George Washington's Rules of Civility Part 9

[Sidenote: Maxim 15 is much longer]

15. L'on ne doit point jetter sous la table, ou par terre, les os, les ecorces, le vin ou autre chose semblable.

Do not carry a morsel to your mouth, knife in hand, like the rustics. (16.) Moreover, it does not seem well bred to spit out the kernels of prunes, cherries, or anything of the kind, on your plate, but, as already said, they should be decently collected in the left hand (raised to the mouth), and placed on the edge of the plate. (15.) Bones, peel, wine, and the like, should not be thrown under the table.

96th. Its unbecoming to Stoop much to one's Meat Keep your Fingers clean & when foul wipe them on a Corner of your Table Napkin.

Chapter viii. 21. Il est messeant de se baisser beaucoup sur son escuelle ou sur la viande, c'est a.s.sez de s'encliner vn peu lors que l'on porte le morceau trempe a la bouche, de crainte de se salir, & puis redresser la teste.

25. Ne vous nettoyez pas les mains a vostre pain, s'il est entier; toutesfois les ayant fort gra.s.ses, il semble que vous les puissiez nettoyer premierement a vn morceau de pain que vous ayez a manger tout a l'heure & puis a la seruiette, afin de ne la point tant salir: ce qui vous arriuera rarement, si vous scauez vous seruir de la cuilliere, & de la fourchette, selon le style des plus honnestes. Beaucoup moins deuez vous lecher les doigts, princ.i.p.alement les succant auec grand bruit.

It is ill-bred to stoop too close to one's porringer or the meat.

It suffices to bend a little when conveying a soaked morsel to one's mouth, in order to avoid soiling oneself, then straighten up again. (25.) Do not clean your hands on a loaf; if very greasy you might, it would seem, partly clean them on a bit of bread you are about to eat, then on your napkin, so as not to soil the latter too much: this will rarely happen if you know how to use spoon and fork in the most approved manner. Much less should you lick your fingers, especially not suck them noisily.

[9]7th. Put not another bit into your Mouth till the former be Swallowed let not your Morsels be too big for the jowls

Chapter viii. 30. Ne portez pas le morceau a la bouche que l'autre ne soil aualle, & que tous soient tels qu'ils ne fa.s.sent pas enfler les joues hors de mesure; ne vous seruez pas des deux mains pour vous mettre le morceau a la bouche, mais seruez vous d'ordinaire de la droite.

Carry not another morsel to the mouth till the other be swallowed, and let each be such as will not stretch the jaws beyond measure; do not take both hands to raise a morsel to the mouth, but, usually, serve yourself with the right hand.

98th. Drink not nor talk with your mouth full neither Gaze about you while you are a Drinking

Chapter viii. 32. Ne boiuez ayant le morceau en la bouche, ne demandez point a boire, ne parlez, ne vous versez point a boire, & ne boiuez cependant que vostre voisin boit, ou celuy qui est au haut bout.

33. En boiuant, ne regardez point ca & la.

[Sidenote: The later French book recommends keeping the eyes 'fixed at the bottom of the gla.s.s' while drinking.]

Do not drink with your mouth full of food; do not ask anything while drinking, nor talk, nor turn round; and do not drink because your neighbour does, or the head of the table. (33.) While drinking, gaze not here and there.

99th. Drink not too leisurely nor yet too hastily. Before and after Drinking wipe your Lips breath not then or Ever with too Great a Noise, for its uncivil

Chapter viii. 34. Ne boiuez point trop lentement ny trop a la haste, ny comme en maschant le vin, ny trop souuent ny sans eau, car c'est a faire aux yvrognes. Deuant & apres que vous aurez beu, effuyez-vous les levres, & ne respirez pas auec trop grand bruit, ny alors, ny iamais, car c'est vne chose bien inciuile.

Drink neither too slowly nor too hastily, nor as if gulping the wine, nor too frequently, nor without water--as drunkards do.

Wipe your lips before and after drinking, and do not breathe too loudly then or at any other time, for that is very inelegant.

100th. Cleanse not your teeth with the Table Cloth Napkin Fork or Knife but if Others do it let it be done w't a Pick Tooth

Chapter viii. 36. Ne vous nettoyez pas les dents auec la nappe, ou la seruiette, ny auec le doigt, la fourchette, ou le cousteau. Ce seroit faire pis de le faire auec les ongles, mais faites-le auec le curedent. Aussi ne semble-il estre bien-seant de se les nettoyer en table, si ce n'estoit que les autres le fissent, & que ce fust la coustume des mieux ciuilisez.

Do not clean your teeth with the tablecloth, napkin, finger, fork, or knife. It were still more objectionable to do so with the nails. Use a toothpick. It also does not appear well-bred to pick them at table, unless others do so, and where such is a custom of the more gentlemanly.

