Do not pour coffee or tea from your cup into your saucer, and do not blow either these or soup. Wait until they cool.
Use the butter-knife, salt-spoon, and sugar-tongs as scrupulously when alone, as if a room full of people were watching you. Otherwise, you may neglect to do so when the omission will mortify you.
Never put poultry or fish bones, or the stones of fruit, upon the table-cloth, but place them on the edge of your plate.
Do not begin to eat until others at the table are ready to commence too.
Sit easily in your chair, neither too near the table, nor too far from it, and avoid such tricks as putting your arms on the table, leaning back lazily in your chair, or playing with your knife, fork, or spoon.
Never raise your voice, when speaking, any higher than is necessary. The clear articulation and distinct pronunciation of each word, will make a low tone more agreeable and more easily understood, than the loudest tone, if the speech is rapid or indistinct.
Never pass your plate with the knife or fork upon it, and when you pass your cup, put the spoon in the saucer.
Never pile up the food on your plate. It looks as if you feared it would all be gone before you could be helped again, and it will certainly make your attempts to cut the food awkward, if your plate is crowded.
If there is a delicacy upon the table, partake of it sparingly, and never help yourself to it a second time.
If you wish to cough, or use your handkerchief, rise from the table, and leave the room. If you have not time to do this, cover your mouth, and turn your head aside from the table, and perform the disagreeable necessity as rapidly and quietly as possible.