The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 17, No. 494, June 18, 1831 — John Shaqi
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 17, No. 494, June 18, 1831Various
General
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 17, No. 494, June 18, 1831
Various
Popular literature -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
When you direct a letter to a knight bachelor--though it is indeed
customary and well-bred to omit altogether the Knt.--yet it will never
be taken amiss should you venture to address him as a Knight of the
Garter, Bath, &c. &c., or even as a Baronet. Undoubtedly it is as
vulgar to misapprehend and confound titles, as it is to mispronounce
and misspell names; nevertheless rest assured, that flattered vanity
will go far to pardon vulgarity.
If a gentleman, pay infinite attention to the single ladies of a
family--compliment, flirt, converse with, and ask them to dance. This
conduct will obtain for you, on account of the fair creatures,
marvellous good report, numerous invitations; and if you have
sufficient tact to steer clear of committing yourself for more than a
few flattering and general attentions, you may be considered one of
the happiest of those who live--by their wits, and upon their friends.
Should your "dancing days be over," which is scarcely probable,
considering how greatly it is now the fashion for "potent, grave, and
reverend signors," and signoras also, to join the gay quadrille, &c.
(and here we may as well note, that in genteel society, dowager
honourables and old ladies may dance, whilst young, plain misses may
not)--there are sundry modes of rendering yourself agreeable, which
your own taste and talents, it is to be presumed, will naturally
suggest: chess, whist, ecarté, quadrille, &c. &c., not to mention a
little practical knowledge of music, are acquirements which cause an
individual to be considered "very agreeable"--because very useful; and
rely upon it, as the world goes, utility in nine cases out of ten is,
with society, a consideration. Hence, no creature is so universally
voted disagreeable as one from whom no kind of service can be exacted;
and whilst roués, gamesters, and tipplers, duelists, pugilists, and
blacklegs, are tolerated in society, stupid men are overlooked, or
thrust out of it with contempt.
Dress in the extreme of fashion: you can neither gain nor maintain
your ground without so doing; and as you have an end to answer, which
your tailors or milliners have not, of course you will not suffer the
unfashionable dictates of conscience, respecting their bills, to
interfere with your proceedings.
Answer an invitation as soon as it is received; many individuals defer
so doing for some days, which certainly shows fashionable ease and
nonchalance, besides allowing time for the arrival of another and
preferable one; but, by those who are absolutely bent upon advancing
themselves in society, this practice is to be eschewed, since by
perplexing, it so annoys the donor of a fête, that the chances are
greatly against your ever again being asked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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