Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 46775-h.htm or 46775-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46775/46775-h/46775-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46775/46775-h.zip) Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). A carat character is used to denote superscription. A single character following the carat is superscripted (example: M^r). Multiple superscripted characters are enclosed by curly brackets (example: M^{rs}). An additional transcriber's note is at the end of the book. Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology Paper 14 TEA DRINKING IN 18TH-CENTURY AMERICA: ITS ETIQUETTE AND EQUIPAGE by RODRIS ROTH [Illustration: _An English Family at Tea._ Detail from an oil painting attributed to Joseph Van Aken, about 1720. In collection of Victoria and Albert Museum. Crown Copyright. (Color plate courtesy of the _Saturday Book_.)] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _Tea Drinking in 18th-Century America: Its Etiquette and Equipage--_ _By Rodris Roth_ _In 18th-century America, the pleasant practice of taking tea at home was an established social custom with a recognized code of manners and distinctive furnishings. Pride was taken in a correct and fashionable tea table whose equipage included much more than teapot, cups, and saucers._ _It was usually the duty of the mistress to make and pour the tea; and it was the duty of the guests to be adept at handling a teacup and saucer and to provide social "chitchat." Because of the expense and time involved, the tea party was limited to the upper classes; consequently, such an affair was a status symbol. The cocktail party of the 20th century has, perhaps, replaced the tea party of the 18th century as a social custom, reflecting the contrast between the relaxed atmosphere of yesterday with the hurried pace of today._ THE AUTHOR: _Miss Roth is assistant curator of cultural history in the United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution._ --------------------- The Americans "use much tea," noted the Abbé Robin during his visit to this country in 1781. "The greatest mark of civility and welcome they can show you, is to invite you to drink it with them."[1]