Etiquette by Emily Post

Etiquette by Emily Post

Many who scoff at a book of etiquette would be shocked to hear the least expression of levity touching the Ten Commandments. But the Commandments do not always prevent such virtuous scoffers from dealings with their neighbor of which no gentleman could be capable and retain his claim to the title. Though it may require ingenuity to reconcile their actions with the Decalogue-the ingenuity is always forthcoming. There is no intention in this remark to intimate that there is any higher rule of life than the Ten Commandments; only it is illuminating as showing the relationship between manners and morals, which is too often overlooked. The polished gentleman of sentimental fiction has so long served as the type of smooth and conscienceless depravity that urbanity of demeanor inspires distrust in ruder minds. On the other hand, the blunt, unpolished hero of melodrama and romantic fiction has lifted brusque-ness and pushfulness to a pedestal not wholly merited. Consequently, the kinship between conduct that keeps us within the law and conduct that makes civilized life worthy to be called such, deserves to be noted with emphasis. The Chinese sage, Confucius, could not tolerate the suggestion that virtue is in Itself enough without politeness, for he viewed them as inseparable and **saw courtesies as coming from the heart, maintaining that *Vhen they are practised with all the heart, a moral elevation ensues.

Many who scoff at a book of etiquette would be shocked to hear the least expression of levity touching the Ten Commandments. But the Commandments do not always prevent such virtuous scoffers from dealings with their neighbor of which no gentleman could be capable and retain his claim to the title. Though it may require ingenuity to reconcile their actions with the Decalogue-the ingenuity is always forthcoming. There is no intention in this remark to intimate that there is any higher rule of life than the Ten Commandments; only it is illuminating as showing the relationship between manners and morals, which is too often overlooked. The polished gentleman of sentimental fiction has so long served as the type of smooth and conscienceless depravity that urbanity of demeanor inspires distrust in ruder minds. On the other hand, the blunt, unpolished hero of melodrama and romantic fiction has lifted brusque-ness and pushfulness to a pedestal not wholly merited. Consequently, the kinship between conduct that keeps us within the law and conduct that makes civilized life worthy to be called such, deserves to be noted with emphasis. The Chinese sage, Confucius, could not tolerate the suggestion that virtue is in Itself enough without politeness, for he viewed them as inseparable and **saw courtesies as coming from the heart, maintaining that *Vhen they are practised with all the heart, a moral elevation ensues.

Emily Post is the renowned author of Etiquette, the source of timeless advice to ordinary people in search of good manners. The book was in its 89th printing at the time of her death in 1960.Post's reputation was recently bolstered by Joan Didion's praise inThe Year of Magical Thinking, in which she namedEtiquette as the source of the best advice on grief management.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781602069367
ISBN 10	1602069360
Title	Etiquette
Author	Emily Post
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Cosimo Classics
Year published	2007-11-01
Number of pages	680
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable