House Servants Directory | Index | Intro | Section One | Section Two and Three | Section Four and Five | Section Six | Section Seven and Eight | Section Nine and Ten | Glossary
Section Two: The Dinner Party
REGULATIONS FOR THE DINNER TABLE.
There is not any part of a servant’s business that requires greater attention and systematical neatness, than setting out his dinner table, and managing for a party of sixteen or eighteen people. It is a branch of a servant’s business wherein he can show more of his ability than in any thing else that he may have to encounter. There are many servants, we very well know, that make great pretensions to conducting a party or dinner, who yet never knew the first principles of properly waiting at table. This causes great confusion in a house, both to the family, and the rest of the servants. It is no easy thing to be able to wait properly at dinner, and to have everything done in proper and systematical order. I am very sorry to say, that I have seldom met with many servants who could properly manage a dinner party of sixteen or eighteen, without confusion in some part or the other of it ; and particularly in small families, where they have company but seldom. Confusion often occurs, through not having a sufficiency of things for the party, without having to wash plates, spoons, &c. while at dinner ; and it likewise too often happens, through fault of the servant at the head of the family not knowing his business.
In the first place, the greatest attention should be paid, to have all the things that are for use properly arranged, and appointing each attendant his proper place, and what he has to do. You will always find that the more help there is to wait on table, the more confusion there is, especially if their different offices are not pointed out before dinner by the servant that is to conduct the dinner. I have always found that one good servant that understands his business, can do more work in its proper order than three awkward ones, as they are chiefly in each other’s way, and this causes a great confusion in the course of dinner. There are some families that think a servant ought to wait on eight or ten at dinner, but I tell them they are much mistaken ; for this is too many for one man to wait upon, to do it to perfection ; and especially if there are many changes. Therefore, my young friends, I have now brought you thus far ; and given you general directions in the various branches before laid down, in which I have generally addressed myself to all ; I therefore shall now address myself to Joseph personally, and consider him as having a party of 10, where there is no manservant kept but himself, and no one to show him but himself, and where he must be answerable for conducting the party alone ; therefore I shall give him all the instructions in my power ; and by the rest of my young friends listening with attention, it may prepare them for such situations in future.
Now, Joseph, the first thing that is to be attended to, is to inquire of the cook what there is for dinner ; by doing this you will be able to judge what things you may want, as it is a very awkward thing to leave the room, in the middle of the dinner, for things that you should have had before the dinner was served up. In the next place you should ask the cook if there is any particular way of sending things up ; as you may makes sad mistakes if you have not a bill of fare, and should you have one, you will not be at a loss how to put the dinner on the table in proper order, as it is there directed.
LAYING THE CLOTH, &C.
In putting the cloth on the table, you should be very particular, observing, in the first place, to have its right side uppermost. This you may easily learn by looking at the hem and fold. Likewise you must be very particular to have the bottom of the cloth to the bottom of the table. In most all dinner cloths that are spread for company, there is generally some ornamental work wrought on them, on some there is the family’s coat de arms, on others, baskets of flowers, birds, branches, &c. Then suppose there is a basket of flowers, the bottom of the basket should be towards the person at the bottom of the table, as the design should always go up the table ; the centre of the tablecloth should likewise go exactly down the centre of the table, and not hang the eighth of an inch longer at one end than the other.
SETTING OUT THE DINNER TABLE.
