Manuscript page of Maria Rundell's 'Domestic Cookery' regarding dinner parties, 1839 [Library reference: MS.41046].
Maria Rundell's book 'Domestic Cookery', published by John Murray, was not just a collection of recipes. It also contained moral advice and instructions for household management and entertaining.
In this manuscript, Rundell described hosting a dinner party.
She commented that 'the fashion for dinner parties may almost be termed a mania', and warned about the proper selection of company on such occasions.