Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation
- Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation
"Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation" is the name of a list best known as a school writing exercise of George Washington, who became the first president of the United States of America. Most of the rules have been traced to a French etiquette manual, dating from the late 16th Century.
They include:
"*1st Every action done in Company, ought to be with Some Sign of Respect, to those that are Present."
"*2d When in Company, put not your Hands to any Part of the Body, not usualy Discovered."
"*3d Shew Nothing to your Friend that may affright him."
"*4th In the Presence of Others Sing not to yourself with a humming Noise, nor Drum with your Fingers or Feet."
Note: What we would today consider spelling errors such as "freind" or "usualy" are from the original papers.
The complete list of 110 such rules may be found .
External links
* [http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/documents/civility/transcript.html Transcript]
* [http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/milestones/etiquette_about.html PBS article]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1248919 NPR article]
References
Washington, George. Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation: a Book of Etiquette. Williamsburg, VA: Beaver Press, 1971.
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