Etiquette of French Railways, 1902

The following hints on points of railway customs and etiquette in connection with which trouble often ensues, may not, perhaps, be superfluous. 

French Railway Customs 

A Seat May Be Held By Leaving a Coat in It

It is to be feared that many English and American travelers in France expect to find the same laws and regulations obtaining on French railways as they are accustomed to at home: and when they find that they are very different they are apt to resent it—an attitude which occasionally results in collision with the officials. The following hints on points of railway customs and etiquette in connection with which trouble often ensues, may not, perhaps, be superfluous. 

Claims to a seat —The right to a seat, which has been engaged by placing upon it a coat or some other article, has actually been legalized by a recent test case in the French law courts, while the right in England depends, of course, solely upon custom, and cannot be enforced. Not only this, but in France each passenger is legally entitled to the use of that portion of the rack and floor imemdiately above or below his seat.

Control of windows—English travelers often complain of the tendency of French travelers to keep the windows closed unnecessarily. It is the best policy to put up with this annoyance, as an appeal to the guard will not as a rule be successful. His sympathies are likely to be with his compatriots, who regard the love of English people for open windows as a foolish fad, and one, too, which is dangerous to health. 

Smoking carriages—The rule for smoking on French railways is the reverse of that which obtains in England. Though carriages for fumeurs are provided, smoking is permitted in any carriage with the consent of the occupant, and in practice almost every compartment except those labeled dames seules is a smoking one. 

Tips to porters—English travelers are apt to inveigh against the greed and rapacity of French porters, especially at Paris stations. This is probabiy due to ignorance of the fact that at Paris termini the facteur who fetches a cab from outside the station—and this is usually necessary—is entitled to a gratuity. And in Paris one franc is customary. This being the case, the traveler who presents him with a few coppers (which would be civilly accepted at a London station) must not be surprised if he is confronted with black looks. 

Customs examination —At Calais, Boulogne or Dieppe the traveler should be on i his guard against accepting the services of a man in semi-uniform (not a porter), who will offer to see the traveler's luggage through the customs. His services will cost you a fee of 2s. 6d. —London Travel, 1902

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Etiquette of Cannibalism

Rumour had it... Jean-Bédel Bokassa a former colonel who seized power in the Central African Republic and went on to proclaim himself Emperor of his impoverished nation, may or may not have been a cannibal. The rumours have never been proven nor disproven.

"Even among the savages of French Africa, who eat human flesh, there are differences," said Paul Pucci, a young Italian traveler. "Some while ago, when exploring in that country, I learned a good bit about the ways of the various tribes. In a majority of them cannibalism is indulged only when the bodies are those of prisoners taken in battle. It is all right to eat persons who belong to hostile clans, but it would be a gross violation of tradition and the custom of the land to feast upon the friends or even upon members of the same tribe. 

This delicacy of sentiment, however, is not universal, and in one tribe in particular, where I noted the absence of any old persons, I learned that it was the proper thing to add the aged inhabitants to the local food supply. This confined the population to the young and hardy, for at the first signs of decrepitude the boiling pot was called into requisition."—Washington Post, 1906

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Etiquette and French Calves

According to all rules of precedent and etiquette, if knee breeches must be donned, and nature has been unkind to the wearer he must call in artificial aid.

Coronation Calves to Order
A Parisian Industry Being Boomed by Thin British Shanks

Parisians must and will be amused. When there is nothing to occupy their attention they upset ministries and raise barricades. Consequently one must not begrudge them their joke, even if it is a “false calf.” 

It would appear, or at least Parisian news-sheets tell us so, that a certain quantity of artificial calves are being manufactured in Paris in view of the Coronation festivities. We are not all Pickwicks, with a well-filled gaiter, and when, according to all rules of precedent and etiquette, knee breeches must be donned, if nature has been unkind to the wearer he must call in artificial aid. Consequently the trade in artificial calves is very brisk. 