When your cloth is perfectly even, then put round your plates, laying four at each side, and one at each end, observing to have them at equal distance from each other, then put on your napkins, having them neatly folded so as to admit the bread into them, without being seen ; then put round your knives and forks, placing the knives at the right hand, with the edge of the blade towards the plate, and the end of the handle to come even with the edge of the table ; then place round your forks, on the left hand, in the same manner ; then put your carving knife and fork head and point, in the same way. When you have this done, put a dinner knife and fork at each side of the table, opposite the center, for carving with ; then put round your tumblers, one at the right side of each plate, about 3 inches from the edge of the table. The best method to have them at an equal distance from the edge of the table is, to take a steel fork, hold the prong in your right hand, allowing about 3 inches of the handle and prong to be extended from your fore finger and thumb, then press your fore finger against the edge of the table, letting the handle of the fork go in on the table ; then draw your tumbler so as to touch the handle of the fork ; and so on to each tumbler. By this process you will be able to have your tumblers at a proper distance from the edge of the table ; then put round your wine glasses, one before each tumbler ; let the foot of each wineglass touch the tumbler, and this will keep them even, in like manner ; then put round your plates ; put a spoon between each plate in a straight line all around the table, with the bowls upwards, as they show much better to advantage ; then put on your two large gravy spoons, one at the bottom, and another at the top. Put these across, before the head and foot plate ; then put round your salts, which should be six in number, as this is the regular quantity for 10 to dinner. Remember to put on your salt spoons, and if you have a sallad to go in the center of the table, lay a silver waiter under it, so as to raise your sallad bowl more majestically. If you have four wines, put one at each corner of the table, but not so near as to be knocked off. When removing the dishes, if your family dined by candle light, the candlesticks or branches are put in the center of the table. Should there be branches, the sallad or apergne must be put in the center, with one of the branches between that and the bottom, and the other between that and the top ; you should have plenty of plates, knives and forks, spoons, glasses of both kinds, and everything else that is necessary for your dinner ; as it is much better to have in the room more things than are wanted, of every description, than not to have enough ; as this causes great confusion.
SETTING OUT THE SIDEBOARD.
In setting out your sideboard, you must study neatness, convenience, and taste ; as you must think that ladies and gentlemen that have splendid and costly articles, wish to have them seen and set out to the best advantage. I have often seen at parties, where I have been attending, the side boards and side tables set out in such a manner that they looked quite in a state of confusion ; whereas, if they were set out in a proper order, they would make a magnificent appearance. There are some old and experienced servants, that will set out their tables and side boards with such a degree of taste and neatness, that they will strike the eyes of every person who enters the room, with a pleasing sensation of elegance.
The grapes which are to go on with the dessert, &c. with all the spare glasses that are for dinner, must go on the sideboard, with your champaign, hawk, and ale glasses. When all these are properly arranged, they make a grand display. Your glasses should form a crescent, or half circle, as this looks most sublime. If you should have a light on your sideboard, you must leave a vacant place behind your glasses for it ; in forming the crescent, your highest glasses must be the farthest off, and the smaller ones in an inner circle. Let them be put two and two, that is, one large and one small, that you may have them ready when wanted. In the space between the glasses, place your cruet stand or casters, this must be right in the centre of the sideboard, and about two inches from the edge ; then put at each side of your casters your two water decanters, then your small silver hand waiters, one on each side of each water decanter, then your wine for the dessert, in the silver coursters, in the same manner ; then if there is any vacancy left, you may fill it up with some spoons, as spoons, &c., give glass a brilliant display. If your sideboard is very large, you may put your finger glasses on it, but mind that everything looks uniform. In the next place, put your plate basket in the most convenient place, with your knife trays and clean cloths spread in them. Keep one of them for removing the knives from the dishes, before you take the dishes from the table.
You never should take a dish from the table with a knife and fork in it, as it is very dangerous ; if the knife or fork should fall off, it might perhaps stick in your foot, or, on the other hand, it will dirty the carpet, which is a very disagreeable thing, and is sure to give dissatisfaction to the lady of the family.
There are many such disasters as this that happened through the servant’s not attending properly to the regular rules of waiting at table. There are many servants that put themselves in quite a state of confusion, by being in too great a hurry. The beauty of a servant is to go quietly about the room when changing plates or dishes ; he never should seem to be in the least hurry or confusion, for this plainly shows that he is deficient of his duty. A man that knows his business well, should take hold of things as a first rate mechanic, and never seem to be agitated in the least. You should always have a quick, but light and smooth step, around the room while waiting ; practice will soon bring you to this. And in the next place you should always wear tight shoes or thin pumps while waiting at dinner, as it is impossible for you to go quick and light, if you wear heavy shoes or boots, in the parlor.
