Anonymous

“ At these primitive tea parties the utmost propriety and dignity of deportment prevailed. No flirting nor coqueting—no gamboling of old ladies, nor hoyden chattering and romping of young ones—no self-satisfied struttings of wealthy gentlemen, with their brains in their pockets; nor amusing conceits, and monky, divertisements of smart young gentlemen with no brains at all. ”

“ To sweeten the bevrage, a lump of sugar was laid beside each cup—and the company, alternately nibbled and sipped with the greatest decorom, until an improvement was introduced by a shrewd and econimic old lady, which was, to suspend a large lump directly over the tea table, by a string from the ceiling, so that it could be swung from mouth to mouth,—an ingenious expedient, which is still kept up by some families in Albany; but which prevails without exception in Communipaw, Bergen, Flat-Bush, and all our uncontaminated Dutch villages. ”

“ DUTCH TEA PARTIES.
These fashionable parties were generally consigned to the higher classes, or noblesse, that is to say, such as kept their own cows, and drove their own waggons. The company commonly assembled at three o'clock, and went away about six, unless it was in winter time, when the fashionable hours were a little earlier, that the ladies might get home before dark. I do not find that they ever treated their company to iced creams, jellies, or syllabubs, or regaled them with musty almonds, mouldy raisins, or sour oranges, as is often done in the present age of refinement. ”