It has been found, however, that even without such an incentive as the coronation fetes the artlficial-calf industry is regularly occupied in manufacturing such articles for home consumption. Frenchmen must not chaff England in this respect, for every year numerous French cyclists, society men—yes, and society women —invest thirty francs in padding for their nether limbs. 

We must therefore add another article to the list of adulterated and imitated goods mentioned above, for even legs are not always what they seem. —From the Los Angeles Herald, as printed in the Paris Messenger, 1902

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Etiquette and Dutch Politeness, 1896

A lady is bowed to by all of her father’s, brother’s or husband’s friends, and if a Dutch boy’s father or brother has ever met a lady, that boy must recognize her.

Social Etiquette in the Netherlands is Peculiar

Social etiquette in the Netherlands is as interesting as it is peculiar, and in its extraordinary manifestations, it is a revelation of what constituted the customs of New York hospitality of two centuries ago. The French are polite, but their politeness is nothing as compared with that of the Dutch.

The visitor notices it as soon as he arrives in the country and as he sees it in the street salutations. Everybody bows, nobody nods, and mere touching of the hat is unknown. As in France, the gentleman bows first; but, although he may have bowed for ten years, he is denied the privilege of addressing the lady. A bow is given to every acquaintance.

A Dutchman gives an order to a workman and takes off his hat with a bow that would not bring discredit to a dude. If he meets his neighbor's footman or kitchen girl, he salutes her as he does her mistress, and the men servants give their recognition on meeting ladies. Everyone bows on passing a house where acquaintances reside, and it is amusing to see men go by and take off their hats at the windows—it is quite immaterial whether any of the family are visible.

Moreover, ladies make a polite bend of the whole body as they pass houses where they visit. Tradesmen salute all of their customers. A lady is bowed to by all of her father's, brother's or husband's friends, and if a Dutch boy's father or brother has ever met a lady, that boy must recognize her. Every man takes off his hat to every other man that he knows, the dutchman and the pastor bowing as politely as two lords.— From Golden Rule, 1896

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Etiquette and American Nobility

 It had been her good fortune to be born in America, where the routine of court etiquette is unknown. 

On a certain occasion, some years since, half a dozen titled ladies were in the anteroom of the German Empress by appointment. Her Majesty was engaged for a time and the audience was delayed beyond the limits of ordinary patience. 

At last one of the restless group remarked in French to her neighbor their prolonged wait was growing irksome, all the more so to her personally because it had been her good fortune to be born in America, where the routine of court etiquette is unknown. 

To her surprise, the lady addressed replied that she also had been born in this country. In a few minutes others joined in the conversation, and it was discovered that the whole company, without exception, though members of that privileged class known in Europe as the nobility, were native Americans. It was a unique incident. — N. Y. Herald, 1887

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French Court Etiquette and Romance

Her air is as noble as her birth. Her hair is of a bright chestnut hue, and her complexion rivals that of the gayest flowers. The snowy whiteness of her skin betrays the lines from which she sprang. 

Incidents in the Lives of World-Famous Women

How the Princess Henriette of England Just Missed Being Queen of France

Among the fair women who made the court of Louis XIV famous for brilliancy and beauty, there were none lovelier than Henriette, Duchess d’Orleane. She was the daughter of Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria, and the wife of Philllppe, “the little Monsieur,” the King’s brother. 

When misfortune descended upon the royal house of Stuart the Princess Henriette was smuggled into France disguised as a vagabond in a ragged suit of boy’s clothes. She was restored to her mother, and although the exiled Queen was supremely happy to have her little daughter safe under her care, she was often driven to despair by their extreme poverty. The little girl was many times forced to spend the day in bed because there was no fuel to burn. 

Anne of Austria, the Queen-mother, supplied the English exiles with clothes and money, and, later on, invited them to the French court. As the little Henriette approached young womanhood she gave promise of becoming very beautiful. 