THE SIDE TABLE.
The side table is the place where you are to have all your dinner plates, pudding and cheese plates, and likewise the dessert plates, if there is not room on your sideboard for them. You must have a clean cloth spread upon it, as your salad and cold meats are to be placed on it, if they are not put on your dinner table. Divide your dinner plates into three piles ; place one pile in the centre of the side table, about 2 inches from the edge, then place your other two piles, one on each side, leaving a regular space between them, so as to place your knives and forks between them, and this you must do with great taste, that they may look ornamental like the things on your sideboard, observing the same rule to have everything that is wanted first, next at hand. Place in the space that is left between the centre pile and that on the right hand, your large knives and forks, letting the ends of all the handles be on an even line with the edge of the table ; then in the space on the left of the centre pile, set your small knives and forks, in the same manner, observing everything to be uniform and in its proper place. Then place a pile of your small cheese plates behind the pile of large ones at the left of the centre, and your pudding plates behind the pile on the right, having each pile of an even height. But there should be no more than a dozen and a half in each pile, at most. Should there be any more vacant places, ornament them with some spoons, and your sauce ladles ; having the bowls uppermost, as they show to more advantage ; but leave room enough behind for your cold meats, if there is any ; then put your dowlases on your dessert places, with a desert knife, fork and spoon, the knife to the right side and the fork to the left, with the spoon in the centre. Place those neatly on your side table, if there is not room on the sideboard for them ; but the sideboard is the proper place, as they are convenient to the dessert glasses, &c.
In setting out your sideboard and sidetable you should always study convenience and elegance, in putting your things on, and study to have plenty of every thing, that you need not have to leave the room during the course of dinner. You must never be afraid of a little trouble when there is company, for where the sideboard and sidetable is set out with taste and ingenuity, it has a very pleasing effect to those who go in and see order and design prevail.
Never bring in your cheese before wanted, as the smell may be disagreeable to some of the company.
In the next place you should be careful not to make any more noise than you possibly can. When changing the plates, take off your dirty knife and fork very gently, and lay them in your knife tray, and put the plate into the plate basket as gently as you can. When returning a clean plate, lay your knife and fork on it as easy as you can, so as to cause no rattle nor noise. Put the knife on the right and the fork on the left in the bowl of the plate, and lay it before the lady or gentleman as gently as possible. Always observe to go to the left side of the person that you hand anything to, or take anything from, as it is very awkward to hand anything at the right hand side of the person ; I have seen many accidents happen through the neglect of not practicing these rules. In many cases there have been whole glasses of beer, water, and wine, upset, all through handing it at the right hand side ; for instance, perhaps the gentleman to whom you are taking the glass of beer, &c. may raise his arm, and thus upset the whole.
DINNER ON THE TABLE.
When your dinner is on the table, and everything that is necessary, stand at the bottom and cast your eyes along the table, and you will perceive in an instant if any of your dishes are not properly placed. You should observe to have your side dishes in a straight line, and at a regular distance from each other, and also match in size and colour, cross corners, your four corner dishes should go rather on a square, and to match each other cross corner ; as a middling dinner when well served up, and the dishes well matched, and at a proper distance from each other, has a more pleasing aspect than double as large a one, when crowded, and improperly put on the table ; you should pay the greatest attention to this rule.
WAITING ON DINNER.
