Thursday, June 14, 2007

3897

The Correct Thing



I have a book from my grandparents' library titled, "The Correct Thing in Good Society," by Florence Howe Hall (Boston: Page Company, 1902). It also gives advice on what is not correct. For instance, if you are providing a luncheon for your lady friends, it is not the correct thing
    for the butler to wear evening dress

    for the hostess to be disappointed or troubled if her guests fail to do justice to an elaborate lunch, since "dieting" has become so general that it bids fair to overthrow the elaborate and indigestible ladies' lunch

    to talk gossip or scandal at a ladies' luncheon

    to serve chocolate alone after an elaborate luncheon

    to omit providing each guest with a silver butter knife

    for guests to "grab, gobble and go," taking leave before the luncheon is over

    for the guests to carry off the decorations.
I've let my butler go--just too many slip ups at my luncheons, like forgetting the butter knives.

3 comments:

JAM said...

We live in a completely different world now, don't we?

I remember thumbing through my wife's Emily Post book when we were in college in the early eighties. It was fascinating to say the least.

WDL said...

oh my goodness. i need a copy of that book norma!

xo,
WDL

sallywrites said...

I would have been shot down on the chocolate one.

What are you supposed to serve chocolate with then?!