[JHorse]

"Rule 5. As a blow is strictly prohibited under any circumstances among gentlemen, no verbal apology can be received for such an insult. The alternatives, therefore -- the offender handing a cane to the injured party, to be used on his own back, at the same time begging pardon; firing on until one or both are disabled; or exchanging three shots, and then asking pardon without proffer of the cane. "

So, slapping someone in the face is such an ungentlemanly offense that the only civilized way to make amends is to get beaten with cane and/or shot at.

The 1700s must've suuuuuucked.

[fbdab103]

That's what the rich, landed people did to keep themselves occupied. Imagine how much worse life was if you did not have such idleness to create intricate rules around honor.

[pjc50]

> The 1700s must've suuuuuucked.

Yes.

This stuff was ridiculously prevalent despite being both legally and religiously forbidden. It did not require a physical insult; any insult would do. Russia's great poet Pushkin died in a duel: https://www.rbth.com/arts/literature/2017/02/10/pushkin-duel...

It was so prevalent that various armies had trouble stamping it out among their officer class. Only really obliterated by the social and military upheaval of the 20th century.

[oneshtein]

Pushkin was not great. His height was 166 cm (5' 5").