Etiquette coach conjures up enticing visions of Beau Brummell sprawled over a chaise longue while instructing his valet how best to tie a cravat. William Hanson, whose professional calling this is, turned out to be an affable-sounding cove with a distaste for vulgarism that bordered on the fanatic. Indeed, the most bracing moment of this entertaining enquiry into “correct” linguistic usage (23 August) came when he assured Kate Reardon, editor of Tatler, that he would “rather chew glass than use the word ‘toilet’”.