Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-02-13
TABLE MANNERS CENTURIES AGO.
Days When Poison Was Dreaded snd
Dishes Were Few.


Dishes Were Few.
An instructive article on table manners
and customs a few centuries ago APP
peared recently in the Munich Nc,rs.
While the information is interesting. it
certainly tends to make men Of the pres
rnt age content with their lot, and fill
them with little envy Of the comforts
and enjoyments of the people of other
days.
"All the dishes placed upon the table
of Louis XIV, " says the journal, "were
tasted in the presence of the king before
he himself would touch them. The
lord in waiting was also obliged to rub
the kings napkin, knife, spoon, and glass
with piece Of bread, which he then ate
under the eyes of his majesty. But even
at court dinners the meals were not
served as they are to-day. Each guest
was supplied with spoon for the pur-
pose of helping himself from the COM
mon dish. In simple families the members
ate out Of the same dish, without having
the luxury of plate. 1t frequently hap
pened that in aristocratic circles ladies
would help their neighbors with the
spoons Just taken from their mouths.
way. Anne Of Austria, the queen cele-
brated for her beautiful hands, once gave
a piece of meat to her neighbor which
she had Just taken from the plate with
natures forks, and allowed him, as a
special favor, to lick off what remained
on the hand.
at was a hygienic principle of those
days to avoid the discussion of weighty
matters at meal time. For this reason
the people attempted to shorten the time
by various expedents. In order to direct
the thoughts of the guests to pleasant
things, tho French invented what they
called 'entrements,' dramatic representa-
tions, pantomimes, tableaux, etc which
We're introduced between the courses AS
to enliven the company were always well
come. Certain subjects were considered
especially appropriate for discussion at the
table. 1t was at dinner that Madame de
Montespan, with whom Louis XIV was
in love, once said: While at the table
we do not grow Old
I'm those days wines and liquids were
not served as they are now. Until late
in the 10th century it often happened that
one glass only was provided for an entire
dinner company. 1t was considered good
form to wash the lips with the napkin
before touching the glass, as it was
also necessary for each guest to empty
the glass when it came to it's turn. A
servant often held plate under the chin
of lady while she was drinking, in order
to prevent the soiling of her dress. The
custom of drinking to the health of people
soon came in vogue. A frequent cause Of
quarrels was the failure to reply to such
compliments. Young men drank the
health of their inamoratas as often as
there were letters in their respective
names. But young man who was not in
love need not become embarrassed on this
account; he simply drank to his own
name.
women in those days drank as much
wine as men. The Marquise of Richelieu
was able to dispose of astonishing guam
titles of the liquid. The Duchess Of
Bourbon set also good example to her
daughters in this respect. Her daugh-
tiers, however, were not as heavy drink
ers as their mother. Nine. de Montespan
was friend of brandy. She was often
able to drink noblemen under the table.