3. The meats, fowls, etc., are ready carved. Delicious salads should always be
provided, and strong coffee. Wine may be given.
4. A dressing-room for ladies, and one for gentlemen, should be provided with
all the necessaries for making the toilet.
5. When guests arrive, they should be met near the door of the reception room
by the hostess, who should receive them cordially.
i). Other members of the family should busy themselves in introducing the
guests, finding partners foi' those unprovided, and in other ways seeking to make the
affair enjoyable to all.
7. A gentleman cannot refuse an introduction to a lady at a ball.
IX. General Rules of Party Etiquette.
J.. If unacquainted with a dance, a gentleman should never attempt it, unless
invited by a lady to do so, and even then should acknowledge his ignorance.
2. The will of the gentleman must be completely subordinated to that of his
partner, should she for any cause decline a dance, or having begun it, desire to retire,
he must cheerfully acquiesce.
3. In conducting a lady to her place in a set, or to her seat after a dance, offer
the arm respectfully.
4. A lady has the right to decline introductions at pubHc balls. An introduc-
tion, even at a private ball, does not necessitate after-recognition.
5. Any excuse offered by a lady is valid.
6. A gentleman who has been declined as a partner should not ask any lady in
hearing to dance in that set, but may go to another part of the room and do so. The
reasons for this are obvious.
7. If a lady refuse a dance, for which she has no prior engagement, and no
good excuse, a gentleman should not ask her again to honor him.
8. If a lady pleads only that she doesn't like the particular dance about to
begin, the next may be asked for. Should she plead excessive fatigue, she should
not dance again, as her inconsistency would have the appearance of falsehood.
ETIQUETTE OF THE STREET, BALL, CHURCH, ETC. 401
9. Never attempt " fancy " ,stei)s in dancing, and do not dance too well — that
is, with the air of a dancing master. Walk gracefully through quadiilles, and in
waltzing, do so with a quiet grace unmarked by effort.
10. The formula : " May I have the pleasure?," " Allow me the pleasure," or,
" Will you honor me? " is all that is necessary in asking for a dance.
11. It is the duty of the escort to attend the lady at the end of each dance,
to hold her gloves, fan, boquet, etc., to see that she does not enter or cross the ball-
room alone, and to provide her with partners.
12. Unmarried ladies should restrict themselves to two dances with any gentle-
man; more are apt to cause remark.
13. Never occupy the seat next to a lady you do not know ; if you cannot obtain
an introduction, do not embarrass her by taking that seat.
14. If a lady has no escort, and the hostess has made no arrangement for one
to see her to supper, the gentleman who danced with her immediately preceding
supper, will escort her to that refreshment. In entering the supper-room, do so
slowly and gracefully; avoid all appearance of haste. Ladies should not remain
more than ten or fifteen minutes at the table.
15. The escort, if invited to enter the lady's house, on the return from the ball,
should, under ordinary circumstances, politely decline, but should call the next day.
X. Evening Parties— The Conversazione.
Page 230
Presented as published in 1905. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
3. The meats, fowls, etc., are ready carved. Delicious salads should always be provided, and strong coffee. Wine may be given.
4. A dressing-room for ladies, and one for gentlemen, should be provided with all the necessaries for making the toilet.
5. When guests arrive, they should be met near the door of the reception room by the hostess, who should receive them cordially.
i). Other members of the family should busy themselves in introducing the guests, finding partners foi' those unprovided, and in other ways seeking to make the affair enjoyable to all.
7. A gentleman cannot refuse an introduction to a lady at a ball.
IX. General Rules of Party Etiquette.
J.. If unacquainted with a dance, a gentleman should never attempt it, unless invited by a lady to do so, and even then should acknowledge his ignorance.
2. The will of the gentleman must be completely subordinated to that of his partner, should she for any cause decline a dance, or having begun it, desire to retire, he must cheerfully acquiesce.
3. In conducting a lady to her place in a set, or to her seat after a dance, offer the arm respectfully.
4. A lady has the right to decline introductions at public balls. An introduction, even at a private ball, does not necessitate after-recognition.
5. Any excuse offered by a lady is valid.
6. A gentleman who has been declined as a partner should not ask any lady in hearing to dance in that set, but may go to another part of the room and do so. The reasons for this are obvious.
7. If a lady refuse a dance, for which she has no prior engagement, and no good excuse, a gentleman should not ask her again to honor him.
8. If a lady pleads only that she doesn't like the particular dance about to begin, the next may be asked for. Should she plead excessive fatigue, she should not dance again, as her inconsistency would have the appearance of falsehood.
9. Never attempt " fancy " ,stei)s in dancing, and do not dance too well — that is, with the air of a dancing master. Walk gracefully through quadrilles, and in waltzing, do so with a quiet grace unmarked by effort.
10. The formula : " May I have the pleasure?," " Allow me the pleasure," or, " Will you honor me? " is all that is necessary in asking for a dance.
11. It is the duty of the escort to attend the lady at the end of each dance, to hold her gloves, fan, boquet, etc., to see that she does not enter or cross the ballroom alone, and to provide her with partners.
12. Unmarried ladies should restrict themselves to two dances with any gentleman; more are apt to cause remark.
13. Never occupy the seat next to a lady you do not know ; if you cannot obtain an introduction, do not embarrass her by taking that seat.
14. If a lady has no escort, and the hostess has made no arrangement for one to see her to supper, the gentleman who danced with her immediately preceding supper, will escort her to that refreshment. In entering the supper-room, do so slowly and gracefully; avoid all appearance of haste. Ladies should not remain more than ten or fifteen minutes at the table.
15. The escort, if invited to enter the lady's house, on the return from the ball, should, under ordinary circumstances, politely decline, but should call the next day.
X. Evening Parties— The Conversazione.