The gentleman's table guide and table companion to the art of dining & drinking, with table habits and curious dishes of the various nations, &c., &c., with practical recipes for wine cups, American drinks, punches, cordials, récherché bills of fare, with service of wines, &c / by Edward Ricket.

  • Ricket, Edward.
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The gentleman's table guide and table companion to the art of dining & drinking, with table habits and curious dishes of the various nations, &c., &c., with practical recipes for wine cups, American drinks, punches, cordials, récherché bills of fare, with service of wines, &c / by Edward Ricket. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the lion of the day not being called out once, and going away without the majority of the company sus- I pecting who he was. On a similar occasion, as a very ' distinguished man left the drawing-room, a scarcely less distinguished lady inquired who that gentleman was who had been talking so long to her,—though she had sat opposite to him at dinner. It appears to me that nothing can be better contrived to defeat its legitimate end than a large dinner party in the London season,— sixteen, for instance. The names of the guests are generally so announced that it is difficult to hear them, and in the earlier part of the year the assembling takes place in such obscurity that it is impossible to see. Then there is often a tedious and stupefying interval of waiting, caused perhaps by some affected fashion- j able, some important politician, or some gorgeously- ; decked matron, or it may be by some culinary accident. At last comes the formal business of descending into the dining-room, where the blaze of light produces by degrees sundry recognitions ; but many a slight acquaintance is prevented from being renewed by the chilling mode of assembling. In the long days the light is more favourable, but the waiting is generally more tedious, and half the guests are perhaps leaving the park when they ought to be sitting down to dinner. At table intercourse is prevented as much as possible j by a huge centre-piece of plate and flowers, which cuts ! off about one-half of the company from the other, and some very awkward mistakes have taken place in con- sequence, from guests having made personal observa- - ■ - —~