When I was quite young, my father was a demon for manners. He often quoted the old adage that manners maketh man. I remember how he would grip me just above the elbow should I fail to raise my hat to a lady. Also when we were travelling on London's "tube" he would insist that I always give up my seat in a crowded compartment if a lady was left to stand. But today, reading some correspondence on this subject in a UK paper, I see that these customs are fast disappearing from use. This is not just due to men forgetting, or not being taught the basics of chivalry, but also by being rebuffed by women. Rather sad!
There was one account of a man opening a door for a woman, who crossly said: "Did you do that just because I'm a lady?" To which the man replied: "No, because, I am a gentleman!" Fortunately, manners seems to be going strong in Asia, so all is not lost.
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