When the chairs are put round, and all things quite ready, proceed to the drawing room, or wherever the company is. If the drawing room is large, advance a little towards the lady or gentleman of the family, and with a graceful motion of your head, say, ma’am, or sir, the dinner is served ; or ladies and gentlemen, dinner is on the table. When you see that they have noticed the announcement, then proceed to the dining room door and hold it open until the company have all gone in, then shut it, and when the company have sat down, if there is soup, take off the cover ; if there should be only fish at the top, and a joint at the bottom, remove the cover from off the fish or soup, and from off the proper sauce for the fish ; and if there is no one but yourself to wait take your station at the bottom of the table, about a yard behind the person that sits at the foot of the table ; stand rather a little to the left of his chair. By standing in this position, you will command a full view of the table ; whereas if you stand behind the person that carves, at the bottom of the table, you cannot see when the plates want changing. When you hold a plate to the carver to help a lady or gentleman, stand at the left-hand of the carver, holding the plate in your left hand, with your thumb on the rim of the plate, and your two fingers extended under the bottom ; you should never let your thumb go farther than the rim of the plate, for it is a very improper thing to run your thumb half way across the plate. If you want to tip the dish for gravy, change the plate into your right hand, and be careful that you do not spill the gravy on the cloth. When you take it to whom it is for, go to the left side, and with your right hand take the plate that is done with, and with your left hand lay the other gently before them.
You should never lay a plate before a lady or gentleman at their right hand side, except by some particular reason, that you have to sit it down with your right hand on the right hand side. When you are holding a plate to a carver, or handing the vegetables or sauces round, you must hold them in your left hand at the left side of the person you have to serve ; and keep your fingers extended under the bottom and in the same manner as you hold the plate.
When you are taking off all your covers begin at the bottom dish first, at the left-hand side, taking them off with your left hand all round, until you come to the bottom again, then place them in your dinner tray until you have time to take or send them out of the room. When beer, cider, or water is called for, go to the right side as the tumbler stands on that side ; be careful that you do not run them over, as you will wet the cloth. When you hand a glass or any thing on a hand waiter, always go to the left side.
When you hand a glass, knife and fork, or anything else to any of the company, always take a hand waiter, as it is very improper to hand anything with the naked hand ; likewise when you are taking any thing off the table, such as a glass, spoons, or any other small article, have a waiter in your left hand and take off the article with your right. In the next place when you are ready for the removes, for the soup, and fish, ring the bell, that the cook may have it in readiness against you wanted ; but, before you remove the soups or fish, take your knife tray, and remove the soup ladle and fish knife from them, holding your knife tray in your left hand, and removing them with your right. As soon as the removes are put on the table, uncover them, taking care that you don’t dirt the cloth with the drops of steam from the covers, but, to hinder this, turn up the covers quick. Then the next thing is to exert your skill and ability, until the company is all served round, with meat, vegetables, &c. Then take your station, and keep your eyes and ears open, to see and hear what the company may want, or ask for. Do not wait to be asked for every thing by the company ; for if you keep a sharp eye on the table, you will see many things wanted by persons who, perhaps, through being a little bashful, will not ask for themselves ; such as bread, vegetables, or sauce ; likewise what may be wanted on particular occasions, such as mustard to duck and goose, fish-sauce to fish, mint-sauce to lamb, lemon to veal, bread sauce to fowls, &c. &c. When you remove or take off the dishes, if large, put your two hands to them ; stand at the left side of the person who sits opposite ; the small ones you may take off with your one hand, but you must be very careful that you do not spill the gravy on the cloth. Always take a firm hold of the dishes when taking them off the table ; observing to keep your right hand up one side of the dish towards the centre of the table, and the left-hand near the other end, keeping a firm grasp with your thumbs, and your fingers well extended under the dish ; always lift the dishes high enough to clear the glasses, &c. &c.
When you perceive the company do not seem to eat of the dishes on the table, keep your eye on the lady or gentleman of the family, as they generally give the signal to remove the first course. You must give the cook information before dinner that you will ring the bell twice, as a signal for second course to be got ready. When you are taking off your dishes, do it very gently, but quick and handy. You must not seem to be in the least confusion, for there is nothing that looks so bad as to see a man in a bustle, or confused state, when he has the management of a party. He should always take hold of his work as if he understood it, and never seem to be agitated in the least.