101st. Rince not your Mouth in the Presence of Others

Chapter viii. 37. Ne vous rincez point la bouche auec du vin, pour le reietter en presence des autres; mais sorty que vous serez de table, accoustumez vous a lauer les mains auec les autres. Quant a la bouche, il semble n'estre pas a propos de la lauer en presence des gens, & partant quand l'on donne a lauer, mesme en table, l'on doit seulement lauer les mains.

Do not rinse your mouth with wine, to be rejected in the presence of others; but, having left the table, accustom yourself to wash your hands with the rest. As to the mouth, it does not appear proper to wash it in company at all, and consequently when an opportunity of washing is offered, even at the table, the hands only should be washed.

102d. It is out of use to call upon the Company often to Eat nor need you Drink to others every Time you Drink

Chapter viii. 38. C'est chose peu louable & presque aujourd'huy hors d'vsage, d'inuiter la compagnie a manger, princ.i.p.alement trop souuent & auec importunite, car il semble qu'on luy oste la liberte. Beaucoup moins deuez-vous boire a autruy toutes les fois que vous boiuez: que si l'on boit a vous, vous pouuez le refuser modestement, remerciant de bonne grace, & confessant de vous rendre; ou bien essayez vn peu le vin par courtoisie, princ.i.p.alement auec gens qui sont accoustumez. a cela, & prennent le refus a iniure.

It is not commendable, and now almost out of fashion, to call on the company to eat, especially to invite them too often and urgently, for it appears to take away their freedom. Much less should you drink to others every time you drink: if one drinks to you, it is permissible to decline modestly, thanking him gracefully, and acknowledging your response; or you may well sip a little wine for courtesy, especially with people who are accustomed to it, and who are offended by refusal.

103d. In Company of your Betters be not [longer in eating] than they are lay not your Arm but ar[ise with only a touch on the edge of the table.]

Chapter viii. 42. Quand les autres ont acheue de manger, despechez vous aussi, & ne tenez pas les bras sur la table, mais posez les mains seulement sur le bout.

When the rest have finished eating, you should do the same quickly; do not hold your arms on the table, but only place your hands on the edge of it.

104th. It belongs to y'e Chiefest in Company to unfold his Napkin and fall to Meat first, But he ought to begin in time & to Dispatch with Dexterity that y'e Slowest may have time allowed him

Chapter viii. 45. C'est a faire au plus honnorable de la compagnie de deplier le premier sa seruiette, & toucher aux viandes: & partant les autres doiuent attendre paisiblement sans mettre la main a chose aucune deuant lui.

46. Et au contraire il doit estre soigneux de commencer en son temps, de pouruoir a tout, d'entretenir les conuiez, & finir le tout auec telle addresse; qu'il donne temps aux plus tardifs de manger a leur aise, s'entretenant, s'il est de besoin, a gouster legerement des viandes, ou quand il est loisible de discourir a table; entremesler auec le manger quelque pet.i.t discours, afin que les autres puissent auec loisir d'acheuer.

It is for the most distinguished member of the company to unfold first his napkin and touch the food, and the rest should wait quietly, without laying hand on anything before he does. (46.) On the other hand, he ought in due time to commence, to consider everything, entertaining the guests, and managing all so adroitly as to give time to the more dilatory to eat at their leisure; if necessary for this, slowly tasting the viands, or, when table-talk is permissible, introducing a little chat during the meal, so that the others can finish at their ease.

[Sidenote: Toner has 'but' instead of 'put' in this Rule.]

105th. Be not Angry at Table whatever happens & if you have reason to be so, Shew it not put on a Chearfull Countenance especially if there be Strangers for good Humour makes one Dish of Meat a Feast

Chapter viii. 47. Ne vous fachez iamais en table, quoy qu'il aduienne, ou bien si vous vous fachez, n'ent faites point de semblant, princ.i.p.alement y ayant des estrangers a table.

[Sidenote: Hawkins vii. 40. 'A cheerefull countenance makes one dish a Feast.']

Never be angry at table, no matter what may happen, or even if you have cause for anger, do not show it, especially if strangers are present.

[Sidenote: There is a blank in the MS. after upper.]

106th. Set not yourself at y'e upper [end] of y'e Table but if it be your Due or that y'e Master of y'e house will have it so, Contend not least you Should Trouble y'e company.

Chapter viii. 48. Ne vous a.s.seez point de vous mesme au haut-bout; miais s'il vous appartient, ou si le maistre du logis le veut ainsi, ne faites pas tant de resistance pour n'y point aller, que vous fachiez toute la compagnie.

[Sidenote: Walker: 'Desire not the highest place, nor be troublesome with impertinent debasing yourself by refusing,' etc.]