The Book of Snobs

, in all companies, from morning till night, from youth to the grave, being by Nature endowed w

ompany at the ‘Europa Coffee-house,’ (opposite the Grand Opera, and, as everybody knows, the only decent place for dining at Naples,) ate peas with the assistance of his knife. He was a person with whose society I was greatly pleased at first — indeed, we had met in the crater of Mount Vesu

to break the matter to this gentleman as delicately as possible, and to say that painful circumstances — in nowise affecting Mr. Marrowfat’s honour, or my esteem for him

and Pythias — indeed, Marrowfat had saved my life more th

Stephanie of Baden —(who, if these humble lines should come under her Imperial eyes, is besought to remember graciously the most devoted of her servants)— I have seen, I say, the Hereditary Princess of Potztausend-Donnerwetter (that serenely-beautiful woman) use her knife in lieu of a fork or spoon; I have seen her almost swallow

e halls of the aristocracy — our friends and relatives. We jostled each other in the dance or at th

he admirable Lady G.. Peas formed part of the banquet — ducks and green peas. I trembled as I saw Marr

upon me — the remembrance of old services — his rescuing me from the brigands — his gallant conduct in the affair with the Countess Dei Spinachi — his lending me

him to my heart but for the presence of the company. Little did Lady Golloper know what was the cause of the emotion which sent the duckl

uired it at a country school, where they cultivated peas and only used two-pronged forks, and it was only

ind solemnly, and ask, ‘Do I or do I not eat peas with a knife?’— to see the ruin which may fall upon himself by continuing the practice, or his family by beholding th

moral of this history is. The moral is this — Society having ordained certain cust

re of a gentleman, viz, pumps, a gold waistcoat, a crush hat, a sham frill, and a white choker — I should be insulting society, and EATING PEASE WITH MY KNIFE. Let the porters of the Institute hustle out the individual who shall

ut I can’t help relating here a circumstance illustrative of the point

a, then Chief Galeongee of the Porte, gave a diplomatic banquet at his summer palace at Bujukdere. I was on the left of the Galeongee, and the Russian agent, Count de Diddloff, on his dexter side. Diddloff is a dandy who wo

which he indulged with great gusto. He was an enormous eater. Amongst the dishes a very large one was placed before him of a lamb dressed in its wool, stuffed with prunes, garlic, assafoetida, capsicums, and other condiments, the most abominable mixture th

The Russian’s eyes rolled dreadfully as he received it: he swallowed it with a grimace that I thought must precede a convulsion, and seizing a bottle next him, which he thought was Sauterne, but which turn

myself so dexterously, and popped it down the old Galeongee’s mouth with so much grace, that his heart was won. Russia was put out of court at once and THE TREATY of Kaboban

are many disagreeable things in society which you are