, 1877-07-29
TIE ART OF DINTya-0Ur.-


found a place, is not above enjoying, in tn
fullest sense, the culinary successes OF hi
hostess; while he reprchends with just severity
though with mental reservations, the dishc!
that have failed to tickle his palate or ministe
to his artistic sense OF propriety. Like 4 wist
Judge, and q learned Judge, and Judge whe
| "has two gowns aud everything handsome
about him" he does not deliver his opinion or
the Instant; hc reserves ju Igment, and gives il
in chambers to the vile Of his bosom or the
| confidential advisers OF his household. He
recoynizes-none 50 we'll as he-thc fact that
| there can be TO vicarluu5 atonemenE for bad
| dinner. The olfeuse cannot be charged on the
! cook. The cook is creature not known to The
unwritten law of the dinner-table; the diplo-
| macy OF society does not assume the existence o1
SO ordinary an agent. It il true, rs OWEN
! MEREDITH SO cloquently says. that civil
lizeu mrn cannot lire without cooks, but it is
| also true that civilized men can and do pretend
! to do So. No social fiction has taken nrmer
! hold on the imagination Of the masses than that
which supposcs the mistress ot the household to
| be also the mistress Of her Own kitchen. How
painful then is the position oi the upright diner.
out VINO hnds himself at the same time obliged
to eat tho bad messes Of his hostess and to
The person SO situated muss advance with
out a.ncling through the Golgotha before him,
anu add to the horrors Ut diseased digestion
serious injury TO his duer sensibflities. Years
OF abstinence and repcntance-a whole wider
ness of Sabbath-Sehoul Conventions and pruyer-
meetings-may not repair the mora! havoc OF
single night. The man who, with q full cou-
scioustess OF the consequences, encounters
n iEh ftRrf1 I'M 3,o1ter
with whom CAsAp1ANc!a Is insiS. icant-
Weak men, Of eoudding dispositions, have
forgiven friends who have betrayed them with
bad dinners; but history records no instance Of
forgiveness for one VINO has imposed upon an
unprotected man an uncongenial companion at
table. The cruelty OF mating timid old bach
elor with woman Ut advanced views, OR a self
assured youth with a modest and inexperienced
giri, can never be conloncd. And If it is an
ofensc 10 put together a boy and girl who,
after six months' engagement, have for
tunately discovered that they never, never we're
III :ndcd ior each other, how much more mon
slrous is it to separate similar pair who, under
tile same conditions, have arrived at cx-
actly the opposite confusion! Either arrangu-
ment provides sufficiently for the misery
OF Two persons, whose only crime iu tho ere OF |
heaven may be a dcictcucy OF guod sense and
character. But of ali tue arrangements for an
dinner-party tnat can be conceived,
the most complete, to our mind, Is that which
provides an equal number vi duil anu brilliant
guests. One element or the other is liscor,lant~
Tie dull are terrltlel and oyerpowesea, or, far !
worse, they are SPARED oy example to attempt |
Tor viii il Nature never qualilied !
Them. The effect upon the brilliant is quite
Is disastrous. Te.Apted by tue love of
display, they assault impregnAole heights,
anu insult Providence With spurious aud
'rofane satfies Of fancy, taste and prejudice.
The dull dinuer-party. on the wfolc, is the |
afest and most comfortable. Efforts Of mind are
It war with organized aud Intelligent Efforts of
toinach. Tile gastric Juices will almlt no di-
'iued empire; whcu they arc at play, all the
aicrocosm Of puny man should minister to
heir Waits; dulluess, the philosopher tells us,
breeder Of quiet and content Converse
ion las gone out OF fashion ut tue best dllsner-
abes; and tho gr at couyersers have been BY |
rise humanity voted the greatest borcs. Tie |
1odel conversation WAS epitomized By Mother
loose long ago in those neyer-to-bc-forgotten
ues:
As Tommy Snooks aud Bcssy Brooks
Were walking uut one Sunday.
Says Tommy enoukB to tessy Brooks,
Tomorrow Hll1 be Monday.
The incest care in the selection Of guests, aud !
le most complete success in cooking, will not :
rive il the atmospheric conditions be not |
vorable. Areas Of low bardmeter hover over