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| http://www.victoriana.com/library/doors/whisper.html |
Though I think the writer is a bit of a Francofile and prone to exaggeration, she does make Victorian France sound like a lovely place:
A husband in France moves out an easy-chair for his wife, and sets a footstool for every lady. He hands her the morning paper, he brings a shawl if there is danger of a draught, he kisses her hand when he comes in, and he tries to make himself agreeable in the matter of these little civilities. It has the most charming effect upon all domestic life, and we find a curious allusion to the politeness observed by French sons towards their fathers in one of Moliere's comedies, where a prodigal son observes to his father, who comes to denounce him, "Pray, sir, take a chair," says the Son; "you could scold me so much more at your ease if you were seated."
If this was a piece of discretional civility which had in it a bit of sarcasm, we can readily see that civility lends great strength to satire, and take a hint from it in our treatment of rude people.
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