140 A CHINESE DINNER. (Cuapr. VIII. 
When all was ready we were led in with great 
ceremony, and placed in the principal seats of honour. 
We had now an opportunity of seeing the extent to 
which the Chinese carry their ceremony and polite- 
ness amongst themselves when they are about to be 
seated at table. Our host and his friends were 
nearly a quarter of an hour before the whole of them 
were seated. Each one was pressing the most ho- 
nourable seat upon his neighbour, who, in his turn, 
could not think of occupying such a distinguished 
place at the board. However, after a great deal of 
bowing and flattery, all was apparently arranged 
satisfactorily and dinner commenced. 
The tables were now covered with a profusion of 
small dishes, which contained all the finest fruits 
and vegetables of the season, besides many of the 
most expensive kinds of soups, such as the cele- 
brated bird’s-nest and others, many of which were 
excellent even to the palate of an Englishman. The 
servants were continually employed in removing 
the centre dishes and replacing them by others of a 
different kind, until at last every one seemed per- 
fectly satisfied. Still, however, the ceremony of 
bringing in new dishes went on, and these were 
merely looked at and removed. Our maiden efforts 
with the chop-sticks must have been a source of 
great amusement to our Chinese friends, but they 
were polite enough not to laugh at us, and did 
every thing in their power to assist us. The play 
was resumed again as soon as the dinner commenced, 
