Visiting.

http://cheddarbay.com/0000Tea/callingcards/callingcards.html

One would think that internet technology would have made escaping unwanted former acquaintances harder than previous eras.  Apparently not:

 According to the strict rules of etiquette, one call during the year, or a card left at the door in person or in an envelope, continues the acquaintance; although there is no apparent cause for this seeming remissness, society must ask no questions.  We can never know what prompts a lady to give up her visiting for a season, it may be a sudden calamity, or need of economy, or domestic duties, and she should not be questioned, for no doubt her reasons are purely personal.  

There should be uniformity in visiting. No lady is pleased to receive a card from Mrs. Allen and then meet her, making a personal visit (perhaps) to her next door neighbor. If a lady cannot personally visit all her formal acquaintances, she should visit none; for it is not proper to show favors, and the lady receiving the card would certainly feel the slight.

Duty of an Escort(in 1891)

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Some things never change.  Today, men try to impress women by showing off their cars and motorcycles. 100 years ago, impressing women with the transportation of the day was still key:

 Duty of an Escort.  
 When a gentleman has made an engagement to go riding with a lady he should not keep her waiting clad in her riding costume, and should be very careful in selecting the horse she is to ride, and if possible secure one easily managed.  He should leave nothing to the stable men, but personally examine the saddle and bridle to see that everything is secure and in its place.
Before he mounts, he must see that the lady is comfortably seated in her saddle.  He should take his position on the right of the lady, open all gates, and be constantly on the alert that nothing frightens the horse the lady is riding; every attention possible should be given her.

From: Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891

Sunday School

http://enchanted-tails.com/ACatsPrayer.htm

Religious Training:
Every good habit, pure sentiment and noble aspiration has its origin and support in religion. It is the duty of parents to be religious.  Your example will not be worth much unless you constantly impress upon your family their responsibility to God.  After all, there is nothing half so cultivating as to gather your family daily around the altar and give thanks to a kind Father who has given you all the blessings you enjoy.  The Spirit of Jesus Christ will save your home and your children when nothing else will.  How many young men have been made strong in the hour of temptation by the remembrance of a mother's prayers!

Do not be content to be religious yourself. Bring your children up "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."  Show them by your example that religion is something real -- that it is a constant source of joy and solace.  Be religious in your family as well as at church.  If you, as a father or mother, have  a real and consistent life, your children will be likely to imitate you.

From: Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891

Shall We Move To France?

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.

From: Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891

Discretional Civilities Defined

http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/03-Victorian_Early,Mid.htm

The discretional civilities of life, when closely observed, must add to one's pleasure and happiness a something almost indispensable -- To such as are harmless and graceful we shall give a cursory glance, but to those which are doubtful and perhaps harmful, we shall urge you to shun; however, these so-called discretional civilities must in  a large degree be left to the common sense of the reader.

From Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891

It Gives Me Much Pleasure To Make Your Acquaintance

Image found at http://melatesupermegachidoymas.wordpress.com/category/chido-spanish/

 

 

Salutations! And welcome to our first trip back to the delicate eras of the past.  As this is our first encounter, it's only right that we look at a rule regarding introductions to new acquaintances.

Necessity of Introducing.

 A Woman in her own home can, in America, do pretty much as she pleases, but there is at least one exception-- she must not introduce two ladies who reside in the same town.  This is many times an awkward and embarrassing restriction particularly as the other -- the English rule -- renders it easy enough, that the "roof is an introduction" and that visitors can converse without further notice.

So awkward, however, are Americans about this, that even in very good houses one lady has spoken to another, possibly to a young girl, and has received no reply "because she has not been introduced.".... 

Let every lady remember, whether she is from the country or from the most fashionable city house, that no such casual conversation can hurt her. It does not involve a further acquaintance of these two persons: They may cease to know each other when they leave the house; and it would be kinder if they would both relieve the hostess of their joint entertainment by joining in conversation.

From Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891