* 
 
 W'-t 
 
 5020. The Art of Cookery, in Imitation of 
 Horace’s Art of Poetry. With some Letters 
 to Dr. Lister, and Others: occasion’d princi¬ 
 pally by the Title of a Book publish’d by 
 the Doctor, being the Works of Apicius 
 Coelius ... To which is added, Horace’s Art 
 of Poetry, in Latin. By the Author of the 
 Journey to London ... 8°. Lond., B. Lin- 
 tott, [1709]. 
 
 160 pp. ; the date is from the B. M. and Bod- || 
 leian catals. A ‘ Second edition *, also undated 
 [1710 ?] and with the same title, has 112 pp. The | 
 B. M. Catal. has two eds. of the 'Art of Cookery * 1 
 alone, one in fol., 1708, the other in 8°, undated 
 [1708 ?] ; both have ‘ By the author of a Tale of 
 a Tub ' on the title-page. Lister’s Apicius is ifj 
 no. 1823. 
 
 " In Feb. 1708 Lintot paid him [King] ^32. 5. for 
 the ‘ Art of Cookei^r ’ ... It was published the 
 following month without date . . . Two spurious 
 editions of this amusing poem, perhaps his best 
 work, appeared, and it was coarsely attacked in 
 ‘ A Letter to Dr. W. King, occasioned by his Art of 
 Cookery V’ (D. N. B.) [W. O.] 
 
ART of COOKE R Y 
 
 In Imitation of 
 
 Horace* Art of Poetry. 
 
THE 
 
 Art of Cookery, 
 
 In Imitation of 
 
 Horaces Art of Poetry. 
 
 WITH SOME 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 TO 
 
 Dr. LISTE K, and Others: 
 
 Occafion’d principally by the Title of 
 
 a Book publilh’d by the Doclor, being the 
 W orks of Apicius Coelius , 
 
 Concerning the Soups and Sauces of the 
 Ant lent s. 
 
 With an Extract of the greateft Curiofities contain’d 
 in that Book. 
 
 To which is added, 
 
 Horace’s Art of Poetry^ in Latin. 
 
 By the Author of the Journey to London. 
 
 Humbly infcrib’d to the Honourable BEEF 
 STEAK CLUB. 
 
 L ON D 0 IV.- 
 
 Printed for Bernard Lintott at the Crofs- 
 Keys between the two Temple Gates in Fleet- 
 free t. 
 
THE 
 
 PUBLISHER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 reader: 
 
 T is now a Days the hard Fate of 
 | fuch as pretend to he Authors, that 
 they are not permitted to he Hajiers 
 , of their own Works for if fuch 
 
 Tapers (however imperfeSi) as may he called ♦ 
 a Copy of them, either by a Servant or any 
 other i\leans come to the Hands of a eller, 
 
 he neer conftders whether it he for the Tcrjons 
 
 Reputation 
 
The Publisher to the Reader. 
 
 Refutation to come into the World, whether 
 tts agreeable to his Sentiments , whether to his 
 Stile or CorreShiefs, or whether he has for fonte 
 time lookd over if, nor doth he care what 
 
 Name or Character he puts to it, fo he imagins 
 he may get by it. 6 
 
 t was the Fate of the following Poem to he 
 Jo ns and Printed with as much Imperfe¬ 
 ction and as many Miflakes as a Bookjeller 
 that has common Serfe con'd imagine fhondpafs 
 upon the Town ejpeciaUy in an Age fo polite 
 and critical as the prefent. 
 
 Thefe following Letters and Poem were at 
 the Prejs fame time before the other Paper pre- 
 tendmg to the fame Title was crept out: And 
 they had e/fe as,be Learned fay, groan’d under 
 the Piejs till fuel, time as the Sheets had one 
 by one been perus'd and correfled, no, only by 
 the Author but bus Friends, whofe Judgment 
 ■as he is fenfible he wants, fo he is proud to 
 
 own that they fometimes condefcend to af. 
 ford him. J 
 
 For 
 
 t 
 
 l 
 
 is 
 
 G 
 
n, 
 
 The Publisher to the R 
 
 eader. 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 »L t For man y Fml y at firji feem fmall 
 t A] "/T u ”P“ rd ° nM e Errors, and the Nutn- 
 nlvf,; he V 'f toy H P°>‘ •he Harfinefs of a 
 *SyUMe, and the laying Strefs upon improper 
 Words, will make the mojl corrett Piece ridi- 
 
 klZT'r Cmcord > Ten h and Grammar, 
 Konfenfe Impropriety and Confufion, may go 
 
 7T W ‘ th f"" Perfons, hut it ’fhould not to 
 ■n the Power of a Bookjeller to lampoon an An - 
 -Jnor, and tell him you did write all this l 
 
