More Retro Etiquette for "The Lady"

"ONLY one man in a thousand, and one woman in ten thousand, is capable of writing sincerely. Sincerity is a form of genius."

The Lady. Far and Near. 20th August, 1903

The front cover from an 1889 issue of “The Lady” 

"IF you accept hospitality from friends, you should return it in some form, however humble, and nice people will be just as pleased if you invite them to afternoon tea as to an elaborate dinner." The Lady. Household Management. 1899

"THERE is a serious resentment among women that the present political weight of the housewife should inspire such an unflattering assessment of her general intelligence and sense of life"

The Lady. With Prejudice. 27th April, 1950

“A ROUND table is generally the most becoming to a smallish room; more sociable, too, for entertaining than the angled kind.”

The Lady. Furnishing the Dining Room. 29th March, 1934

"THE woman who knows how to put on a hat and make an epigram is also likely to season a soup and keep moths and cobwebs out of her storeroom, yet the idea that housewives are a dull class persists."

The Lady. With Prejudice. 19th January, 1933

“PEOPLE cannot help being influenced by their surroundings and their environment; therefore how all important it is that both of these should be healthy and cheery, for health and happiness both go hand-in-hand.” The Lady. The Blessing of Old Health. 18th November, 1920

"IN these days of stress and hustle it is more important that we should sleep well. Otherwise the busy brain which has been so hard at work all day will after time lose its power." The Lady. The Secret Of A Good Night's Rest. 4th April, 1912

“THE delicate shrinking from the gaze of the world is in a certain section of women becoming more and more rare; it is laughed at as prudish, or as a mark of stupidity and dullness.”

The Lady. More About Women. 16th January, 1890

“WE are quite sure that it is regular work, and work which is imposed, which keeps people well and happy. What makes leisure and holidays delightful is just the fact that they come rarely. If you can have them whenever you like they lose their nature.” The Lady. The Joy of Work. 14th May 1914

"A SPICE of humour seasons the monotony of life. Without it the handsomest, most intellectual man is a bore, the most beautiful gifted woman insipid." The Lady. The Zest of Life. 11th September, 1924

“GOSSIP may mean many things – harmless or otherwise. But let us be on our guard when some one comes to us and chatters of “news” told “in confidence”! It is not always she who appears most kindly in her interest who is the safe sharer of sacred (maybe sorrowful) secrets! Charming manners do not always connote sincerity of heart!” The Lady. In Confidence. 4th April, 1918

"ABOVE everything else, as a guide to the "right thing" stands sympathy. Those who keep truly and sensitively in sympathy with the poeple about them, their surroundings, the evenys in which they find themselves taking part will never look or do or say anything that is very far removed from the coveted "right thing". The Lady. The "Right" Thing. 30th November, 1916

"THE depression affects all alike, for it is needless to say that if one class suffers, all must more or less suffer with it, though many are too short-sighted to realise this." The Lady. Renumerative Employment. 12th January, 1888

"SMALL vices sometimes lead to such good results that it seems they should almost be cultivated under the heading of "lesser evils."'

The Lady. Pigeon-holes. 11th February, 1909

“EATING in public is a terrible ordeal to many people, and it is certain one can judge more of a person’s social training at a first interview than by observing him at a table than in any other way.’

The Lady. American Ways Of Eating. 16th January, 1890

"ONE of the great lessons which Dame Nature teaches us is to look ahead. Therefore in the infancy of the year we ought to be making plans" The Lady. Floral Decoration. 11th February, 1909 

“FOR all of us who really like our fellow creatures, gossip is the spice of life. I don’t mean malicious gossip, but the pleasant exchange of little tit-bits of news and ideas with the right kind of people. It gives life its little bits of flavour, without which it would so often be dull.” The Lady. The Spice of Life by Sally Lunn. 17th January, 1946

"THE woman who allows herself to speak badly of others, who through envy or any other reason tries to injure another, loses each time she does so some softness and youthful contour." The Lady. Health is beauty and a simple life by Mrs. Adair. 24th November 1910

"ONE may be glad to use paper napkins and plates at a picnic, but to do so is to demonstrate that one no longer takes pleasure in, or desires, fine linen and china." The Lady. 'With Prejudice' by Clio. 19th July 1934

A Christmas Cover of "The Lady"

“ONE pair of willing hands is worth far more in the running of a pleasant home than any machine...” The Lady. With Prejudice: by Clio. 10th July, 1952.

