FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32  
33   34   35   36   37   38   39   >>  
stow most hearty abuse;--vow that they are an unprincipled set of knaves, scoundrels, and thieves. Hence you will be thought to have "much to say for yourself;" and should you be enabled to narrate any grievous losses sustained from these members of society, you will obtain credit for having "something to lose" at any rate, and find it of incalculable value. 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, ecarte, 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 roues, 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
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32  
33   34   35   36   37   38   39   >>  



Top keywords:
society
 

considered

 

quadrille

 

ladies

 

whilst

 
agreeable
 
fashion
 

obtain

 

signoras

 

extreme


contempt

 
misses
 

overlooked

 

thrust

 

signors

 

genteel

 

dowager

 

honourables

 

friends

 

ground


Should
 

maintain

 

dancing

 
answer
 
potent
 
greatly
 
scarcely
 

probable

 

reverend

 

rendering


blacklegs

 
pugilists
 

utility

 

tolerated

 

consideration

 
duelists
 

service

 

gamesters

 

disagreeable

 
creature

tipplers

 

universally

 

naturally

 
suggest
 

presumed

 

talents

 

exacted

 

ecarte

 

mention

 
acquirements