Regency Culture and Society: The Etiquette of the Call

Social interactions in the Regency were typically governed by etiquette, or a standard practice of socializing. A System of Etiquette (1804) has some helpful hints about “inviting and interchanging civilities” when it comes to the call:

Many of these traditions continued well into the Victorian era, as evident by George Gaskell’s Compendium of Forms, Education, Social, Legal and Commercial (1881):

There were more rules:

From Dunbar’s Complete Handbook of Etiquette (1834)

“When returning visits of ceremony, you may, without impoliteness, leave your card at the door without going in. Do not, however, fail to inquire if the family be well.”
“Visits of condolence ar paid within the week after the event which occasions them. Personal visits of this kind are made only be relations and very intimate friends…”
“A call should invariably be made within a week upon friends or acquaintances at whose house you have dined, or from whom you have received an initiation to dine.”
“Some ladies only receive visitors on a state afternoon in each week; but this is a somewhat pretentious custom, only to be justified by the exigencies of a very loft position.”
“Umbrellas and overcoats should always be left in the hall.”
“When a gentleman makes a morning call, he should never leave his hat or riding-whip in the hall, but should take both in the room. To do otherwise would be to make himself too much at home. The hat should never be laid on a table, pianoforte, or an article of furniture, but must be held properly in the hand. If you are compelled to lay it aside, put it on the floor.”
“Never take favorite dogs into a drawing room when you make a morning call.”
“If you do not keep a close carriage, you should never pay visits of ceremony in wet weather.”
“A gentleman ought to rise upon the entrance of ladies. A lady does not rise. It is not permissible to leave one’s chair in order to get nearer the fire.”
“an introduction is only followed by a bow, unless the persons…are relations or very old friends” the hostess wants to make particularly known, “In this case you give your hand.”
“A man has no right to take a lady’s hand till it is offered.”
“Two ladies shake hands gently and softly.”
“A lady gives her hand to a gentleman but does not shake his hand in return.”
“If other visitors are announced and you have already remained as long as courtesy requires, wait till they are seated then take leave of your hostess; bow politely to the newly arrived guests; and retire.”