Smyrna times., 1875-09-01
Carving.


IL Is only OF late years that the duty O
carving has fallen to the lot of the masto,
OF the house. The work of dismemberinc
a fowl or reducing a roast to slices before
our time was always performed by the mis-
tress OF the establishment. We learn from
the letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
that century ago there were in England
protested carving-masters, who taught youno
ladies the art scientifically. This task
must have requirelno small share of bodily
strength, for the lady was not onlv to invite
that is, urge and tease-her guests to eat
more than human throats could con.
venlently swallow, but to carve every dish.
when chosen, with her own hands, Tho
greater the lady, the more indispensabIo
the duty. Each joint in its turn was car.
rled up to be operated upon by her, and bv
her alone, since the peers and knights on
either hand were so far from being bound
TO otter their assistance that the very master
OF the house, posted opposite to her. might
not act as her croupier. His department
was to push the bottle after dinner. As
Tor the crowd of guests, the most incon.
siderable among them-the curate. or
su0altern, or squire's younger brother-jf
suffered through her neglect to help him
self to slice of mutton placed before him.
would have chcwcd it in bitterness. and
gone home an aflrontod man, half inclined
10 give wrong vote at the next election.
Lady Montagu said she took lessons thrce
times a week, that she might be perfect IN
the art on such occasions as She w;,s roou;ral
to preside at her fathers table. In order
70 perform her duties successfully She was
obliged to eat her own dinner alone an
hour or two beforehand.
The mistress of a house at this pcriod oc.
cupied not only very important. but \
very laborious, position. 1t must be men.
toned that the profusion of provisions in
the banquets Of the time bordcred upon
barbarous magnificcncc, compared to the
elegant modes of preparing dishes in tho
present day, and called for dining-halls and
Kitchens of sufficient dimensions to avoid
the confusion that must otherwise have
occurred. Hence the supcrintcndence of
q household was labor of great extent ond |
1t was held that woman
mad no right to enter the estate of matri. |
mony unless possessed Of good KNOWLEDGE |
ot cookery. Otherwise she could perform |
but half her vow. She might love and |
ooey, but she could not cherish. TO be |
perfect in this art she must know in which |
quarter OF the moon to plant and gather all .
kinds of herbs and salads throughopt thn
year. She must also be "cleanly. have :,
Iulck eye, a curious nose, perfect taste.
lnd ready care and be neither butter.
fingered, swcct-toOthcd, nor faint-hcartco
tor II She were the first of these she would |
et every thing fall; if the second. She
would consume that which she should in
'rease and if the third, she would lose
lme with too much niccness. For an
ordinary feast, with which any goodman
night entertain his friends, about sixteen
fishes were considered suitable supply
or the first course. This included sucb
substantial articles rs a shield Of Drawn wiz,
mustard, boiled capon, piece of boiled
'eef, a chine of beef roasted, meats tongue
oastcd, pig roasted, minced chicken,
made INTO balls, roasted goose, swan, a
urkey, haunch of venison, a ycnisc n
'asty, kid with pudding in it, an olive
nc, couple of roast capons, and a custard
Besides these principal dishes, the house
wife added as many salads, fricassces, and
'asties as made thirty-two dishes. which
we're considered as many as it was polite to
'ut upon the table for first course. Then
ollowcd second and third courses, in which
many of the dishes were for show only. but
7ere so tastefully made as to contribute
much to the beauty of the feast.
With the carving and distribution of
uch variety of dishes as these to attend
o, the burden of the honor" of presid.
ng over banquet must have pressed
leavily upon the housewife whose duty it
'as to see to tho ordering of the FEAST
Iarper's Weekly.