The true gentleman is God's servant. The world's master and his own man. Virtue is his business, study his recreation. Contentment his rest and happiness his reward. God is his father, Jesus Christ his Savior, the Saints his brethren, and all that need him his friends. Devotion is his chaplain, chastity his chamberlain, sobriety his butler, temperance his work, hospitality his housekeeper, providence his steward, purity his mistress of the house, and discretion his porter, to be let in and out as most fit; thus is his whole family made up of virtue and he is the master of the house.
Wealth is not of necessity a curse, nor poverty a blessing. Wholesome and easy abundance is better than either extreme; better for our manhood that we have enough for daily comfort; enough for culture, for hospitality, for Christian charity. More than this may or may not be a blessing. Certainly it can be a blessing only by being accepted as a trust.
He who believes in God and the Last Day should honour his guest. Provisions for the road are what will serve for a day and night; hospitality extends for three days; what goes beyond that is Sadqa (charity); and it is not allowable that a guest should stay till he makes himself encumbrance.
What does cooking mean? It means the knowledge of Media and of Circe, and of Calypso, and Sheba. It means knowledge of all herbs , and fruits. and balms and spices. . . . I means the economy of your great-grandmother and the science of modern chemistry, and French art, and Arabian hospitality. It means, in fine, that your are to see imperatively, that everyone has something nice to eat.
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