As soon as you perceive the signal to remove the first course, take your knife-tray and remove all the knives, forks, and spoons, from all the dishes, and the ladles from out the sauce-boats, before you attempt to remove any of the dishes from off the table ; when you have finished this part, then go to the bottom of the table, and begin at the bottom dish, on the left side, taking all before you as you go along, observing to keep on the left side of the person who sits opposite the dish you are taking ; putting your two hands to the large ones as directed ; and only your left hand to the small ones ; and so on, all round the table, until you come to the bottom again.
Then proceed for your second course, which you may bring in on your dinner tray, if your tray is large enough. Place your second course into it as it is to go on the table, but if you have a bill affair, you need not be so particular. Have your bill affair in your tray, that you may make no mistakes when putting your dishes on the table. Begin in the same manner as you took the others off, first at the bottom, then at the left side, and so on all round, observing to place your dishes at a regular distance from each other. When you have them all put on in proper order, take of all the covers, as you did the first course, beginning at the bottom, up the left side, taking them off with your left hand, and so on until you come to the bottom again. See that there are knives, forks, and spoons, to the dishes that want them ; then be ready to wait on the company.
When you see that they are finished with the second course, then put round your small cheese plates as you take your others off, with a small knife ; if there is salad, you must put on a fork likewise. Have your salad, butter, cheese, and cucumbers ready against the second course comes off ; but there are many families that have the salad, butter,f cheese, radishes, &c. All put on with the second course ; this is a great deal of trouble and waiting on. But if your family should like the other way best, when your second course is done with, take your knife tray, and remove all the knives, forks, and spoons, from off the dishes. When this is done, take off all the dishes as directed in the other courses ; then put on your cheese, &c. If there should be two cheeses, with butter, salad, cucumbers, radishes, &c. Put your cheese at top and bottom, your salad in the centre, and your butter and radishes at the sides, two plates of butter, and two of radishes to be put cross corners, will make your table look much better than with one of each. When you have put a knife to your cheese, another to your butter, with your salad spoon to your salad, &c. Then proceed to hand round the cheese and wait on the company. Sometimes there is champagne, porter, or ale handed round, while at cheese ; but in other families, while at the second course ; and in others when the dessert is put on the table ; but the gentleman of the family most commonly gives direction about his wines, and when they are to be put on the table.
As soon as the company are done with the cheese, &c. Take your knife – tray and remove your salad spoon, butter and cheese knife, then begin and take off the dishes, as you did in the other courses ; then clear off all your dirty glasses. The best means of doing this is to have a large waiter ; let one of those who help you, take a firm hold of it between his two hands, while you begin at the bottom of the table on the left side, and clear every glass, spoon, and knife away, while he is to follow you around with the waiter. When all is cleared away and the wine taken off the table, then take a large plate and a fork in your right hand, and take up all the pieces of bread, from the cloth ; then take another plate and your table brush, or a clean towel rolled up, begin at the bottom on the left side, brushing off clean all the crumbs, until you come to the bottom again, then put round your finger glasses, one to each person, beginning at the bottom and going all round ; you may put on those to the right side of the ladies or gentlemen. When the company are all done with their glasses, begin at the bottom and take them off all round. When this is done, take off your table cloth, napkins, &c. Then take a towel and wipe off your table, beginning at the bottom, and wiping all round ; then proceed to put round your plates.
PUTTING ON THE DESSERT.
Put round your dessert plates one before each person, then your wine glasses, placing two on the right side of each plate, then put on your wine coursters, or decanter stands and wine ; if only two, put one near the corner, top and bottom, on the right side. If four, one to each corner. If different wines, place them so as to match cross corners ; recollect to observe the same rule in putting on the dessert as the other courses, unless you have more dishes in number, in this case you may put on the dishes, top, middle and bottom ; before you put on the sides, if you have a cake, put it right in the center, with your sugar basin and cut-glass water pitcher between the top and bottom dishes, in a right line down the center of the table. Then put round your side dishes, beginning at the bottom of the left side, observing to keep them at equal distances from each other, and all your dishes to match in colour and size as near as possible, as this is the beauty of putting on your dessert. When you have all your dishes on the table, put a knife to your cake, and half a dozen of large spoons reverse to each other, down the centre of the table, to serve the desert with. Should there be blancmange or ice creams, lay a small pile of plates, top and bottom ; when there is ice creams, you must stop to serve it round to the company, until all are helped, then proceed to take all the dirty things out of the room, with as little noise as possible ; let your clean things on the sideboard and sidetable remain until you clear away, after the company has retired from the room. Never seem to be in a hurry or bustle in leaving the room. When all your dirty things are cleared out, shut the door after you very gently, as you should never make more noise in the parlor than you can possibly help.
