The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-25
A BACHELORS DINNERS.
now Il SINGLE MAN KEEPS HOUSE AND En-
TERTAINs HIs FRrE&Ds.
fEram the Home Journal.l

from the Home Journal.]
IT have now kent house for q long series
u -yeors and with considerable satisfaction |
q myself. Modesty forbids my claiming |
no lcndly that nv guests are equally well |
,leased with my arrangements when offer
nom nv hospitality; but may say, at
east, that find no reluctance in excepting
nv invitations, and that when visitors have
STAYED once in my house they are always
glad to come again, Nevertheless, it must be
clearly understood that mine Is but small
cight-r6omed house.
Two servants, and a cellar only moderately
stocked, make up the sum total Of my house
keeping capital. Upon my housekeepel.
cook. who is in her way a treasure, inca1l-
cate the virtues Of thriftiness. subiecting all
her accounts to vigorous audit, and setting
INV face perempterily against waste and eN-
On the otheT hand, Scorn
meanncss or cheese-pariRg economy My
house1iaid has TO WORK hard, as must he
unavoidable ~ hen she is responsible Tor the
cleanliness and order es the whole house
hold; brtt then she Is not harassed by
excessive waiting at table. In this respect,
as in most others, i an thorough disciple
OF "The 0risinal's-the late Mr. Walker,
that is to say, who published under that
title. and among other papers an admirable
essay upca Aristolagy, or the art OF dining.
AS he sagelv observes, the real end OF at
tendance is to do for one that whfch one
cannot SO we'll do for ones SELF 1t would
be an intolcrable nuisance to be obliged to
rise from the table and fetch each course
from the kitchen when required; equally
disagreeable would be the exertion Of
changing plates or OF removing the cloth.
But it is otherwise with what shall de-
signatc the iringes Of the psst-the ac-
compartments. the vegetables, sauces,
bread, condiments, wine, and so forth,
to all OF which diner can easily help
himself. His enjoyment is, indeed, SEN
sibly increased according to the facility with
which he can satisfy his requirements i'll this
respect. Therefore is it that at my dinners
everything specially required for each
course is placed with such course either
upon the table or upon dumb-waiter within
easy reach. Following the advice OF "The
Original" my ccntrepiecc is not a sense
less epergne or useless wine-cooler-hold-
ing bottle that is not wanted, and which
would not be cool If it were-but a silver
basket filed with bread, and on each side
OF it are two silver tridents, so that
every one can have bread without asking
for it. AS asnatural consequence OF this
system, then, l can dispense with the pre-.
sence Of servant during the greater part
OF dinner, and thus all restraint on CONVEX
sation is removed. This is q great gain.
Another, not less, is the escape from
constant irritation and annoyance Of ser
wants leaning over to take this or that
from the table, or OF having stcamins hot
dishes thrust close into ones face. While
i am upon this point I will say that what
wine I give is also placed upon the table,
so that the first desire to drink may
be followed by an immediate draught. 10
this the only exception is the first glass OF
sherry, which should be found ready at
ones elbow, to follow the soup. Champagne
is always decanted, and placed a bottle be-
tween every two guests when the number
at table exceeds four, which is seldom the
case. SO steadfastly do / advocate small
parties in preference to large ones, that
would recommend the use OF several tables
rather than one long one, should guests be
unavoidably numerous.
A partie carrce is the most perfect form
of dinner which it is possible to conceive.
ALI large dinner parties resolve themselves
into much this arrangement; the four peo-
pie nearest to each other group together,
but without the luxurious comfort Of hay
ing one little table all to themselves. This
system HIS DceIi iuOpLcQ Ill supper Ill Ildllt
of the best houses, but so far / have not
heard OF any attempt to try the expert
ment ut dinner. Yet l do not altogether
limit my number to four. With six
q general conversation may be per-
fectly maintained, and even with eight.
The great point to remember is that
the whole company should be "onc," as
Mr.. Walker says, "sympathizing and draw
ing together, listening and talking in due
proportionS-no monopolists, nor any CT
piers" For the due assortment of the
guests the host is, of course, himself re-
sponsible. It would be well, when invita-
tons were issued, il it were clearly made
out whom one was likely to meet. In any
case, the host should adroitly make all his
guests acquainted with each other rs soon as
they are assembled, and this not by mere
formal introduction. but by some distinct
and unmistakable intimation as to "who
was who.S
The great aim and object OF all my din
ners is that they should be social gather
ings-the feast Of reason and the flow OF
soul are as essential to enjoyment and to
good digestion as are the tickling OF the
palate by dishes that are both toothsome and
tender. Nevertheless, a hungry man, or
even an cpicure who had forgotten what
hunger really meant, would be sorely disap-
pointed il set down to a banquet Of which
the only food were lively talk.