7 Everybody was surprised; and Darcy, after looking at her for a
moment, turned silently away. Mrs. Bennet, who fancied she had gained a complete victory over him, continued her triumph.
“I believe there are few neighbourhoods larger. I know we dine with four and twenty families.”
Pride and Prejudice, 2006: 47 – 48
From the example above, Jane Austen described the opposite manner to speak politely. She did not agree with the attitude and describe it through the minor
characters.
3. Party and Balls
a.
Dinner Party
The dinner party began with the selection of guests who would not be socially uncomfortable together Pool, 1993: 72. The guests usually their close friends,
neighbor and business or political colleague, so generally they knew each other. Write the invitations or it can be direct invitation to the guest Sullivan, 2007: 45.
“You must drink tea with us tonight,” said Sir John to the Dashwoods and Edward Ferrars, “for we shall be quite alone – and
tomorrow you must absolutely dine with us, for we shall be a large party.”
Sense and Sensibility, 2006: 115
Dinner parties were an ordeal, if not for the guests, then certainly for the hostess. As happened in Emma, when Mr. and Mrs. Elton married, the citizens often
invited them to attend the dinner at their houseEmma, 2006: 191. Soon after the invitation has arrived, the guest should write the RSVP to the host, to inform
whether they will come or not.
When Emma arranged dinner for the Eltons at Hartfield, and the invitation lettes has been sent, every invitation was successful.
They were all disengaged and all happy. Emma, 2006: 191
It had become a rule that after dinner the ladies followed the hostess to the drawing room for drinking tea or coffee, conversation, reading, gossip, or
needlework until the gentlemen join them to drink tea Sullivan, 2007: 109. When the ladies withdrew to the drawing-room after dinner, this
poverty was particularly evident, for the gentlemen hadsupplied the discourse with some variety…
Sense and Sensibility, 2006: 266
After drinking tea or coffee was over and the gentlemen have already joined the ladies, they would entertain themselves by playing cards, dancing, singing or
playing music. There were some popular games: whist, quadrille, loo, cribbage, speculation, and casino Sullivan, 2007: 112 – 116. As shown in Mansfield Park,
8 Lady Bertram was not willing to play whist, she wanted another game, so Sir
Thomas recommended her to play speculation. In the evening it was found, according to the predetermination of
Mrs. Grant and her sister, that after making up whist-table there would remain sufficient for a round game, and everybody being as
perfectly complying and without a choice as on such occasions they always are, speculation was decided in almost as soon as whist;
Mansfield Park, 2005: 232
If there had no mind to play card or no lady who could play the musical instrument, the women would doing needlework, reading a book, or singing while
playing music. It described in Persuasion 2006: 70, that the Great House held a dinner party was attended by Mary Elliot and her husband “there had been music,
singing, talking, laughing, all that was most agreeable.” Commonly the honorable of lady or a music player lady would be asked to play the instruments. With or
without dancing, music was an important part of family entertainment in the evening, and girls usually were taught to play a musical instrument.
b. Balls