PREPARATIONS FOR TEA AND COFFEE.
If your family do not dine by candle-light, perhaps, against dinner is over, it may be time to light your lamps in the hall, and on the staircase ; likewise have all your lamps, branches, &c. In readiness in the drawing room, if not lighted, as the ladies never stop long in the dining room after the dessert is over. When all your lamps are lit, and everything in order, see that your boiler is full and in readiness for tea, then see to your silver, and knives and forks, that they are all washed, wiped, and put away in their places, that they may be in readiness to clean in the morning ; observe to put your silver forks and spoons in separate places, for if you put your forks and spoons together, they are apt to get scratched. You should likewise count your silver after it is washed up, for fear there should be any mislaid.
Then see to your glasses, wash and wipe them dry, then put them by in their proper places ; tidy up your pantry, and by this means you will have room for your other dirty glasses, &c. that are used for the desert. When the gentlemen have retired from the dining room, then go in and first put away all the chairs in their places, then put away the fruit, &c. in their place, then take a large tray and take all the glasses off. Put by the wine, and empty all your dessert plates, and carry all the dirty things out to your pantry, or where you may wash them up. Wipe off the table, and take out all the clean things that remain on the sideboard and side table. When all is cleared away, and your room put in order, then proceed to wash up your glasses and dessert plates, spoons, &c. Wipe dry and put every thing away in their proper places, hang your towels to dry, and have yourself in readiness against they order tea or coffee.
CARRYING TEA AND COFFEE AROUND.
In some houses the drawing room is up stairs ; should this be the case where you live, you must be very careful when carrying your tea and coffee up stairs, that you do not slop it over into the saucers, as this would have a slovenly appearance to the company. Your tray should be large, if there is much company, that the ladies may take their cup and saucer with ease. At the first round you should have one cup of tea between every two of coffee, as they generally take more coffee than tea at the first round. When placing your cups and saucers on the tray, be particular and have them all uniform and not crowded ; with your sugar and cream in the centre, and sugar tongs and handle of the cream pot towards the company. Have, on another tray, your cake, wafers, toast, bread and butter, &c. All neatly arranged to take round after you have served tea and coffee to all the company. But if you have a large party, you should have some person to hand round the cake, &c. At the same time that you are serving round tea.
When you first enter the room with the tea, cast your eyes around the company to observe where the most elderly lady is seated, then proceed forward and help her first, observing to lower the waiter, that the ladies may take their tea off with ease. When the ladies are all served, then proceed to help the gentlemen, beginning as with the ladies. When all the company are served with the first round, carry out your tray, and wipe it clean if wet, then take another waiter to receive the cups as soon as the ladies and gentlemen are done with them. During this interval, hand round your cake, &c. When you have received all your empty cups, rinse them out, and proceed to serve round another course, as before, beginning at the same lady, and going all round, leaving the lady of the family to be the last lady that is served, as the strangers must always be served first. This second round is generally enough, but hand round the cake, &c. Once or twice after, then carry all out of the room, and, if cold weather, see that all your fires burn well.
Section Three: The Supper Party
OBSERVATIONS ON SUPPER, &C.
Now, my young friends, in the next place I shall give you some observations on the management of a supper party. In the first place, we will consider the party to be from twenty to thirty. Such parties are very common in private families of fashionable standing. In such parties they generally play at cards, &c. ; therefore have your lamps or candles in good order and lighted up before the company has come, and, if cold weather, have your fires in good order ; likewise have your card tables placed out, and your chairs adjusted, and every thing properly arranged and in uniform array, that everything may go on in good order, and without any bustle whatever, that you may gain credit from your employers and the company likewise.
