This reprint of Collier's 1883 etiquette guide is a researcher's dream. Its large 8X10 pages are packed with instructions for every aspect of nineteenth social behavior, with separate sections for the manners of ladies and gentlemen, introductions, visiting, courtship and marriage, drawing room and ballroom etiquette (including the steps for popular dances), mourning customs, and just about every other facet of social interaction imaginable. Detailed fashion notes provide information not only on what garments should be worn on a given occasion, but even what fabrics they should be made of. Top that off with the one of the most extensive "Language of Flowers" lists ever published, allowing one to interpret the meaning of more than 700 different flowers, and what you have is a veritable encyclopedia of late nineteenth century life, providing an invaluable resource for re-enactors, costume designers, novelists, performers, directors, and anyone who wishes to understand the complex tapestry of late 19th century manners. Collier’s etiquette guide and floral dictionary are reproduced here in their original format, with section headings lavishly embellished with Victorian motifs. (The list of flowers is in dictionary form, with no floral illustrations) It’s a beautiful memento of times past, and the perfect gift for any history lover.