author

Florence Hartley

Best known for a lively Victorian guide to manners, this elusive 19th-century writer offered practical advice on everything from conversation to courtship. Her work remains a revealing window into everyday social rules in the United States before the Civil War.

1 Audiobook

The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness

The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness

by Florence Hartley

About the author

Florence Hartley is known for The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness, a popular 19th-century etiquette guide first published in 1860. Written for women, the book covers social behavior at home and in public, from dress and letter-writing to friendships, marriage, and hosting.

Very little biographical information about her could be confirmed from reliable sources available during this search. What is clear is that her name has lasted because of this one widely circulated book, which readers now return to both for its advice and for what it reveals about Victorian expectations.

Today, Hartley's work is often read as a historical document as much as a manual of manners. It offers a detailed glimpse into the values, pressures, and everyday customs that shaped polite society in her era.