Antedating of "dinner-party"

[Hugo]

dinner-party (OED 1816 J. Austen, _Emma_)


1768, The Unexpected Wedding: [a Tale] in a Series of Letters - Page 9 

[Begin extract]
Before I proceed, let me examine my watch---another hour good. Lady Wriggleside has a dinner-party ; her ladyship never dines till six. Upon my word, her routes are immensely brilliant ; the whole world I am told are to be there this evening.
[End extract]

http://books.google.com/books?id=10BWAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA9&dq=%22dinner+party%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jJG4UbmRH6ri4QTjyoGoCg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA

"A Guide to Irish Fiction 1650 - 1900" says of this "Epistolary novel with an unusually complicated plot" that's "Set in England, no Irish content":

> LESLIE, --, fl. 1768. Attributed to a member of the Irish branch of the Leslie family. Source Falkner Grierson cat. 23/579.

http://www.lgif.ie/titleDetails.action;jsessionid=445DE4C6D7264CA38CAFFCD5AB97C06D?loeberId=L141

Hugo

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