George Washington's Rules of Civility

[pokerfan]

As seen on West Wing's Six Meetings Before Lunch, 1-18

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1248919">110 Maxims Helped Shape and Guide America's First President

7. Put not off your clothes in the presence of others, nor go out of your chamber half dressed.

(Always good advice.)

12. Shake not the head, feet, or legs; roll not the eyes; lift not one eyebrow higher than the other, wry not the mouth, and bedew no man's face with your spittle by approaching too near him when you speak.

(My new favorite word is bedew.)

[nutsnberries]

1. i read around at the link...very interesting.

can you imagine what he would think if he were plopped down in any US city now?

have you ever wondered what the Founding Fathers would think about the internet? DU???

[pokerfan]

8. He would probably be fairly astonished at air travel...

From the episode I mentioned:

CHARLIE
What are you reading?

BARTLET
Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation by George Washington.

CHARLIE
The George Washington?

BARTLET
The rules were drawn from an English translation of a French book of maxims. Washington copied them down when he was 14 years old. "When you sit down, keep your feet firm and even, without putting one on the other or crossing them. Put not off your clothes in the presence of others, nor go out of your chamber half-dressed." What a tight-assed little priss he must've been.

CHARLIE
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
(takes off his glasses and regards Charlie) Do you think I could take George Washington?

CHARLIE
Take him at what, sir?

BARTLET
I don't know... a war?

CHARLIE
Could you have taken George Washington in a war?

BARTLET
Yeah.

CHARLIE
Well, you'd have the Air Force and he'd have the Minutemen, right?

BARTLET
The Minutemen were good.

CHARLIE
Still, I think you could probably take him.

BARTLET
Yeah. (winks and puts his glasses back on to read)

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. "..lift not one eyebrow higher than the other.."

Fascinating advice. Fascinating.

[pokerfan]

5. Vulcans are noted for their poor manners

[DarkTirade]

3. Wait... the guy who snuck into an enemy's camp and killed them in their sleep on Christmas Eve....

made a set of rules of civility? :P

[Xipe Totec]

4. 111. Make a clean kill

Do not let your enemies twist on your sword too long.

(it wastes time).

[rainbow4321]

6. Eeeeww: 100. Cleanse not your teeth with the tablecloth, napkin, fork or knife,

Excuse me while I pick this piece of meat out of my teeth using your tablecloth.


--------
(I don't even wanna know what/where "not usually discovered" translates into in today's language):

2. When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body not usually discovered.

[hfojvt]

7. Hey Washington, say it, don't spray it!!

Aren't these a little more practical?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=111601#111652

[Radical Activist]

9. George Washington was an asshole

with the manners of a cheap tori prostitute.

[Mojambo]

10. What a little fop. n/t

[Tuesday Afternoon]

11. damn

now I want to pull a CalPeg and write a poem including the word bedew