In my research into nineteenth century Canadian drinking habits, I very quickly learned that the temperance folks had a special enmity for the custom of treating. The crusade against this special social practise informed much of the pamphleteering and petitioning of legislative bodies. You can see the threat: if you have a lot of friends, …
From Michele comes this very musing correspondence about <a href=“http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6205403.stm” target=_blank”>an Englishwoman’s experience in ‘polite’ Parisian society. It provided me with a good chuckle and I hope it does the same for you. I guess I wasn’t hanging around in polite enough circles to have been apprised of or embarrassed by my behaviour. Things to …