29
practices into greater circulation . 47 The coffee-house had become marred by ‘ infractions upon decency and politeness ’ as well as subject to an infestation of ‘ ignorance and ill-bred men ’. 48 A letter submitted to the Town and Country Magazine ( 1781 ) suggested that an association needed to be formed in order to regulate these spaces . As an immediate solution to the problem the letter suggests six practical rules to limit impolite behaviour within coffee-houses . 49 These rules centred largely upon the control of the space and property of an establishment . Newspapers were to be handed out and rotated amongst customers , candles were to be kept in the centre of tables and not occupied by one person . Rule three , which seems particularly pointed at curtailing newsmongers and coffee-house politicians , suggests preventing any individual from sitting near the door in order to snatch the first newspapers of the day 50 . Thus , space and property shared a symbiotic relationship within the coffee-house .
The minute details of managing the resources and space of the coffee-house were evidently important to maintaining polite sociability . However , what is most striking about these rules is the use of social shaming in order to ensure they were not violated . For example , those who took candles from the table to use for themselves were to be ‘ pronounced no gentleman , and may be treated accordingly ’, and any person who stole a candle would be ‘ pronounced a blackguard and kicked out of company ’. 51 In a more serious example , those that whistle or hum were deemed so ‘ contemptible epicene wretches , that they are almost beneath chastisement , lest their fine slender limbs should be broken in performing the ceremony .’ 52 The violence of the language used may well be sarcasm or hyperbole , but such an expression highlights the level of impoliteness attributed to those particular acts . The willingness to utilise such language gives an impression of the importance of maintaining polite sociability . The letter had called upon readers to enforce these rules and regulations , therefore their maintenance relied upon an acceptance of these rules as social norms .
Assessing the impact of these calls for reformation within the coffee-house can be difficult to quantify . However , there does seem to be some agreement and adherence to the
47
48
49
Ibid ., 634-5 .
50
Ibid .
51
Ibid ., 635 .
52
Ibid ., 635 .