Etiquette

by Erasmus, Jeanine de Landtsheer (Translator), Toon Van Houdt (Translator)

In Etiquette schetst Erasmus met enkele rake trekken de goede, maar vooral ook de slechte manieren van zijn tijdgenoten. Het boekje wil jongens van stand goede manieren bijbrengen. Het enorme succes van het werk (twaalf drukken in het eerste jaar) bewijst dat het voorzag in een dringende behoefte aan duidelijke, redelijke voorschriften. Sommige richtlijnen blijken nog altijd van kracht, andere lijken nu hopeloos gedateerd. Precies in de spanning tussen afstand en nabijheid schuilt de grote aantrekkingskracht van het werk voor hedendaagse lezers: een gids voor goede manieren én een (vaak onbedoeld) geestige zedenspiegel tegelijk.

Genres: Nonfiction, Classics, Education, Philosophy

63 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1530

About the author

Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (28 October 1466 – 12 July 1536), known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher, and theologian.

Erasmus was a classical scholar and wrote in a pure Latin style. Among humanists he enjoyed the sobriquet "Prince of the Humanists", and has been called "the crowning glory of the Christian humanists". Using humanist techniques for working on texts, he prepared important new Latin and Greek editions of the New Testament, which raised questions that would be influential in the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation. He also wrote On Free Will, The Praise of Folly, Handbook of a Christian Knight, On Civility in Children, Copia: Foundations of the Abundant Style, Julius Exclusus, and many other works.

Erasmus lived against the backdrop of the growing European religious Reformation, but while he was critical of the abuses within the Catholic Church and called for reform, he kept his distance from Luther and Melanchthon and continued to recognise the authority of the pope, emphasizing a middle way with a deep respect for traditional faith, piety and grace, rejecting Luther's emphasis on faith alone. Erasmus remained a member of the Roman Catholic Church all his life, remaining committed to reforming the Church and its clerics' abuses from within. He also held to the Catholic doctrine of free will, which some Reformers rejected in favor of the doctrine of predestination. His middle road approach disappointed and even angered scholars in both camps.

Erasmus died suddenly in Basel in 1536 while preparing to return to Brabant, and was buried in the Basel Minster, the former cathedral of the city. A bronze statue of him was erected in his city of birth in 1622, replacing an earlier work in stone.

Reviews

[7jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Western Europe treatise of manners for children, this is a quite interesting little book. Eramus was of the opinion that good manners should be best installed early, and so he wrote this book which became the bestseller of 16th century, with 19 editions and 8 translations within 10 years of the first publication.

Erasmus Of Rotterdam was a Dutch humanist, theologian and classical scholar who traveled widely within Europe. He wrote many other books, but this (which came out in 1530) is certainly one of his most famous works, which inspired later 'behavior guides' and manners-books for adults, too; some of the quotes within this book apply well still, others less (for example certain table manners). The book is addressed to a 11 year old Dutch boy of noble birth, but certainly was also meant for other boys around his age :)

The categories are: eyes, nose, face, mouth, hair; posture, private (part)s, sitting, bowing, manner of dress... and where: in church, at meals, meeting people, playing, and the bedroom. Some examples: the manner of looking about with one's eyes, keeping the nose clean, how to not laugh, what to say after sneezing or someone else sneezing ("Christ help you"; considering the diseases of the time, perhaps meant literally more than it would now), how to spit, combing hair, to not habitually tilt your head, to cover your private parts, how to sit and bow well, to avoid taking too much pride on your clothes, to pay attention at Mass, no elbows on table (and don't feed strange dogs under the table), respect to elders when meeting them, to let the others win sometimes while at play deliberately, to not toss too much in bed.

I think the part about table manners is particularly interesting for those who want to compare how it was to eat back then compared to now. Also the chapter on meeting people is good. It's clear that not everything has changed, and one can still marvel at those that don't really apply now. Anyway, this is a great, quick and interesting a read, and quite satisfying, so it's well worth the read :)

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because Stephen Fry read from it on an episode of Q.I., can't remember which. It was the bestselling book of the 16th century (published in 1530), and it contains plenty of practical advice, some of which is seriously funny. Erasmus wrote it for the son of a nobleman, but intended it as a guide for anyone who wanted to build their manners and character; as he points out, we don't choose our birth, but we can decide how we want to behave.

