Posted by Cassia on July 01, 1997 at 14:45:03:
In reply to Regency Period, About Men and Morality posted by Rita on June 27, 1997 at 13:26:35
] I have come to a conclusion about the following Question, but has anyone factual info on the subject:
] Were the men are virtous as the women, was it considered proper for men married/otherwise to solicit the company of women(not genteel). Was it matter of discretion, as was in feudal societies.
It wasn't proper, but men did it anyway. Discretion, as always, was called for. Since the roads had improved so (part of the reason why there were so many letter writers) it was even easier for a gentleman to keep a mistress in Town while his wife and children were in the country and still see both fairly often. Some men preferred the company of prostutes, there were even clubs (The Picnic Club, for example) where these women were received but a lady could not visit. Others found their companions in the society of governesses. There were nearly always more impoverished gentleman's daughter than the (marriage) could bear. As always the question of what would occur in this arena was up to the gentleman.
] My question does not relate to the Wickham type but the Darcy/Brandon type, Wentworth was a sea person(he has other considerations).
Also, depending on the "set" you were in with, women need only be virtuous until they were married. After producing the heir, some couples simply went their separate ways. In Lord Byron's crowd people got up to the same sort of things that are still featured in soap opera. There's a really good biography I've used in research in the past but I can't remember who it was about or who wrote it. I do recall, however, the the second line of the title was Portrait of a Regency Gentleman. I'll see if I can find it.
Posting followups to old messages is disabled; instead go to the main index and post a new message which mentions this one.