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The custom of taking afternoon tea is believed to have been first introduced in England in 1840 by Anna, the Seventh Duchess of Bedford. At that time lunch was taken early and dinner was not served in the evening until about 9 pm. The Duchess apparently became hungry in the afternoon and asked for some tea, bread and butter and cake to be brought to her room. This soon became a habit and the Duchess started to invite friends round to join her.
一般認(rèn)為，英國下午茶的傳統(tǒng)是維多利亞女王時代1840年期間由貝德芙公爵夫人安娜女士所開創(chuàng)的。那時候，午餐開始得很早，而通常直到晚上9點(diǎn)人們才開始吃晚餐。公爵夫人每到下午便感到百無聊賴甚至饑腸轆轆，便讓女仆準(zhǔn)備一些差點(diǎn)，面包，黃油以及蛋糕送往她的房間。很快，喝下午茶便流行起來。公爵夫人也開始邀請她的朋友共飲下午茶。

Very quickly it became fashionable to take tea in the middle of the afternoon and the occasion became more and more elaborate with the use of elegant tea ware, lace and embroidered table linen, bone china tea services, cake stands, tea canisters and blending bowls. During the 1880's upper-class and society women would change into long gowns, gloves and hats for their afternoon tea which was usually served in the drawing room between four and five o'clock.
很快，在午后時光，喝下午茶便蔚然成風(fēng)。隨后，下午茶變得更為精致。典雅的茶壺，蕾絲或繡花桌布，骨瓷杯，餅架，茶罐均為下午茶增添了一份高雅。19世紀(jì)80年代，每到下午4點(diǎn)或5點(diǎn)，貴族婦女便會穿上長袍，戴上手套以及帽子，前往休息室喝下午茶。

Traditional afternoon tea consists of a selection of dainty sandwiches (including of course thinly sliced cucumber sandwiches), scones served with clotted cream and preserves. Cakes and pastries are also served.
傳統(tǒng)的下午茶提供可口的三明治（當(dāng)然也包括薄薄的黃瓜三明治），由奶油和果醬涂抹的烤餅。蛋糕和面粉糕餅也在下午茶上供應(yīng)。

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Nowadays however, in the average suburban home, afternoon tea is likely to be just a biscuit or small cake and a mug of tea, usually produced using a teabag. Sacrilege!
然而在如今，在大多數(shù)郊區(qū)居民的家中，下午茶更趨向于是簡簡單單的一塊餅干，一小塊蛋糕，以及一大杯由茶包沖泡的茶。真是可惜！

最后與大家一起分享一些名人對下午茶的看法：

"If you are cold, tea will warm you,
If you are too heated, it will cool you,
If you are depressed, it will cheer you,
If you are exhausted, it will calm you." ——by William Gladstone （liberal British statesman who served as prime minister four times (1809-1898)）

"Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea." ——by Henry Fielding

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