New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-16
"AUSTOLOGY."
DINNER TIMES AND DINNER MANNERS A
TRIAL TO TRAVELLERS.

published in THE Nineteenth Century" by Coz
onel kenncy-ITerbert on "The Art Of Dining
note with regret that he has neglected TO touch
upon two very important points in connection
Herewith namely, the hours at which to dine and
the pccularitics of manner to be observed while
at table. Yet both these questions deserve atten-
ton. especially in this present age, when foreign
travel is so universal. For both dinner hours
and dinner manners vary In almost every country,
and that which is considered correct and good
form by people of one nationality is frequently re-
gardcd in a directly contrary light by their neigh
bors. Inasmuch as the enjoyment Of a carefully
composed dinner wien abroad is frequently
marred by orr failure to be prepared, either for
the altered hours Of the principal meal Of the day
or for the peculiarites of manner, which at home
would be regarded as terrible solecisms l will
venture to supplement the gallant Colonels arti-
Gle on "Austology" with few remarks Of my
own.
Thus, for instance. OF ceremonial dinner parties
and banquets given either here or in London or
Paris it would be considered as the reverse Of
good form for those present 70 throw bread at
one another Yet that is the fashion which pre-
walls at PortoRico, and the moment any one asks
for bread, it is not handed to the gentleman or
lady requesting it, bnt is simply SHE'D across and
In Egypt, Turkey and most of the Mahometan
countries OF the Orient which ! have visited the
custom prevails Of eating with the fingers.
remember we'll the first native dinner given in
my honor by a Turkish Pasha who possessed a
beautiful place in the outskirts Of Cairo Tho
dinner was served on magnificent silver and gold
Mate, but then, wore no forks or knives We
dug orr fingers into the joints of meat and fowls
and pinched or squeezed pieces of. | being the
guest of honor, my host, who an elderly. fat
and unc,eanly looking individual, pinched the
first piece OIL each kind OF meat served and after
carefully rolling il into q kind OF ball between
his greasy hands, insisted on pushing IL himself
into nv mouth and half way down my throat.
Y.. had I refused 10 accept the prohered COIN
rliment / should have been considered by my
Oriental friends and acqnaintanccs present as
man devoid of good table manners, and as guilty
Of bad form
Another thing which did not relish was the
mode Of abution at the close of the repast In
stead of being furnished with finger bowls as In
Europc n superbly chased ever and basin were
banded round bY the attendants. On the edge oil
fine ba sin wac a very common piece OF soap; III the
ever some dclicatcly pcrfumed rosewater IL was
f,s. rendered 10 my host Using his hands cup
fashion he flied his mouth with rosewa'er' ana
then o7ing the piece OF soap proceeded 10 lather
no. fine outside but the inside of hin mouth there
with after which using his hands cup fashion
once more he rinscd his mouth noisily into the
silver basin: Every other Oriental present went
,hrouoh tie same performance. II therefore any
urlls or Egyptians of rank visit this country next
wear In connection with the Worlds Fair, and are
entertained here az dinner, their hosts must not
manifest surprise if when the finger bowls are
served they ask for the soap
Another custom which is regarded as the quint-
essence of refinement and breeding throughout
the Orient, as we'll as In most parts of Spain. Port
uga and in the southeastern portion OF Europe
/, that Of hiccoughing at the close of the repast
II IL dcne voluntarily and intentionally, as com
plimcut 10 the entertainer, toward whom the
ln,,t tremendously turns when hiccoughinIa
The more sonorous the hiccough the greater the
compliment implied -lereby, and anxious are
the courteous Orientas 10 avoid any slccism or
breach Of etiquette that on one occasion when
had invited some Japanese acquaintances 10 "a
native banquet in one u the great tea-houses at
Toxic, one OF my guests deemed IL necessary az
the termination Of the repaSt 10 cross over from
the other side II the room, to squat down on his
heels Immediately in front OF me, and t. hiccough
riuht into my face. II was very polite, but very
unpleasant
am sorry that notwithstanding my prolonged
,oiourns in the Orient have never been able 10
accustom myself altogether to this peculiar form
of courtesy, Of which | received my first eX-
pcrience at dinner given shortly after my ar
rival in Japan by n native dignitary who until
Il year AFRO held Cabinet Office AT Toxic. The
dinner was served European fashion, and there
was only one forcigncr-a German-prcscnt besides
myself just before the coffee was served the
most distinguished guest present turned to His tx
ccllcncy our host and gmvcly mccoughed III
bass voice | Lrctcndcl not 10 notice IT, believing
that IL was mere sort of lapsus linguae, but
when his next ncighbor followed snlt with tenor
hiccough and another of the guests with fine
baritone my astouishncnt knew no bounds. and
/ had TO exert every muscle of my face to avoid
bctraying the mingled merriment ana disgust
with which this manifestation OF oriental sooA
form filled me .,.,.,
Infinitely more pleasant Is the custom which
preynils in Germany, Scandinavia and in Hungary
Of kissing the hand of the ladies' present ana sliaK
ing those OF the men with the utterance oi n WISH
lint the dinner lust consumed may prove bless
mo +" you Gcsegnetc Mahlzeir is the cere-
monial phrase used throughout Germany for the
purpose and care must be- taken 70 nss ths adi 1
sncinl interiors; trades ope and menials 10 kiss.
There are many other peculiarltisS of prandial
and post-prandial manner which deserve men
tion II liz not however, one column OF a
nowspapcr but an entire volume which would
be- needed 10 treat the matter IN detail.
With regard TO the dinner h0lr there are no TWO
countries in which it is alike. In this country,
take il for granted that the ordinary dinner is be-
tween $50 and g. In England both the Queen
and the Prince Of Wales have set the fashion
Of dining at .. while the Duke OF BEDFORD who
fortunately does not exercise much social influence.
Zines ~ midnight Emperor William and his sub
iccts generally make 2 O'Clock their dinner hour,
While ; is the fashionable hour at Vienna.
These differences Of dinner hours are source OF
oreot discomfort to the traveller and tourist For
fh.rr is no greater tax the good digestion and
consequently on the good temper Of a man than TO
ask him 10 take his dinner ut when he has
bcrn accustomed to dine at o. We have 80
many international congresses nowadays, some OF
them dealing with the most frivolous and trivial
subjects Could not one be organized at Chicago
nexi venr tor the purpose Of establishing some
kind of universal dinner hour. The digestive sys-
TEN of the world on which so much depends, is
surely rs important as its monetary system