New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-03
THE RURAL LIFE OF ENGLAND
BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID.
XIII.
PITBLIC DINNERS.

n
in no other country is this form of festival so con-
spicuous or of such frequent occurrence 1t is an
udiunct or rather central figure to all sorts of
assemblages, as Agricultural Shows, Hunt Club
Meetings with the various anniversaries Of Free
masons Foresters and other Friendly Societies
Even sober savants, met to promote science ana
phanthropsts to forward the interests of charity,
must have their public dinner; in short, no under
Waking is deemed complete or possible without IT,
From this frequency and fashion of fortifying or
gratifying the inner man, ii might be inferred tha'
English people ale well up in the gastrohoniic ar'
Yet 10 inference could be further from the TACT
Fond Of his belly. and courmand as John Bull may
be, he is aught but gourmet Indigenous cuisine
he has npne. or neat TO none; and although at bis
pnblc dinners the table may groan under suh-
cheney OF viands with variety as WELL 1t is spread
mt which chet of the "cordOn bleu" would make
wry faces True. of late years there has been i'm
provement in this matter but only in the large
cities In the provincial towns and rural districts
public dinners very much as OF old; the bill OF
fare being great joints of roast and boiled-beet,
veal lamb and mutton-wlth hams, tongues
turkeys and fowls, also game in the season; fol-
lowed by greasy buildings and tough heavy pastries
Heavy Is the stomach after eating them, aud needs
a copious downpour of wine other sprituoue
liquid to tighten 1t.
II is not my purpose. however, to treat OF these
physical characteristics of English public
dinner. but its mental and moral ones-the lido
syncrases which give birth to and cling around It,
For it has many peculiarities, some of them ludi-
crously absurd though their absurdity never seems
10 strike the guests themselves the millions
who read of their sayings and doings. OF course
the mott of the feast has generally to do with some
thing besides eating and drlnking; the feStivity
Itself being merely q medium to popularize some
underlying interest Oftener than otherwise ii Is
political one for although the ostensibe object OF
the dinner may be quite apart from politics. these
are pretty to crop ND IN the speeches succeed
ing il; while the speech-maker themselves Will
be found at the bottom of the whole affair; they
being the interested ones either for their own proht
or popularity.
, 1t having been resolved by the wire-pullers of
some association to give public dinner, their next
step is the selection and securing chairman of
high social position. If a mere parish affair the
parson will do; though better the squireif he can
be had But when it is a festival affecting large
district of country the whole shire, tirs-class
county magnate will be solicited to take the chair
a titled nobleman, if such can be obtained, or fail
ing that. a Member of Parliament. Fitness has
little or nothing to do with the choice; rank and
station, everything. For in England no enterprise
stands much chance Of success, unless under fash
ioDable patronage Even charity must have this,
or the subscriptions to 1t will be few and triling.
But the list once headed by His Grace the Duke of
Omnium, or the Marquis of Marigold, they will
flow IN with cOpiOusness proving how much OF
the milk of human kindness there is in the English
heart. About the yice-char there is not the same
solicitude it being usually occupied by the pres-
dent, secretary, or some distn guished member of
the association that gives the dinner. without ref
erence to social rank. Less could not gracefully
be conceded.
The repast bespoke at some hotel OF tavern, and
erythng arranged, as the price of tickets the list
OF toasts with their propOsers and seconders, the
dinner comes off. Perhaps the best way to give the
American reader con prehenson of the after pro-
cesdiugs will be to adopt the newspaper report of
such dinner rather an epitome OF 1t, space not
allowing me to give full details. with the comments
deem it necessary TO make Let 1t be an Aericul-
tural Society's dinner the most appropriate to
letter on English rural life Thus saith the reporter
The dinner was given at the Green Dragon Hotel
The tables tastefully arranged AMI decorated with
flowers and fruit in epergnts, grOaned under all the
delicacies of the season, the mepa being such as
only Host Boniface knows how TO set before his
guests The scene was enllvened by the strains OF
the SlOpshire Volunteer Band, which PLAYED a
sprightly air the guests entered the room. LORD
Thngunbob, the honored President of the Society,
occupied the chair, supported ON the night by SIR
Barnaby BrOadacres NJ. p, senior member for the
county. Colonel Flasher. SlOpslire Volunteers and
Roger Benchley, Esq, J. p. Thanking him on the
k iSis VI" ESQ., our H. F. With O reatgnn
Captain Spritsail, X. ", and the Rev. Theophius
Honeytongne v1caf 81 f Icy M lGfast he
respected treasurer of the Society with the secre-
tary, Mr.. Scribbleton. on his right and Mr.. James
Turnipfed, of Redlands Farm. on the left. The
long table from top to bottom showed no gap every
seat being filed up by respectable farmers and their
friends. the guests in all numbering over 100.
At this particular dinner-table there may have
been no gap" between the SEATS But have at
81 cnf.l oil bar tbQra
was q very marked hiatus not for the want Of
guests to fill it up. hut because it was deemed the
correct thing TO have unoccupiel space separat
ing the quality folk at the tables head from the
Ordinary diners further down. But 20 continue the
report:
Grace having been said by the Rev. T. Honey
tongue it is hardly necessary 10 state that full
justice was done to the good things provided not
Green Dragon, need not add, were OF the choicest
vintage
The reporter omits to state how these wines of
choicest vintage were set before the guests. For
the information of my American readers | will
supply the omission. Soon az he has uncorked
bottle, the English hotel waiter-nearest thing to a
ghoul known upon earth-stands by the shoulder
of him who has ordered it, with paw held half |
curved and an expression on his face which plainly |
says "Pay. sir " Not unfiequently lie makes the
demand ira rOoe, within hearing of all for G. o.
d. is the rule of drink at most OF public dinners
just as at the bar OF liquor saloon. Then follows |
a cropping in pockets, with a coin pulled out and
passed into the palm of the white-cravated mon |
ster who fumbles in his pocket long while before |
he can find change. at length grudgingly giving |
it, If expected. in full. Fancy all this in the midst
Of dinner and what damper on festivity Wero |
such to occur in the States. If | mistake not, the |
waiter would have the wine bottle broken over his
head.