ETIQUETTE IN OTHER COUNTRIES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 205, 23 May 1908, Page 11

ETIQUETTE IN OTHER COUNTRIES

•A; book ;has recently, been published- on " Etiquette, English and Foreign."' In. it thei writer explains' the various points' in which 1 :foreigu; etinuetto differs from ours; With' regard to the. paying of the;first call,: 6ho .tells : us that " ,AVhen strangers .arrive at acountry place in England, tlio residents call:"on .them, at; once, if .they wish ; to 'show. .thom;''civility.-- In', Italy it'is exactly the" op-, positiii.it: is the place of'the new-comer to call first. . ; "' . ' ■■■ '"i "'Many s of our compatriots havo spent the most dreary, winter's: in -Rome from want of knowing;/about,this' rule.-"It proper .to take with , you, of course, but you; are.supposed;to, take-the initiative with r_ogard ; ; to callingon tho people to whom you have letters.":', ..'•' '-. • V.- <' : ' With reference., to the! acknowledgment of a.' friend or acquaintance in !the; street, we are 'told-that "In England a "lady bows .first, to.'agentleman whom- she happens' . to: meet when' out walking,, but; in France, oi\Germany i the'man's'hat .flies off .;before lie knows swhether thejady-intends to -recognise'liim or not. ■. ''This,. change of : custom is often/perplexing vto - young fofeign .-'ladies'; over-. here, .'.who often,' cut' (their, best {friends ■- in-, the ■ street, iwhijst . the .latter, are , waiting, las it were, for permission to .bow." ■ 1: ' "I..!'; -J;.- , •-Then, ! again; -.with preference', to:' the' question. 1 bf'' ! hatTWearing_::at.'lunoheon,^we learn, ■that-".In; England it is considered,'very-bid fdnn. for . a-lady to tako, off her hat' at a limch-party. ' Such, a- thing:* would ;only : bo 'doiie ~among, intimates. 1n,,.. Franco all' the ladies are.- invited to take off thoir hats when tliey,- go . out to : . lunch; they aro supposed to be;moro at their ease. . . .: It . is well .for.' Englishwomen ;tb; bo :aware .of , this ;fact,, otherwise (the polite invitation! to lay aside : their, headgear'may produce as disastrous. results as does the : peremptory cry',of• 1 Hats off' at a.'matinee. It is,'very trying 'to have to. removo !your headgear, in public, unless. you -arel/sure . that .you . are bien coiffee." ; ' - . • . ' j." After dinner," the writer, goes on,' ''.the ladies leave'-tho tablo. .first in ! England; abroad, , the whole' ; company. adjourns to /the salon.- A -recent writer •on French customs •has .-.a:: good .'deal to '.say on this - point, arid bitterly criticises the English 'hostess', for, this .practice,' Just as> conversation 1 /is at its brightest,'' she • savs/ ' and ' the' . ice ? has 'begun-,to thaw, what does: the English hostess do ? : She begins to fidget, she invites the ladieß .to leave .the table,, she cuts the thread of, the, conversation,, and ;it can-never bo exactly,joined again. /i)o you \think that tho man; yon had begun'to-interest thinks of:you-, after you, are gone?; Not at 'all'; he. drinks port -wine,and- champagne, and talks to his neighbour of: horses; or;affairs. 1 : ■'"There.is something to. beisaid.from this point;! df. view, 'and it may; ,be that this Englishwoman. will one day .'borrow a. leaf from tho book, of her, French sister, who Certainly knows-how, to hold ; a": salon'.". ~ ~ !,., !:■• A curious: point; is mentioned with regard to. sofas and .chairs. ' " In Germany, people attach great importance to tho sofa, . end distinguished guests- are motioned towards it, as,though to-a seat near a.throne. 'No young-unmarried girl would venture to; seat herself .upon this hallowed spot—it is a privilege for • her superiors in rank. A- German gentleman bows- to all -the company tho moment he enters the room.. An Englishman makes for -' his hostess, .and only bows to people, with whom *ho is . acquainted or to whom ho' is introduced.".