“There had been a grand entertainment at Gaunt House on one beautiful evening in June, and the next day's journals contained almost two columns of the names of the most closely-printed nobility and gentry who had been honored with invitations to the ball. Among the guests were Sir Francis and Lady Clavering and Miss Amory, for whom the indefatigable Major Pendennis had procured an invitation, and our two young friends Arthur and Harry. Each exerted himself, and danced a great deal with Miss Blanche. As for the worthy major, he assumed the charge of Lady Clavering, and took care to introduce her to that department of the mansion where her ladyship specially distinguished herself, namely, the refreshment-room, where, among pictures of Titian and Giorgione, and regal portraits of Vandyke and Reynolds, and enormous salvers of gold and silver, and pyramids of large flowers, and constellations of wax candles--in a manner perfectly regardless of expense, in a word--a supper was going on all night. Of how many creams, jellies, salads, peaches, white soups, grapes, pâtes, galantines, cups of tea, champagne, and so forth, Lady Clavering partook, it does not become us to say. How much the major suffered as he followed the honest woman about, calling to the solemn male attendants, and lovely servant-maids, and administering to Lady Clavering's various wants with admirable patience, nobody knows; he never confessed. He never allowed his agony to appear on his countenance in the least; but with a constant kindness brought plate after plate to the Begum.”
A cook of roughly the same moment, setting down the same dish.
Tipsy Cake. Small Pastry. Biscuits. Raised Game Pie. Custards, TRIFLE, ORNAMENTED Custards, in glasses. in glasses. Two Roast Fowls, cut up. Two Roast Fowls, cut up. Tongue, ornamented. Prawns. Prawns. Two Boiled Fowls, with Béchamel Sauce. Biscuits. Small Pastry. EPERGNE, WITH FRUIT. Lobster Salad. Lobster Salad. Fruited Jelly. Iced Savoy Cake. Blancmange. Small Ham, garnished. Mayonnaise of Fowl. Charlotte Russe. Fruited Jelly. Lard
Sources: The passage is from William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis, Volume 2: His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His , free to read in full at Project Gutenberg. The recipe is from Beeton, The Book of Household Management of 1861, also free in full. Both are in the public domain in the United States. The binding above is ours — forest cloth, grapes stamp.