She is described in the following words by a contemporary: “Her air is as noble as her birth. Her hair is of a bright chestnut hue, and her complexion rivals that of the gayest flowers. The snowy whiteness of her skin betrays the lines from which she sprang. Her eyes are blue and brilliant, her lips ruddy, her throat beautiful, her arms and hands well made. Her charms show that she was born on a throne and is destined to return there.” 

She made her first public appearance at a ball given by Anne of Austria at the Louvre. When the gentlemen chose their partners for the opening dance the handsome young Louis of France offered his hand to the Princess of Mercoeur. The Queen-mother sternly rebuked him for this breach of etiquette, saying, “You must dance first with the Princess Henriette of England.’’ Queen Henrietta Maria saw that the King was not pleased with this interference, and sought to mend matters by answering: “My daughter has hurt her foot and therefore cannot dance.” 

But Anne of Austria was determined that her son should obey the laws of Court etiquette and insisted. “Then Henriette and Louis shall sit out the dance together.” From that moment Louis formed a dislike for his cousin, blasting the fond hopes of the two Queens that he would ask Henriette to share his throne. — By Eloise Farrington, March 1917

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Etiquette's Ancient Global History

During the reign of Louis XIV, the behavior at French Court functions, if correct, was “according to the ticket.” 

On Manners of Other Days

Etiquette is a French word which means simply "ticket" or "label." During the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715) the functions at the French Court were so elaborate, that it became necessary to give every visitor a ticket (une étiquette) on which were listed the formalities he was expected to observe. Thus, his behavior, if correct, was "according to the ticket." It is in the sense that we have taken the word in the English and it is become to mean a code of conduct or behavior that is considered socially correct.

But long before the French Court in all its complexity adopted this device, in fact long before Western civilization came into being, ancient philosophers were concerned with man's conduct in relation to his fellows. No people have ever paid close closer attention to the matter of formal courtesy than the ancient Chinese. 

The "Li Ki," compiled by Confucius over twenty five hundred years ago, says, "Of all the methods for the ordering of man, there is none more urgent than the use of ceremonies." Yet Confucius, who was a stickler for the proprieties of social custom, cautioned against letting behavior become too elaborate. "In this matter of rituals and ceremonies," he wrote, "rather then be extravagant, be simple."

There are numerous other examples from the Chinese, many of which are so solidly founded in common sense that they apply today. For example, Chuang Tse (fifth century B.C.) said simply: "If you are always offending others by your superiority, you will come to grief. Trying to make of the customs of Chu succeed in Lu is like pushing a boat on land." To Chuang Tse society was "an agreement between a certain number of families and individuals to abide by certain customs."

The ancient sacred books of the Hindus and Buddhists also contain many excellent rules for behavior, some of which sound so modern that they might appear in one of today's etiquette columns. One of these cautions us against picking our teeth, blowing our noses loudly, yawning without covering our mouths, and biting our nails.                    

Eleanor Roosevelt pictured on her  1962, “Common Sense Book of Etiquette”

I was told as a child that it was discourteous to eat everything on my plate when I was a guest. To do so was an indication of greediness and implied that the hostess have not provided enough to eat. Indian children were told the same thing nearly two thousand years ago, for one of the Puranas cautions: "No man should eat so as nothing will be left of his meal."— Eleanor Roosevelt, 1962

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An Etiquette Problem at Versailles

"Reception of Condé in Versailles"—  Depiction of the great Escalier des Ambassadeurs, in Versailles of 1674, when Louis XIV welcomed the Grand Condé, who has just defeated William of Orange in the battle of Seneffe. This event marked the end of almost fifteen years of exile for the Grand Condé, which had been designed by the king to punish "his cousin" for leading the Fronde against the monarchy.

Painfully Ill from the Etiquette at Versailles?

'The royal court of France used to be a great place for etiquette. Louis XIV once caught a severe cold owing to the fact that on his arising from his bed one cold morning, the lord of the chamber, whose duty it was to hand him his shirt, happened to be absent. Not one of the numerous courtiers present had the courage to trangress etiquette by handing the garment to the shivering monarch."—London Scrap Book, 1908

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