How to Behave (eBook)

Some persons have the 'instinct of courtesy' so largely developed that they seem hardly to need culture at all. They are equal to any occasion, however novel. They never commit blunders, or if they do commit them, they seem not to be blunders in them. So there are those who sing, speak, or draw intuitively - by inspiration. The great majority of us, however, must be content to acquire these arts by study and practice. In the same way we must acquire the art of behavior, so far as behavior is an art. We must possess, in the first place, a sense of equity, good-will toward our fellow-men, kind feelings, magnanimity and self-control. Cultivation will do the rest. But we most never forget that manners as well as morals are founded on certain eternal principles, and that while 'the letter killeth,' 'the spirit giveth life.'
The original full title of this 1857 American work was 'How To Behave: A Pocket Manual Of Republican Etiquette, And Guide To Correct Personal Habits Embracing An Exposition Of The Principles Of Good Manners, Useful Hints On The Care Of The Person, Eating, Drinking, Exercise, Habits, Dress, Self-Culture, And Behavior At Home, The Etiquette Of Salutations, Introductions, Receptions, Visits, Dinners, Evening Parties, Conversation, Letters, Presents, Weddings, Funerals, The Street, The Church, Places Of Amusement, Traveling, Etc., With Illustrative Anecdotes, a Chapter on Love and Courtship, and Rules of Order for Debating Societies.'

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Although some of the social conventions that etiquette expert Samuel R. Wells addressed in the original 1887 version of How to Behave: A Pocket Manual of Etiquette and Correct Personal Habits have gone out of fashion, most of the basic instructions contained in this comprehensive volume remain relevant even today. Common courtesy, decorum, and decency never go out of style! A must-read for etiquette buffs, or for anyone whose social graces could use a little polish.