The 39 steps to being a gentleman?

I am afraid I rather severely failed this test, as proposed by the British magazine Country Life.  I cannot “train a rose,” nor did I even know what that meant.  I also don’t own a tweed suit, nor do I tip my “gamekeeper in the shooting field.”  “Sings lustily in church” is yet another fail, though I am punctual and do not own a chihuahua, nor would I, as is stipulated.

I was puzzled by a response to this quiz in a recent David Tang FT column.  He answered:

32. Would not go to Puerto Rico

Been there once already — ghastly.

I am pleased to have gone twice, from which I can only conclude that at least one of us does not know what a gentleman is.  I might have defined the concept as someone who is kind, tolerant, strong as required, and respectful of social mores when appropriate.

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