Miss Leslie's Behavior Book; a Guide and Manual for Ladies As Regards Their Conversation, Manners, Dress, Introductions, Entree to Society, Shopping .

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1839 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXIV. MISCELLANIES. li may be -well to caution our young friends against certain bad practices, easily contracted, but sometimes difficult to relinquish. The following are things not to be done: --Biting your nails. Slipping a ring up and down your finger. Sitting cross-kneed, and jogging your feet. Drumming on the table with your knuckles; or, still worse, tinking on a piano with your fore-finger only. Humming a tune before strangers. Singing as you go up and down stairs. Putting your arm round the neck of another young girl, or promenading the room with arms encircling waists. Holding the hand of a friend all the time she sits beside you; or kissing and fondling her before company. Sitting too closely. Slapping a gentleman with your handkerchief, or tapping him with your fan. Allowing him to take a ring off your finger, to look at it. Permitting him to unclasp your bracelet, or, still worse, to inspect your brooch. When these ornaments are to be shown to another person, always take them off for the purpose. Pulling at your own ringlets, or your own ear-rings-- or fingering your neck ribbon. Suffering a gentleman to touch your curls. Reading with a gentleman off the same book or newspaper. Looking over the shoulder of any person who is reading or writing, Taking up a written paper from the table, and examining it. To listen at door-cracks, and peep through keyholes, is vulgar and contemptible. So it is to ask children questions concerning their parents, though such things are still done. If you mean that you were angry, do not say you were "mad."--"It made me so mad"--"I was quite mad at her," are phrases not to be used by people considering themselves genteel. Anger and madness are not the same, or should not be; though it is...