ClIAP. VII. 
DINNER. 
113 
amongst themselves wlien 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 honourable seat upon his 
neighbour, Avho, in his turn, could not think of occupy- 
ing such a distinguished place at the board. How- 
ever, after a great deal of bowing and flattery, all was 
apparently arranged satisfactorily, and dinner com- 
menced. 
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 ex- 
pensive kinds of soups, ^ch as the celebrated 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 perfectly satisfied. Still, however, the cere- 
mony of bringing in new dishes went on, and these were 
merely looked at and removed. Our maiden efforts with 
the chopsticks must have been a source of great amuse- 
ment to our Chinese friends, but they were polite enough 
not to laugh at us, and did everything in their power to 
assist us. The play was resumed again as soon as the 
dinner commenced, and continued as briskly as ever. 
The " lady actors " at intervals came down from the 
platform and supplied the guests with different kinds of 
wines. During the entertainment a piece of money was 
handed to each of the guests, which they were desired 
to leave as a present for the actors at the conclusion of 
the piece. When this was given them, the whole of the 
