A Renaissance Courtesy-book: Galateo of Manners & BehavioursDella Casa, Giovanni
Philosophy
A Renaissance Courtesy-book: Galateo of Manners & Behaviours
Della Casa, Giovanni
Courtesy -- Early works to 1800; Etiquette -- Early works to 1800
And if all men els, doe weare their heads powled: it shalbe an ill
sight for thee alone, to weare a longe bushe of haire. And where
other men, make muche of their beardes and weare them longe: thou
shalt not doe well to cut thine of, or shave it. For that weare to be
overthwarte in everything: which thou must (in any case) beware of,
except necessitie require it, as thou shalt heare hereafter. For this
singularitie, beyond all other ill customes, makes us generally spited
of all men. Thou must not then go against common custome in these
things, but use them measureably: that thou maist not bee an odd man
alone in a countrey: that shall weare a long Gowne downe to the foote,
where other men weare them very shorte, litle beneath the waste. For
as it hapens to him, that hath a very crabbed ilfavoured face, (I meane
suche, as is more harde and sower then most mennes be, for nature doth
mostly shape them well in moste men) that men will wonder and (with a
kinde of admiration) gape most uppon him: So fares it with them that
attire them selves, not as most men doe: but as they are egged by
their owne fantasticall heads, with long heare spred downe to their
shoulders, their beardes short and shaven, and weare quaiues or greate
cappes after y^e Flaundres fashion: that all men doe gaze uppon them,
as wondering at suche, whome they weene have taken uppon them, to
conquer all countries wheresoever they come. Let your apparell then,
be very well made, and fit for your body: for they that weare rich and
coastly garments, but so illfavouredly shaped, that a man would weene
the measure had bin taken by another: geve us to judge one of these
twaine, that either they have no regarde or consideration how to please
or displease: or els have no skill to judge of measure or grace, or
what doth become them.
Such maner of people, with their rude behaviours and fashions, make men
with whome they live, suspect, they doe esteeme them but light. And
that causeth them worse welcome whersoever they com and ill beloved
amongest men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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