crazy parts its not a bad instruction book.On to the funny: During the dinner party monologue I kept picturing someone's spinster aunt glaring at the end of the table glaring at the guest. The inner monologue getting more and more angry as it goes along.The next oddly funny part was the end of the ballroom section. It was mentioned to be careful dancing with a girl because if you move too fast because she might bump into another women with disastrous results. And by disastrous results the book meant that the other girl's charm-bracelet would hurt your date in such a way as to cause her to bleed profusely on her own dress. So many questions at this point. First: how much psi would one's blood have to be under in order to soak ones own dress from a charm prick. Damn those corsets. Second: what on earth were they wearing for charms... ginsu knives? Then there was the whole “be careful if the girl accidentally promises to dance with two men on the same dance but didn't realize it.” Apparently a great many a ballroom brawl has been started by this and you may end up with a horrible gash on your cheek or your arm in a sling. Then the dangers of the waltz: with people galloping around the room with a vigorous waltz you run the risk of breaking your own foot by falling and possibly some bone in her body. … all from the waltz.I love reading about the Victorian time and I have to say this is the first time I have every heard anything about this with ballrooms. I find it impossible any of this is even close to happened but I so want to read a story with this in it. From the 101 tips section of the book. 30. avoid personality: nothing is more ungentlemanly.I'm not joking. This is a quote. There is more but this was my list of highlights. If you don't mind digging amongst the helpful tips this makes a funny read. XD