rhyme, "A Lady's Adieu to Her Tea-Table" '* (be- de St. Mery observed in 1795, during his residence in 



low), which pro\-ides a picture of contemjiorary tea- Philadelphia, that "the whole family is united at tea, 



time etiquette and equipage. to which friends, acquaintances and even strangers 



Many people gave u]5 tea for the duration of the are invited." '' That teatime hospitality was offered 



war and offered various substitute beverages such as to the newest of acquaintances or "even strangers" is 



% 



f i 



Jj A Lady's Aditii /o Her 7 la-Table X 



^ FAREWELL the Tea-board tvith your gaudy attire, % 



^ 7'e cups and ye saucers that I did admire; ^ 



$ To my cream pot and tongs I now bid adieu; ^ 



$ That pleasure' s all fled that I once found in you. "k 



^ Farewell pretty chest that so lately did shine. ^ 



* With hyson and Congo and best double fine; ^ 



^ Many a sweet moment by you I have sat, 



X Hearing girls and old maids to tattle and chat; ^ 



T And the spruce coxcomb laugh at nothing at all, T 



^ Only some silly ivork that might happen to fall. y 



V No more shall my teapot so generous be ^ 



$ In filing the cups with this pernicious tea, « 



^ For P II fill it with water and drink out the same, ^ 



^ Before Til lose LIBERTY that dearest name, % 



^ Because I am taught {and believe it is fact) » 



^ That our rum is aimed at in the late act, ^ 



^ Of imposing a duty on all foreign Teas, Jj 



^ Which detestable stuff we can c/uit when we please. vjj 



4} LIBERTY'S The Goddess that I do adore, x 



X And Til maintain her right until my last hour, ^ 



X Before she shall part I will die in the cause, Y 



T For Til never be governed by tyranny's laws. Y 



% » 



% t 



coffee and dried raspberry leaves, "a detestable drink" verified by Claude Blanchard. He wrote of his \'isit 



which the Americans "had the heroism to find good," to Newport, Rhode Island, on July 12, 1780, 



remarked a postwar visitor, Leon Chotteau."' that "in the evening there was an illumination. I 



Although the colonists had banished tea "with entered the house of an inhabitant, who received me 



enthusiasm," the tea habit was not forgotten. Chot- very well; I took tea there, which was served by a 



teau further noted that "they all drink tea in America young lady." And while staying in Boston, Blanchard 



as they drink wine in the South of France." Tea mentioned that a new acquaintance "invited us to 



drinking continued to be an important social custom come in the evening to take tea at his house. We went 



in the new nation well into the 19th century. there; the tea was served by his daughter." '* 



The tea ceremony, sometimes simple, sometimes 



elaborate, was the very core of family life. Moreau „ ^.^.^.^ ^ouis Elie Moreau de .Saint-Mery, Moreau de 



St. Mery's .American Journey, translated and edited by Kenneth 

 Roberts and .^nna M. Roberts, Garden City, 1947, p. 266. 



'5R. T. H. Halsey and Charles O. Cornelius, .1 HaiMook •" Claude Blanchard, The Journal of Claude Blanchard, Cotnmis- 



of the American Wing, New York, 1924, pp. 111-112. sary of the French Auxiliary .Army .Sent to the United States Ditring the 



i« Leon Chotteau, Les Fram;ais en .Amerique, Paris, 1876, .American Revolution, 17S0-1783, translated by William Duane 



quoted in Sherrill, op. cit. (footnote 8), p. 96. and edited by Thomas Balch, Albany, 1876, pp. 41, 49. 



68 BULLETIN 22.5: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY .\ND TECHNOLOGY 



