What would be an appropriate "thank-you" gift to a host for a dinner
invitation in the late 1700's ???
Thanks, Terra

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 20 Jan 2005 12:09 PST

What is the economic level of the host and the guest? Obviously a poor
farmer would not give the same gift as a wealthy aristocrat.

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Request for Question Clarification by hammer-ga on 20 Jan 2005 12:09 PST

To what social class does the host belong? 
To what social class does the guest belong? 
In which country to they live?

- Hammer

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Clarification of Question by c41cv-ga on 20 Jan 2005 13:01 PST

Thanks for responding !

The guest is an aristrocrat - reputation for adebanched lifestyle -
recently appointed Governor of New Bristol.

The host is from a "working class" - captain of a ship. 

The "era" - just arriving into Boston from the "Old World" - July 3rd
1776 - with hopes and dreams of the "New World" ... celebratory meal
in the Captain's cabin ( the host ).

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Clarification of Question by c41cv-ga on 20 Jan 2005 13:14 PST

p.s. Is there something other than alchol or liqor that would be
appreciated by the host ??

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Request for Question Clarification by hammer-ga on 05 Feb 2005 07:35 PST

c41cv-ga,

Were any of the suggestions below helpful enough that you would accept
them as an answer?

- Hammer

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Clarification of Question by c41cv-ga on 05 Feb 2005 09:24 PST

The comments that I recieved were ok in that they helped in part with
suggestions ... yet it would have been nice to have more useful
suggestoins. However I no longer need an answer to this question as my
dinner party is over ... thanks !

I suggest a bottle of wine, a gift that both a ship's captain and an
aristocrat can appreciate.

Ship's captains, depending on how long they have been out to sea, were
often out of things. They and their officers would deeply appreciate
items like coffee,  newspapers, tobacco, eggs, vegetables, and fresh
meat.

- Hammer

A whore might have been appreciated after a few weeks at sea.

The latest chart of that area of the coast - or more
Preferably from an Admiralty cartographer on secondment to the New World

It would be gold dust

Perhaps before your next dinner party you should read some of Patrick
O'Brien's novels - they are very curious, quite seditious and give a
'feel' of the Naval mindset circa 1800.

Hope the 'dinner party' went well (I assume it was a script/story).