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Did not mingle with the other servants.
    Lady’s Maid: Cared for the mistress’s clothing, occasionally sewing them herself or making gowns over to reflectchanging fashions; looked after her jewelry; and styled her hair. She kept for her own use any clothes her mistress no longer wanted.
    Governess: Taught and cared for older children. Did not associate with the lower servants.
    Footmen: Served at dinner, fetched things, conveyed messages, carried purchases home from the shops, delivered their mistress’s calling cards, and generally made themselves useful. Usually chosen for their good looks.
    Nursemaid: Fed, dressed, and played with the children who were too young for a governess, generally keeping them out of their parents’ way.
    House maids: Cleaned and tidied public areas of the house, under the housekeeper’s supervision. Chosen for their youth and beauty.
    Coachman, Grooms, Stable Boys: Drove and maintained the carriages and cared for the horses.
    Gardeners: Tended to landscaping. Some large houses had a head gardener and underlings.
    Scullery Maids: Washed dishes and performed difficult scrubbing and cleaning tasks. Usually very young girls or women deemed too unattractive to be housemaids.
    Manservant: Executed heavy lifting; cleaned up after cows; and other messy tasks in households insufficiently grand to have footmen.
    Washerwoman: Generally not on staff; came from the village as needed and either did the laundry on-site or took it to her home.

HOW TO PLAN A DINNER PARTY
    “I think every thing has passed off uncommonly well, I assure you. The dinner was as well dressed as any I ever saw. The venison was roasted to a turn—and everybody said they never saw so fat a haunch. The soup was fifty times better than what we had at the Lucases’ last week; and even Mr. Darcy acknowledged, that the partridges were remarkably well done; and I suppose he has two or three French cooks at least.”
    — M RS . B ENNET IN
P RIDE AND P REJUDICE
    Giving a dinner party (see “ How to Behave at a Dinner Party ”) is fraught with drama for any hostess. Good employees and a solid plan are the keys to success.
    1. Consult with your housekeeper. She will have all the information you need at her fingertips: the condition of the household linens, the state of the pantry, and any problems with staffing levels that might interfere with the smooth running of your event.
    2. Plan your menu. Consider what is available in the current season and what kind of food can be obtained locally, and choose your dishes accordingly.
    3. Plan your guest list. Keep in mind the temper of your guests. If there is someone who does not like largedinner parties, he might make the party unpleasant.
    4. Write out your invitations. Inscribe each note individually, tailoring each to the recipient.
    5. Speak with your cook. Finalize the menu; be sure to serve the favorite dishes of your most prominent guests, especially potential suitors to any of your daughters.
    6. Have your husband discuss the wine list with the butler. Give them the menu and let them handle it. It’s one less detail you will have to concern yourself with.
    7. Prepare to meet your guests’ special needs. If you have invited someone who is an invalid, be sure that you have a special screen for the fire; if there is a drafty area, be sure the young ladies will have shawls to wrap themselves up.
    SCHEDULE OF MEALS
    Breakfast .
Around 10 A.M.
A light meal of toast and bread served with tea, coffee, or perhaps chocolate (a bitter brew more like liquefied dark chocolate than the creamy, sweet beverage to which modern palates are accustomed). Grand houses might provide cake and rolls and even cold meat left over from the previous day’s dinner. Older gentlemen might expect the heartier breakfast of their youth: A fried chop and a mug of ale.
    Luncheon/Nuncheon .
Midday
. Not a formal meal; if one is peckish in the middle of the day, a snack of cold meat and bread and butter might be