The Art of Good Behaviour

The Art of Good Behaviour; and, Letter Writer on Love, Courtship, and Marriage is “a complete guide for ladies and gentlemen” and contains “directions for giving and attending parties, balls, weddings, dinners, etc.”

The section on letter writing for love, courtship, and marriage gives "hints on Courtship, Maxims on making Love, Elegant Poetical Quotations, and Remarks on Popping the Question."

This book gives advice on everything to the quality of the the writing to the quality of the letter itselves. Stating that "for a love letter good paper is indispensable. When it can be procurred, that of a costly quality, gold-edged, perfumed, or ornamented in the French style, may be properly used... As all persons are more or less governed by first impressions and externals, the whole affair should be as neat and elegant as possible."

 It is noted that “there is a delicacy, a timidity, and nervousness in love, which makes men desire some mode of communication rather than the speech, which in such cases too often fails them.” Perhaps that explains why love letters were so popular during this time.

At the beginning of the love letters section the author observes that "It may be doubted whether as many reams of paper have ever been used in writing letters upon all other subjects, as have been consumed upon epistels of love." The evidence of the multitude of the love letters is on display here.