The combination of dishes to form a meal - Three typical systems of arranging daily meals - The French or Continental - The provincial (Great Britain) - That of town life (London) - Characteristics of each meal - Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner, of two kinds : the family meals, the dinner of invitation - The rationale of the initial soup - Plan of dishes to follow discussed - Hors - d aeuvres - More in vogue on the Continent than in this country - Most of all in Russia - As a dietetic habit, it is undesirable for reasons given.

The art of combining dishes to form a meal now demands our consideration. The occupations of man in a civilized state, no less than the natural suggestions of his appetite, require stated and regular times for feeding. But the number of these set apart in the twenty-four hours differs considerably among different races, and also among different classes of society. It must suffice for us to consider the subject only so far as the limits of Europe are concerned. Taking a general view of this subject, it may be said that there are three principal systems to which all varieties of habit may be reduced. From an English point of view these may be regarded as Daily meals should be regular.

1. The French system of two chief meals a day; adopted by other Continental nations.

2. The system of provincial life (Great Britain) of four meals, with which the habits of Holland and Northern Germany are more or less analogous.

3. The system of town life, of which London is the type, or three meals a day.

1. In the French system, the slight refreshment served in the early morning, in the form of coffee or chocolate, with a rusk or a roll of bread, does not amount to a meal. It is only a dish, and that a light one, and not a combination of dishes, which is then taken. At or about noon a substantial meal, the dejeuner, is served; and at six or seven o'clock, an ample dinner. Such is the two-meal system, and it appears to answer well throughout the West and South of Europe.

2. What I have termed the provincial system consists of a substantial breakfast at eight or nine, a dinner at one or two, a light tea about five, and a supper at nine or ten. It is this which is popular throughout our own provincial districts, and also among middle-class society of our northern districts throughout both town and country. As already indicated, the usages of the Dutch and of their immediate neighbours on the sea-coast, as well as of the great German nation, correspond more to this than to the first-named system. The number of meals may be regarded as the same, although not taken at the hours named above; coffee, and not tea, being taken morning and afternoon.

Number varies in different races.

Reducible to three chief systems.

1. The French system.

2. English provincial system resembles that of Germany.

3. The prevailing system of London, and of the numerous English families throughout the country, whose habits are formed from partial residence in town, or by more or less intimate acquaintance with town life, is that of three meals daily. In general terms the breakfast takes place between eight and ten, the lunch about two, the dinner from seven to half-past eight, or even later.

In all cases each meal has its own specific character. Thus, in this country, breakfast is the most irregular in its service, and least of all demands general and intimate coherence of the party assembled. Individual interests concerned in the arrival of the letter-bag, in the morning news, in plans for the day, in cares of coming business, etc., are respected. Provision for acknowledged dietetic peculiarities on the part of individuals is not forgotten, punctual attendance at the hour named is not required, and every one comes or goes as he pleases.

At lunch the assembly is still somewhat uncertain. Thus some members of the family are absent without remark; intimate friends may appear without special invitation; while those less intimate can be asked with small ceremony. Occupations of pleasure or of business still press for pursuit during the afternoon, and the meal for such may not be too substantial. It should suffice amply to support activity; it should never be so considerable as to impair it. Here may be just named an invention of comparatively recent date, afternoon tea, which, however, cannot be reckoned as a meal. In reality, a pleasant excuse to mark the hour for friendly gossip with a hostess "at home," it may be the occasion of undesirable habits, if enough solid food is eaten to impair digestion and "spoil" the coming dinner. Nothing can be more undesirable at this hour than sweet and rich cake, hot buttered toast or muffins; nevertheless they are frequently offered. But a propos of tea, many of us might with advantage avoid the sugar and the cream, which at this hour interfere with the stomach far more than does the infusion itself, and add in their place a delicate slice of lemon neither thicker nor larger than a half-crown, the flavour of which - fragrant peel and a hint of acid-combines with the aroma of good tea, without in the least disguising or flattening it as the conventional additions do. It would be almost as rational to add cream and sugar to wine, as to fine and delicately flavoured tea. Occasionally tea is served with lemon in this country, but it is mostly added in excess. A very slight shaving, which contains both peel and pulp, is ample for an ordinary cup.

3. That of London society.

Breakfast and its characteristics.

Lunch.

The last meal of the three, dinner, has characters wholly different from the preceding. The prime, occupations of the day are over; the guests are known and numbered; the sentiment is one of reunion after the dispersion of the day - of relaxation after its labours, sports, or other active pleasures. Whatever economy of time may have been necessary in relation to the foregoing meals, all trace of hurry should disappear at dinner. A like feeling makes the supper of the "provincial " system a similarly easy and enjoyable meal. And all this is equally true of dinner, whether it unites the family only, or brings an addition of guests. General conversation: the events and personal incidents of the day, the current topics of the hour, are discussed in a light spirit, such as is compatible with proper attention to the dishes provided. All that follows late dinner should for the most part be amusement - it may be at the theatre, an evening party, or a quiet evening at home. There should be ample time, however, for every coming engagement, and security for some intervening rest for. digestion. Dinner, then, is the only meal which - as the greater includes the less - need be discussed in the third part of our subject, which claims to treat of custom and art in combining dishes to form a repast. With the requirements and under the circumstances just specified, it should not be a heavy meal, but it should be sufficing. No one after dinner should feel complete satiety or repletion, with a sense of repugnance at the idea of eating more; but all should still enjoy the conviction that a good meal furnishes delightful and refreshing occupation.