Regency Culture and Society: A Bit of Bronze

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Perusing the A View of London (1803), I came upon this amusing description of gentlemen acquiring town polish that I wanted to share:

When our country gentlemen first visit London they undergo a complete metamorphosis The transition from the cool breezes that ventilate their rural retreat to the warm atmosphere of the metropolis affects those rustics with a malady which may be termed a brain fever under its influence they become delirious and madly rush into the vortex of fashionable dissipation The facility with which the squire adopts the modish dress phraseology effemi nacy and vices of the town bred rake is almost incredi ble On his arrival the novelty of the scene and the vast extent population and magnificence of the city fill him with astonishment Ashamed of his vulgarity of manners and dialect he is silent and reserved till an introduction to a few polite men of the world teaches him to overcome his uncouth bashfulness Once initiated in modish follies he boldly divests himself of decency frequents taverns and stews stares at passing females in the streets and in consequence of his vigorous constitution becomes a more vociferous and outrageous blood than the feeble cit who had been practising from his infancy

It continues a bit into a caution and admonishment of the upper orders to think of their influence on everyone else when indulging themselves in vices.

Frequently described or referenced in Reg Roms, it was fun to see a contemporary description of acquiring town polish…even if its slanted towards calling the bronze “a malady which may be termed a brain fever.”

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