Manners for Men

I found a book entitled "Manners for men" by Mrs. C. E. Humphry ©1897 written toward the end of the 19th century. In it the author goes into great detail on how a man is to behave if he is a gentleman. The first thing that caught my eye was the title of a chapter, entitled "The Ideal Man." I had to chuckle at that. I do not believe there is an ideal man nor is there an ideal woman. I do however believe that there is an ideal man for me, and I'm fortunate enough to have married him but as much as I love my husband he is not perfect, neither am I. It's a rather fun book to read but today I'm going to share an excerpt that also goes to my current writing project of a non-fiction book on 19th century Carriages & Wagons.

Manners for Men in escorting Ladies into a Hansom Cab.


IN A HANSOM.
In handing a lady into a hansom care must be taken to protect her dress from the muddy wheel. The gentleman asks if she would like the glasses down, and conveys her instructions to the driver, then raises his hat as she drives away. Should he be accompanying her in the hansom, she seats herself at when accom- the nearest side to the pavelady. ment, so that when he enters he will not have to go round a corner, as it were. In this case he gives the cabman instructions across the roof of the cab, and if his companion wishes the glasses to be lowered, he asks for them through the trap-door at the top of the cab. He must never smoke when the glasses are let down— to do so would render the atmosphere unbearable to almost any woman. But if he knows his partner in the drive sufficiently well, he can ask permission to smoke, should the glasses not be required.