Regency Era Compliments

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Sapphire135

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Hi All,

Does anyone have any other ideas for regency appropriate compliments that a suave, flirty guy would say to the heroine in front of the hero while at a ball?

In my latest, a supporting character tells the heroine that she is looking "as fine as five-pence". I know he could always say something like she is a diamond of the first water, slap up to the echo, all the crack, or something like that, but the male character - though a flirt - is not a young, hip sort of guy.

Problem is, I am beginning to think that even "as fine as five-pence" is too hip for him to say. I don't want to have him simply tell her she looks beautiful, but would prefer to keep it regency.

Any suggestions??

Thanks everyone!
 

Lil

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If he's suave, and not a brainless youth, he's not going to use any kind of slang, regency or otherwise. It can be a flowery, formal kind of compliment—"the moon hides her face, unable to compete with such beauty as yours" kind of thing. Or he could borrow something from Shakespeare. Assume she would recognize the quotation, thereby complimenting both her beauty and her brains?
 

Lauram6123

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If he's suave, and not a brainless youth, he's not going to use any kind of slang, regency or otherwise. It can be a flowery, formal kind of compliment—"the moon hides her face, unable to compete with such beauty as yours" kind of thing. Or he could borrow something from Shakespeare. Assume she would recognize the quotation, thereby complimenting both her beauty and her brains?

I agree with the Shakespeare idea. It speaks that he's flirty but a little better read than his counterpart. Something like...
"Noble mistress, 'tis fresh morning with me / When you are by at night." Ferdinand, The Tempest (3.1.33-4)
 

Sonsofthepharaohs

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He could also be a little bit cheeky with his quoting, so that on the surface it appears to say one thing, very gentlemanly and respectable, but when analysed it could have a slightly naughtier meaning ;)

For instance...

'Except I be by [name] in the night,
There is no music in the nightingale'
(Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 3, Scene I)

This could be seen as a reference to being 'by' her in a slightly more intimate way than merely attending a ball together, and the nightingale is the herald of dawn, waking lovers after a night of passion ;)
 

Rhoda Nightingale

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r, and the nightingale is the herald of dawn, waking lovers after a night of passion ;)

Is it? Huh. Well that's certainly not what I had in mind when I picked this name, but I'll file that away for . . . reasons. . .
 

Sonsofthepharaohs

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Is it? Huh. Well that's certainly not what I had in mind when I picked this name, but I'll file that away for . . . reasons. . .

Oh shit, I'm getting me birds all to cock - that scene in Romeo and Juliet where they talk about Nightingales and Larks. Which one is it that's the herald of the morn?

Crap. The lark. That would be it.

Ok, nvm. Carry on, lol.
 

Rhoda Nightingale

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LOL I flashed back to that scene too, and I couldn't remember! Cheers. :)

/derail

(sorry)
 
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