Manual of Etiquette: X - Etiquette for Young Gentlemen
From FiranMUX
There is an alarming propensity for young men in modern times to eschew the basic principles of etiquette, under the mistaken impression that to conform to the rules of propriety should emasculate a man. An ignorant young man may bellow and whoop, drink to excess, argue at the tiniest provocation, and display in public an unseemly lack of manners, all in an ill thought attempt to demonstrate to the world his manly qualities. Such qualities, if they might be called so, are hardly inspiring to a civilised society, mimicking as they do the behaviour of the most base animal, not the worthier pursuits of the refined gentleman who should forward the goals of the Republic. Neither, however, should a young man be accommodating to the point of obsequiousness, for the weak man is equally as offensive to society as the boor. Instead, the young gentleman must pursue a delicate balance, to polish his natural qualities of good sense, courage and integrity and gild them with an outer layer of courtesy.
A young gentleman, regardless of breeding, shows courtesy to ladies and elders, and should rise to his feet upon their entry or departure from his company. A gentleman may offer his arm to a lady if the hour is late or her footing may be otherwise unsteady, but she is by no means obliged to take it. It is to be noted that a young man treats a woman with respect not because she is necessarily deserving of such treatment, but because he is deserving of the title of gentleman.
It is tacitly recognised that young men are subject to certain base urges which should distract them from their duties if left wholly unattended. Outwith his duty to provide his wife with children, a gentleman is expected and encouraged to turn to an appropriate outlet that he might be sated in such lusts, and therefore return clear minded to his duty. The women who offer themselves to a gentleman for this purpose renounce all claims to honour and reputation, and thus live as a result of their chosen vocation outside the rules of etiquette and civilised society. It is considered particularly poor taste to introduce such a woman to one's home, one's friends, or to discuss her in polite company. While their important function to our society is noted, their presence in person or in conversation is objectionable.
I shall touch briefly at this point upon the subject of noble privilege, that is the granting of a child by a nobleman to a particularly worthy common woman. While there are many scrolls which detail the responsibilities of a nobleman in the matter, this scroll should not be complete without a brief mention. A woman who is granted a child of noble blood is honoured, but such an honour means nothing if in the process her reputation is shattered. A gentleman should ensure that a woman considered worthy of his child has also a worthy husband, as it should be a mark of shame to give birth to a child out of wedlock, thus making a whore of the very woman he intends to honour. Neither should a gentleman usually grant a woman with child, and only then hurry to find a suitable husband before the birth. One would not gift to a friend a hound and trust to luck that a kennel might be built before the animal ruins their home, and likewise one should not gift to a woman a child and trust to luck that a husband might be found before the baby ruins her reputation. As a final point on the matter, a gentleman should remember simply that if a woman is not worthy of his consideration, respect and attention, neither is she worthy of his child.
In summation, it is hoped that young men of good reputation will realise that the measure of a man in civilised society is not by his appetites, by his desires or by his instinct, but by his behaviour and dignity, by his respect for tradition and decency and most importantly, his respect for himself as a gentleman.