“THOUGH we owe so much to the diarists of the past, there is a distinct feeling among those who never keep a diary that their inability to do so indicates certain charm.” The Lady. With Prejudice. 5th January 1933.

"AN experience which befalls most people sooner or later is that of being photographed by a professional in his studio. The desire to be reproduced three-dimensionally is as old as the human race and comes no doubt, from an unacknowledged craving to see ourselves as others see us." The Lady. The Art Of Being Photographed. 10th April 1930

"The first thing to decide when you are pondering whether you will share a flat with your friend, is not whether you love her but whether you can live with her! Try to put affection aside and to think of her impartially." The Lady. On Living Together. 10th March, 1932

“MOST women like cleanliness, order, ritual and neatness. These things are not found in bohemia. Yet the bohemian often produces exquisitely ordered and controlled work, while living a life of sheer, uncomfortable chaos.” The Lady. Excursions to Bohemia. 7th July, 1932

"It is never wise for anyone to rush into sudden friendship, especially young women. Far better for a girl to be thought a little dull at first than to do this, for, as many have found to their cost, it is easy enough to make undesirable acquaintances but very difficult to withdraw from them once made." The Lady. The Bachelor Girls. 7th July 1904

“It will be found that the foregoing simple system of book-keeping will not only check rash expenditure, but make a fascinating record which in after years will be found most interesting.” The Lady, Home Book-keeping, 5th July 1923

“A tin of home-made biscuits is always a useful addition to the store cupboard; they can be made well in advance for a tea party, or are ready to hand when the unexpected guest arrives.” The Lady. And Some Good Biscuit Recipes. 12th November, 1953

"The first thing to decide when you are pondering whether you will share a flat with your friend, is not whether you love her but whether you can live with her! Try to put affection aside and to think of her impartially." The Lady. On Living Together. 10th March, 1932

"IT may appear a very small matter, but in reality, a mistress cannot be too particular about the way in which the door is answered and visitors are announced." The Lady. Household Management. 23rd July, 1896

"Somehow the returning of baskets and boxes is one of the things, like returning borrowed books, which the average person find difficult or even impossible." The Lady. With Prejudice. 25th June 1936.

"We do not spoil a small child’s birthday, if we have any real sympathy with young minds, by giving all the other children cakes and wreaths as well." The Lady. With Prejudice. 25th June, 1936.

“The only disgrace which can be attached to a woman-worker comes, not from the work, but from the way in which it is done. Marriage cannot come to all daughters, and even those happily married have to consider the chances of widowhood.” The Lady. Untrained daughters. 25th May 1899

"TO be a wife and to be a girl bachelor are both good things, entered into wisely." The Lady. The Emancipated Girl. 3rd September, 1893 

"PEOPLE in England talk too much at luncheon or dinner about politics and not enough about literature, music or painting. The question does rather present itself as to whether conversation, as a fine art, is dying out in the hurry clipped phraseology of to-day."

The Lady. The Art of Conversation. 12th December, 1929

"AFTERNOON calls are not paid before three o'clock. Formal calls, first ones, and those made by slight acquaintances are usually made before four o'clock; more friendly ones between four and five, but you would not call later than five unless you knew your hostess very well. None but intimate friends would think of calling upon you during the busy hours before luncheon." The Lady. Letters to Do from "Lady Clare". 30th November, 1916 

Written by Katy Pearson ~ Originally printed online at http://www.lady.co.uk

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia