Show EVOLUTION OF RATING EATING SOME CURIOUS TABLE MANNERS OP I 1 THE GOOD OLD DAYS it was late in the fourteenth century when the first evidences of art in the shape ot of silver cups were noticeable on the buffer buffa the dishes were made ot of pewter or wood and spoons of bone wood or silvar knives were rare and on that account guests invited to feasts carried their own knives forks came in general use still later and for long years yeara after their introduction they were consi I 1 ered ridiculous affectation and foppery and not nearly so convenient as ones own fingers the lord and his bis lady dipped their fingers into the same plate and sipped wine froni from the same cup even the queenly elizabeth with all her elaborate ideas of etiquette was content to carry her food to her mouth with her fingers and at first despised des the newly newl y invented jor ork as unseemly and awkward very gradually the dining aning room roam grew in ISom comfort fort and splendor fishes dishes of go gold and silver were made and so eager a g er were the nobles tor for them that oat the they y would sacrifice anything to possess them the salt cellar was for a long time the article of highest laig liest importance on the board it was a great affair and stood directly in the centre ot of the table j it was the dividing line tile the nobles were seated above tile the salt the commoners below 1 hence grew the proverb below the salt the pass ing of salt was a ceremonious custom the duft guest throwing a pinch over his left shoulder and murmuring a blessing the salt cellars were of the most curious devices sometimes they represented huge animals sometimes a great full blown flower on a long 1 1 slender stem and again they were I 1 la the shape of a chariot mounted on tour chels on which they were easily run down the table the first glass cups cops came from venice during the sixteenth century and from that time on society began to loose many of its primitive ways and became in a sense more refined henry VIII was born with luguri ous tastes tie be had bad his bis banquet chairs supplied with velvet cushions and about this time the parlor or talking room as it was called was introduced and here the dames took refuge ref age when the dinner advanced beyond prudent limits as it invariably lid did bea before ore the finish the cook that presided over the kitchen itchen aj in those days was not the counterpart of our nineteenth century bridget but he was an artist and generally i s man of quality itt tile the ladies ot of the borso household d va y u tao those p of 0 noble birth attended tp dpn many domestic duties dutie making the bread pres preserving orving ther mits I 1 taida ts W awe lie ta und understand the pro proper r use pap 0 of starch was considered a great howzw |