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    THE LADIES' GUIDE

    TO TRUE

    POLITENESS AND PERFECT MANNERS;

    OR,

    MISS LESLIE'S BEHAVIOUR BOOK.


    A GUIDE AND MANUAL FOR LADIES,

    AS REGARDS THEIR

    CONVERSATION; MANNERS; DRESS; INTRODUCTIONS; ENTRE TO SOCIETY;
    SHOPPING; CONDUCT IN THE STREET; AT PLACES OF AMUSEMENT; IN
    TRAVELING; AT THE TABLE, EITHER AT HOME, IN COMPANY, OR
    AT HOTELS; DEPORTMENT IN GENTLEMEN'S SOCIETY; LIPS;
    COMPLEXION; TEETH; HANDS; THE HAIR; ETC., ETC.

    WITH FULL INSTRUCTIONS AND ADVICE IN

    LETTER WRITING; RECEIVING PRESENTS; INCORRECT WORDS; BORROWING;
    OBLIGATIONS TO GENTLEMEN; OFFENCES; CHILDREN; DECORUM IN
    CHURCH; AT EVENING PARTIES; AND SUGGESTIONS IN BAD
    PRACTICES AND HABITS EASILY CONTRACTED, WHICH NO
    YOUNG LADY SHOULD BE GUILTY OF, ETC., ETC.


    BY MISS LESLIE.

    AUTHOR OF "MISS LESLIE'S CELEBRATED NEW COOKERY BOOK,"
    "MISS LESLIE'S NEW RECEIPTS FOR COOKING," ETC.


    Philadelphia:
    T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS,
    306 CHESTNUT STREET.

       *       *       *       *       *

    Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by

    T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS,

    the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and
    for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

       *       *       *       *       *




PREFACE.


It is said that soon after the publication of Nicholas Nickleby, not
fewer than six Yorkshire schoolmasters (or rather six principals of
Yorkshire institutes) took journeys to London, with the express purpose
of prosecuting Dickens for libels--"each one and severally" considering
himself shown up to the world as Mr. Squeers of Dotheboys Hall.

Now, if Dickens had drawn as graphic a picture of Dothe_girls_ Hall, we
firmly believe that none of the lady principals of similar institutes
would have committed themselves by evincing so little tact, and adopting
such impolitic proceedings. They would wisely have held back from all
appropriation of the obnoxious character, and passed it over unnoticed;
as if it could not possibly have the slightest reference to _them_.

Therefore we wish that those of our fair readers whom certain hints in
the following pages may awaken to the consciousness of a few habitual
misbehavements, (of which they were not previously aware,) should pause,
and reflect, before they allow themselves to "take umbrage too much."
Let them keep in mind that the purpose of the writer is to amend, and
not to offend; to improve her young countrywomen, and not to annoy them.
It is with this view only that she has been induced to "set down in a
note-book" such lapses from _les bienseances_ as she has remarked during
a long course of observation, and on a very diversified field.

She trusts that her readers will peruse this book in as friendly a
spirit as it was written.

                                ELIZA LESLIE.




CONTENTS.


                                             PAGE

    SUGGESTIONS TO VISITERS                     2

    THE VISITED                                24

    TEA VISITERS                               30

    THE ENTREE                                 47

    INTRODUCTIONS                              52

    CON