Noblesse Oblige. An Enquiry into the Identifiable Characteristics of the English Aristocracy

Alan Ross, Nancy Mitford, Evelyn Waugh, 'Strix', Christopher Sykes and John Betjeman. Edited by Nancy Mitford. Illustrated by Osbert Lancaster.

Hamish Hamilton. London. 1956. First edition, fourth impression (published in same year as first impression). Hardback, octavo; red cloth-bound boards, dust jacket, yellow wraparound band 114 pages. B&w illustrations by Osbert Lancaster. English. 205 x 140mm. 0.25kg. . Very good, in very good dust jacket; slight shelf wear to jacket, slight staining to base of spine, a couple of light creases to band, not price-clipped; slight offsetting to endpapers.

A collection of writings on the social implications of "U"- and "Non-U" language, terms popularised by Nancy Mitford to identify 'true' members of the Upper Classes. The concept of 'Upper-Class English Usage' in linguistics was introduced by Professor Alan Ross in an essay 1954. Mitford then published an essay on the subject in Encounter, which was followed by repostes and comments by many includng Evelyn Waugh, 'Strix' and Christopher Sykes. With amusing illustrations by Osbert Lancaster. With the scarce publisher's wraparound band stating "U or Non-U?".