# A Little Pretty Pocket-book/Rules for Behaviour in Children/Chapter II/At the Table

Behaviour when at Table.
$^1$Come not to the Table without having your Hands and Face washed, and your Head combed. 2 Sit not down until thou art bidden by thy Parents or other Superiours. 3 Be sure thou never sittest down until a Blessing be desired, and then in thy due Place. ​4 Offer not to carve for thyself, or to take any Thing, though it be that which thou dost greatly desire. 5 Ask not for any Thing, but tarry until it be offered thee. 6 Find no Fault with any Thing that is given thee. 7 When thou hast Meat given thee, be not the first that begins to eat. 8 Speak not at the Table; if thy Superiours be discoursing, meddle not with the Matter; but be silent, except thou art spoken unto. 9 If thou wantest any Thing from the Servants, call to them softly. 10 Eat not too fast, or with greedy Behaviour. 11 Eat not too much, but moderately.
12 Eat not so slow as to make others wait for thee. 13 Make not a Noise with thy Tongue, Mouth, Lips or Breath, in eating or drinking. 14 Stare not in the Face of any one, especially thy Superiours, at the Table. ​15 Grease not thy Fingers or Napkin more than Necessity requires. 16 Bite not thy Bread, but break it; but not with slovingly Fingers, nor with the same wherewith thou takest up thy Meat. 17 Dip not thy Meat in the Sauce. 18 Take not Salt with a greasy knife. 19 Spit not, cough not, nor blow thy Nose at the Table, if it may be avoided; but is there be necessity, do it aside, and without much Noise. 20 Lean not thy Elbow on the Tablet or on the Back of thy Chair. 21 Stuff not thy Mouth so as to fill thy Cheeks, be content with smaller Mouthfuls. 22 Blow not thy Meat, but with Patience, wait until it be cool. 23 Sup not Broth at the Table; but eat it with a Spoon. 24 Smell not of thy Meat, nor put it to thy Nose; turn it not the other Side upward to view it upon thy Plate. 25 Throw not any Thing under the Table. ​26 Hold not thy Knife upright in thy Hand, but sloping; and lay it down at thy right Hand; with the Blade upon thy Plate. 27 Spit not forth any Thing that is not convenient to be swallowed, as the Stones of Plumbs, Cherries, or such like; but with thy left Hand, neatly move them to the Side of thy Plate. 28 Fix not thine Eyes upon the Plate of another, or upon the Meat on the Table. 29 Lift not up thine Eyes, nor roll them about while thou art drinking. 30 Foul not the Napkin all over, but at one Corner only. 31 Bend thy Body a little downwards to thy Plate, when thou movest any Thing that is sauced to thy Mouth. 32 Look not earnestly on any one that is eating. 33 Foul not the Tablecloth. 34 Gnaw not Bones at the Table, but clean them with thy Knife, unless they be very small ones, and hold them not with a whole Hand, but with two. Fingers. 35 Drink not nor speak with any Thing in thy Mouth. ​36 Put not a Bit into thy Mouth until the former be swallowed. 37 Before and after thou drinkest, wipe thy Lips with thy Napkin. 38 Pick not thy Teeth at the Table, unless holding up thy Napkin before thy Mouth with thine other Hand. 39 Drink not until thou hast quite emptied thy Mouth, nor drink often. 40 Frown not nor murmur if there be any Thing at the Table which thy Parents, or Strangers with them, eat of, while thou thyself hast none given thee. 41 As soon as thou shalt be moderately satisfied; or whensoever thy Parents think meet to bid thee, rise up from the Table, though others thy Superiours sit still. 42 When thou risest from the Table, having made a Bow at the Side of the Table where thou sattest, withdraw. 43 When Thanks are to be returned after eating, return to thy Place, and stand reverendly , until it be done; then with a Bow withdraw out of the Room, leaving thy Superiours to themselves, unless thou art bidden to stay.