In the next place see that your tea and coffee things are in order, and all placed on your waiter in readiness, should they have tea or coffee, as they generally do, before supper ; likewise have your glasses wiped and placed on your proper waiters, as there are generally refreshments carried up to the drawing room to the company before supper. But everything being good order and in readiness, that there need be no confusion whatever. When you have every thing properly arranged, and your rooms comfortable, then tidy yourself up, so as to look smart and clean, and have yourself in readiness to wait on the company, and show them to the drawing room.
In some families the servant has to announce the several names of the company as they come, before entering the drawing room. This is troublesome where there is not sufficient help kept ; but it is a most fashionable thing in all families of distinction in England and France, that the lady and gentleman of the family may receive them as they enter the drawing room, and introduce them to the rest of the company.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE SUPPER TABLE.
You should always lay your cloth for supper before the company comes, if you possibly can, as it saves you a great deal of time which you may want afterwards, as the company generally wish some refreshments carried up to them before supper, &c. Likewise you should learn from the lady of the family how many visitants are expected ; this will be a guide to let you see what length your table should be. When laying your cloth you must be as particular as at dinner ; let your knives, forks, spoons, and salts be placed with the same uniformity as at dinner, with a tumbler wineglass, and if there is champagne, put on a glass likewise to each plate ; place your tumbler glasses the same distance as directed at dinner, with your wine glass and champagne glass about 1 inch from your tumbler. But on a straight line ; let your champagne glass be behind your wine glass.
Coolers or finger glasses are seldom used at supper parties ; you must have four or six water decanters or cut glass pitchers, on your supper table, as the company generally help themselves at supper without the formality of more attendance than is necessary for comfort. If it is a cold supper, your plates may be all cold ; but if in cold weather, and some hot dishes, your plates must be warm. And keep good fires, that the company may be all comfortable. You may place all your cold dishes on as soon as your table is laid, that you may have more leisure to place them on in proper uniform and neatness. Have all your dishes to match in size to each other on opposite sides if possible, and all at proper and equal distance from each other. Should you not have a bill affair to go by, place them on in the best style you possibly can, so that the dishes match each other in colours, &c. cross corners. Have plenty of clean things in the room, and know that every thing that you may want is in the room before the company sits down. There is seldom much change of dishes at a supper party, and especially of cold ; for then it all goes on at once ; therefore you will not want as many clean articles of each kind as at dinner, such as knives, forks, spoons, plates, &c. but have plenty of brimmer glasses, tumblers, and wine glasses, on your sideboard and to be set out as at dinner. Your wine decanters must be put on at supper, as at dinner. Make it your study to put everything on with taste, and as though you had a design for taste and ingenuity. Supper dishes are generally, and ought always to be, garnished with green parsley or flowers ; if they are, be very careful not to shake them off when going up stairs, as they give a supper table a most sublime appearance, and particularly in summer time, when everything is green and in bloom.
In waiting at supper you must observe the same rules as what I have given for dinner, and regulate according to the number that you are to have to assist you to wait, that there may not be the least bustle or confusion in waiting on the company, as this is one of the most disagreeable things that the lady or gentleman of the family can see ; let each know his proper place appointed, and what he has to do ; therefore if you abide by those rules, everything will go on in good order, and without any confusion or mismanagement.
What can be more agreeable to the lady who gives the entertainment, than to see everything go on with order and correctness, without having any blunders whatever ; but, the company to be comfortably and systematically waited on ; this will give general satisfaction to the family, and gain credit for yourself. As soon as supper is over and the company withdrawn from the supper table ; then see to collecting your plate, and clearing your dirty things away, and put your clean things in their places.
House Servants Directory | Index | Intro | Section One | Section Two and Three | Section Four and Five | Section Six | Section Seven and Eight | Section Nine and Ten | Glossary
