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Q: Looking for a book title?? ( Answered,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Looking for a book title??
Category: Relationships and Society
Asked by: averill-ga
List Price: $5.00
Posted: 20 Jul 2004 13:02 PDT
Expires: 19 Aug 2004 13:02 PDT
Question ID: 376782
I'm trying to remember the name of a book, a kind of ettiquette book,
or rules of success - written perhaps in the 1600's or 1700's by a
priest, or 'brother' or monk of sorts.  I remember the rules seemed
kind of worldly and sophisticated for a 'man of god.'  Any ideas of
what the book is?  I've been wracking my brains!

Clarification of Question by averill-ga on 20 Jul 2004 13:04 PDT
Can we spell etiquette?  Sorry!

Clarification of Question by averill-ga on 20 Jul 2004 13:05 PDT
And yes, I have several brains!
Answer  
Subject: Re: Looking for a book title??
Answered By: juggler-ga on 20 Jul 2004 13:50 PDT
 
Hello.

I suspect that you're thinking of a treatise on etiquette by
Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch priest.

"England's first book on etiquette was written by the Dutch
scholar-priest Erasmus (1466-1536). "
http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/wineday/1999/wd1299/wd120799.html

'"Be careful not to be the first to put your hands in the dish. What
you cannot hold in your hands you must put on your plate. Also it is a
great breach of etiquette when your fingers are dirty and greasy, to
bring them to your mouth in order to lick them, or to clean them on
your jacket. It would be more decent to use the tablecloth."
Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch priest and scholar (1466?-1536).
'Treatise on manners' (1530)'
http://www.foodreference.com/html/qetiquette.html

There are many translations of Erasmus' work.  Here's one that's
available free online:
Erasmus on Good Manners
http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~rhet20/text%20for%20110/Erasmus%20on%20Good%20Manners.html

--------
search strategy:
"first etiquette books"
erasmus manners
erasmus manners napkin nostrils

I hope that Erasmus is the priest whom you had in mind. If not, please
let me know via the "request clarification" feature. Thanks.

Request for Answer Clarification by averill-ga on 20 Jul 2004 16:32 PDT
Gosh, I don't think this is it.  Perhaps one of the Italian Humanists
though.  Your suggestion may lead me in the right direction.

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 20 Jul 2004 16:57 PDT
Italian, eh?

Could you be thinking of "The Courtier" (1528) by Baldassare Castiglione?
http://www.english-literature.org/essays/castiglione.html

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 20 Jul 2004 16:59 PDT
Here's an English translation of "The Courtier" from 1561...
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~rbear/courtier/courtier.html

Request for Answer Clarification by averill-ga on 20 Jul 2004 19:26 PDT
No, not it either.  Your first suggestion led me to "The Courtier"
which does look interesting for additional review.  Thanks for your
efforts though

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 20 Jul 2004 19:38 PDT
Let me ask you this, what is it about the treatises of Erasmus and
Castiglione that's different from the book that you remember?

Maybe if we can isolate the characteristics that are "wrong" about
Erasmus and Castiglione  we can figure out your book.

Are there any particular "rules" from the book that you remember?

Request for Answer Clarification by averill-ga on 20 Jul 2004 19:59 PDT
It was a slim-ish volume, the points of etitquette -or rules of
conduct- were short paragraphs listed one after another.  They may
have been grouped as to subject.  I do remember some of them as being
quite subtle, and fairly sophisticated.  It struck me as incongruous,
for such a worldly viewpoint to come from what I assumed to be a
cloistered vocation.  The book I had (and gave away) was quite old
-perhaps turn of the century.  I do know that I was surprised to see a
"pocket" version of whatever this was, in Barnes and Noble.  That was
maybe 7-8 years ago.  Sorry I don't have more to offer.  For all I
know, you may be correct with Erasmus, and I may be remembering it
incorrectly.  When I searched for existing books by Erasmus, I did not
see one that fit the format I remembered.  I could be wrong.  Thanks
again for thinking about this.

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 20 Jul 2004 20:42 PDT
How about "Galateo" by Giovanni della Casa?

"Il Galateo by Giovanni Della Casa  is a treatise which enjoyed much
success both in Italy and the rest of Europe. The voice of an old
illiterate man suggests how to avoid inappropriate social conduct and
provides a young follower of his with a series of rules on good
behaviour and manners"
http://www.ilnarratore.com/index_gen_2003_eng.html

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=20915&tocid=0&query=etiquette
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