THE DlNNF.K-rAKTY. 251 



As a general rule, it is better not to ask your guests if they will partake 

 of the dishes ; but to send the plates round, and let them accept or decline 

 them as they please. At very large dinners it is sometimes customary to 

 distribute little lists of the order of the dishes at intervals along the table. 

 It must be confessed that this gives somewhat the air of a dinner at an 

 hotel ; but it has the advantage of enabling the visitors to select their fare* 

 and, as " forewarned is forearmed," to keep a corner, as the children s ay 

 for their favourite dishes. 



As soon as you are helped, begin to eat ; or, if the viands are too hot for 

 your palate, take up your knife and fork and appear to begin. To wait for 

 others is now not only old-fashioned, but ill-bred. 



Never offer to pass on the plate to which you have been helped. 



In helping soup, fish, or any other dish, remember that to overfill a plate 

 is as bad as to supply it too scantily. 



Silver fish knives will now always be met with at the best tables; but 

 where there are none, a piece of crust sheutd be taken in the left hand, 

 and the fork in the right. There is no exception to this rule in eating fish. 



We presume it is scarcely necessary to remind our fair reader that she 

 is never, under any circumstances, to convey her knife to her mouth. 

 Peas are eaten with the fork ; tarts, curry, and puddings of all kinds with 

 the spoon. 



Always help fish with a fish-slice, and tart and puddings with a spoon> 

 or, if necessary, a spoon and fork. 



Asparagus must be helped with the asparagus-tongs. 



In eating asparagus, it is well to observe what others do, and act ac- 

 . in.irly. Some very well-bred people eat it with the fingers; others cut 

 off the heads, and convey them to the mouth upon the fork. It would be 

 difficult to say which is the more correct. 



In eating stone fruit, such as cherries, damsons, etc., the same rule had 

 better be observed. Some put the stones out from the mouth into a spoon 

 and so convey them to the plate. Others cover the lips with the hand, 

 drop th-m uiisren into the palm, and so deposit them on the .side of 

 plate, h, our own opinion, tin- latter is the better way, as it effectually 

 conceals th.- return of ti which is e.-rtainly the point of liL' 1 



importance. Of ODO thing W6 nifty fa flUTO, And that IS, that they must 

 from th.- mouth to the plate. 



In helping sauce, always pour it on the >ide of the plate. 



If the servants do not go round with the wine which is by far the best 

 m the irntlemen at a dinner-table should take upon themselves the 

 office of helping tho-e ladi.^ who -it IP ar them. 