A few gems:

"It's inappropriate to wink at another person. For what is it other than doing yourself out of an eye? We should leave that gesture to tuna fish and one-eyed, mythical metal-workers."

"As you wash your hands, so too, clear troubles from your mind. For it's not good manners to be gloomy at dinner or to make anyone else miserable."

"If someone crudely urges you to drink more, it's fine for you to promise that you will respond to his request when you are grown up."

[Elspeth Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book that lets you into the mind of the 16th century. Lots of humorous references to what you would grow up to be if certain bad habits aren't unlearnt in childhood. Apparently I'm a Fishmonger and my husband a Hedgehog!

Not only is it a fab look into the past but it is surprisingly familiar and would be a good book to give to kids today although you might want to mention that avoiding eye contact is no longer considered "flatering and aimiable" nor is it good manners anymore to "disguise a fart with a cough" !

[Tom Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

2015 has gotten off to a good start with this book. It was a delight to read, and still holds many valuable lessons for children (and adults) of the modern age. The introduction, which I often skip over, is worth the read too.

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and amusing! Version I read is a Dutch translation from 2001. Funny how relevant most of this has remained, though the original is from 1530

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Óptimo livro. É um must-read.

[John Shillington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely priceless, and filled with astonishingly pragmatic, no bullshit advice for 16th century boys.

[Niklas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erasmus Rotterdamilaisen "Kultainen kirja" on lyhyt tapakasvatuskirja, joka lähestyy aihettaa seitsemän eri tavan (ruumiin, vaatetuksen, kirkkokäyttäytymisen, pitojen, kohtaamisten, leikkien ja makuuhuoneiden kautta) kautta. Joitain asioita, kuten hyviin tapoihin kuuluvia ruumiin ja kasvojen ilmeitä, käydään lävitse suurella tarkkuudella, kun taas toiset asiat jäävät pelkiksi pintapuolisiksi raapaisuiksi. Kirjan kommentaari on kiinnostava, ja olisi ollut mielenkiintoista lukea enemmänkin eri aikojen tapakasvatuskirjoista. Erasmuksen käsittely ei ole kovinkaan kiinnostavaa ja kirja on lukukelpoinen lähinnä historiallisena kuriositeettina tai lähteenä tapakulttuurin tutkimukselle.

[David Moolenaar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 sterren
In dit werk benadrukt Erasmus de ernst van een goede opvoeding. Zijn voornaamste stelling is dat men zo vroeg mogelijk moet beginnen met het onderwijzen van de schone kunsten (met een nadruk op taal) op de wijze passend bij de leeftijd van het kind. Deze stelling wordt ruim uitgewerkt met legio voorbeelden.

Verder wordt er weinig over opvoeding gedeeld. Voor een meer holistische visie zou ik ‘de opvoeding van een christenvorst aanraden’.

Ik vond het werk plezierig om te lezen zoals ik van Erasmus gewend ben. Leuk als je Erasmus wil lezen, geen verplichtte kost om je kind goed op te voeden.

[nisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

kitapçıda oyalanırken görüp okumaya başladım, çok ilginç ve gülümseten şeyler var. mesela hapşururken ağzını kapatma, sonrasında da ıstavroz çıkartma gerekliliğinden bahsederken dipnot düşülmüş: ortaçağda ağzın açıklığını fırsat bilen şeytanların içeri doluştuğuna inanılırmış, o yüzden ıstavroz. bizde de görgü kuralı kabul edilen birçok şeyle alakalı, ortak kaynaktan olduklarını düşündürtüyor.

kişisel not: erasmus bu rehberi freiburg’ta yazmış, gözümün önünde münsterplatzda büyüklü küçüklü erkeklerin hapşurduktan sonra ıstavroz çıkarması canlanıyor.

[Private Account · Rating 5 out of 5]

My eight year old and I both enjoyed this fabulous, wise, and often entertaining little book.

[Maciej · Rating 3 out of 5]

Książka, która uświadomiła mnie, że nie wolno rzygać na uroczystej kolacji.

[Yann · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 siecles déjà! Ces principes n'ont pas été édictés en vain. A lire aussi: "la civilisation des moeurs" de norbert elias.

[Helen Mears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steamed through this practically in one sitting. It's an invaluable insight into 16th Century manners and very amusing in places.

[Kürşat Karabulut · Rating 4 out of 5]

1530 yılında yazılmış ancak günümüzde bile bir çok hususta çocuklara doğru davranışı gösterecek bir kılavuz.