History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

126 AISTORY OF THE PARSTS. [CHAP. III.

four and five in the afternoon a cup of tea is taken, and dinner, the most substantial meal of the day, is served about eight o’clock. It consists of fish, meat or poultry, eggs, vegetables, sweets, and fruit. It is a custom with them to acknowledge before and at the end of each meal, with grateful thanks, the kindness of Providence in providing them with their daily bread.

Up to recent times the men used to take their meals apart from the females. The male members of the family either supped together or separately, and the female members did the same. This custom was certainly derived from the Hindus, as the ancient Persians observed no such distinction. History fully proves that the ancestors of the Parsis not only dined with their mothers, wives, and sisters, but took their ladies out with them to feasts. At a dinner said to have been given by Amintus, King of Macedon, to the Persian ambassador at his court, the latter, in acknowledement of a toast, is affirmed to have expressed his regret that no ladies were present, as was the custom in his own country, for without those fair companions the happiness of the company could not be said to be complete. Now, however, the practice of both males and females taking their meals together has come largely into vogue.

As arule the Parsis are temperate in their habits. A glass or two of spirits or wine is all that most of