A man—an unmarried man, that is—is never seen to such disadvantage as when undergoing the ordeal of "seeing baby."
 Jerome K. Jerome, Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1886). copy citation

add
Author Jerome K. Jerome
Source Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
Topic baby
Date 1886
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/849/849-h/849-h.htm

Context

“There may come a time when, with mamma on one side and grand mamma on the other, a group of admiring young ladies (not admiring you, though) behind, and a bald-headed dab of humanity in front, you will be extremely thankful for some idea of what to say. A man—an unmarried man, that is—is never seen to such disadvantage as when undergoing the ordeal of "seeing baby." A cold shudder runs down his back at the bare proposal, and the sickly smile with which he says how delighted he shall be ought surely to move even a mother's heart, unless, as I am inclined to believe, the whole proceeding is a mere device adopted by wives to discourage the visits of bachelor friends.” source