head and held in the right hand during the bow,--which is at once
brief, deferential, and dignified. It may be accompanied by the
handshake, in which case the hat is lifted by the left hand.

The degree of the depth of the bow is usually spontaneous, determined
by the deference felt, or the emotions which the meeting may summon.
It is useless to bow low to conceal scorn or real disdain, for they
are sure to reveal themselves in the artificiality of the pose, or in
the carriage of the shoulders, or in the movement of an eyelash, and
usually nobody is deceived.

The correct position for an extreme bow is with the feet near
together, the legs straight, and the entire body inclined from the
hips. This is somewhat too extreme for common use, and should be
modified always in public, the less elaborate bow being much
preferable upon the street or in public places.

A woman bows more erectly than a man does, and gives perhaps as
cordial an impression by the greater expressiveness of her greeting,
which should always be characteristic, and never mechanical, or in
imitation of others, whose natural traits may be far different,
however admirable she may consider their style to be. It is only when
she meets some one her senior, or in much more important social
position, or one whom she specially delights to honor, that she
elaborates her bow, or curtsies if not in public and if the occasion
admit of the formality.

A lady should be straightforward in her greeting, never condescending
to the coquettish mannerism of letting the eyes fall during the bow.
She should sink her personal consciousness in the fact of meeting
another, and should not intrude it into the intellectual interest of
such a meeting.

The handshake is accomplished by extending the right hand horizontally
from the elbow and clasping, between the closed four fingers and thumb
of the hand, the closed four fingers of the friend's right hand, then
quietly shaking it. This is sometimes varied by lifting the clasped
hands,--not the elbow,--to the height of the shoulders, and there
mildly shaking them, or clasping them with a slight pressure and
letting them drop,--styles savoring of affectation. The impulse
prompting the handshake,--that of getting together in intimate
personal greeting,--is accomplished when the clasp is ended, and
vigorous and prolonged shaking, or special pressure, or continued
holding of the hand, are all alike unpardonable.

The bow is the le