 ]T S Vp a i, ym h 11 P»d ‘0 the Scan- 
 i 1 ’ at T 1 have the Benefit : Yet this in 
 
 , it tr r fm p afe f m, ffP»din £ there are above 
 hreefcore Faults of that nature, y er fes tranf- 
 
 kiZ 1) (° m a f ded > others alter'd, or rather that 
 
 4a, a jf Ve . ff” al,erd , “"ii near forty omit, 
 
 d. The Author does not value himfelf upon 
 
 l K hut if he/hews his E/leetn for Uo- 
 
 ZZ'rrZI h y. an y r f eans provoke Perfons to 
 I, d f "frf “ r ; re fife 5 if hr fhews his Avers 
 
 f. V; f I ” ,rod ’ ,a ‘ m of Luxury, which may 
 nd to the Corruption of Manners, and declare 
 
 ' anTv 1 t Br f aX Ho fpi ,al i‘y, Chari- 
 ’and I alour, when the Arms of the Family, 
 
 the 
 
 m 
 
The Publisher, to the Reader'. 
 
 the old P’ht, Murker “nd 1}feeds hungup 
 in the Hall we* the long T able and the Mat. 
 tons Bones lay on the Floor, and Chivey Chafe 
 and the Old Courtier of the Queens »™ 
 plac'd over the Carv’d Mantle Piece, and hi 
 Beef and Brown Bread were carried every Day t> 
 the Poor, he defires little farther than thattk 
 Reader would for the future give all fucb Book; 
 fellers as are before fpke of no manner of E » 
 courage went. 
 
 LE 
 
I 
 
 LETTER S 
 
 TO 
 
 Dr. Lifter , and Others. 
 
 To Mr. - 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 HE Happinefs of hearing now 
 and then from you extremely 
 delights me j for, I muft con¬ 
 fer, moft of my other Friends 
 are fo much taken up with Po- 
 liticks, or Speculations, that either their 
 Hopes, or Fears, give them little Leifure 
 to perufe fuch parts of Learning as lye 
 
 B remote, 
 
2 
 
 LETT E RS to 1 
 
 remote, and are fit only for the Clofets of 
 the Curious. How bleft are you at London , 
 where you have new Books of all forts! whilft 
 we at a greater diftance, being deftitute of 
 fuch Improvements, muft content our felves 
 with the old Storey and thumb the Claflicks, 
 as if we were never to get higher than our 
 Tally or our Virgil. 
 
 You tantalize me only, when you tell me 
 of the Edition of a Book by the ingenious 
 Dr. Lifter, which you fay is a Treadle De 
 Condimenti : s & Opfoni'vs Veterum , Of the Sauces 
 and Soaps of the Antients , as I take it. Give 
 me leave to ufe an Exprefiion, which, tho’ 
 vulgar, yet upon this oceafien is juft, and 
 proper, you have made my Moudi Water, 
 but have not fent me wherewithal to fatisfie 
 my Appetite. 
 
 I have rais’d a thoufand Notions to my 
 felf only from the Title: Where could fuch 
 a Treafure lye hid ? What Manufcripts have 
 been collated ? Linder what Emperor was it 
 wrote? Might it not have been in the Reign 
 * ©f 
 
Dr . Lifter, and others. j 
 
 I, f Heliogabalus , who, tho’vicious, and in 
 I' . mc things fantafticaJ, yet was not incurious 
 * n the grand Affair of Eating ? 
 
 ||[ 
 
 I Confider, dear Sir, in what Uncertainties 
 i muft re main at prefent • you know my 
 Neighbour Mr. Creatorix is a learned Antiquary 
 l fhew’d him your Letter, which threw him 
 s lnto fuch a Dubioufnefs, and indeed Per- 
 A P Iexit y °f Mind, that the next Day he durft 
 0 J lot P ut an y Catchup in his Fifb Sauce , nor 
 , . have ]lis beloved Pepper, Oyl and Litton with 
 w his Partridge; left before he had feen Dr. Li- 
 b Book he might tranfgrefs in uftng fome- 
 ]( th,n g not common to the Antients. 
 
 j Difpatch it therefore to us with all Speed 
 for I expeft Wonders from it. Let me tell 
 you; I hope, in the firft place, it will, in 
 feme meafure, remove the Barbarity of our 
 j P relent Education : For what hopes can 
 j ther ^ be of any Progrels in Learning, whilft 
 our Gentlemen fuffer their Sons at dVefimin- 
 fter, Eaton , and IVinchejier to cat nothin^ 
 but Salt with their Mutton , and Vinegar with 
 
 0 2 
 
4 LETTERS to 
 
 their Koajl Beef upon Holidays ? What Ex- 
 tenfivenels can there be in their Souls ? Efpe- 
 dally when upon their going thence to the 
 Univerfity, their Knowledge in Culinary Mat¬ 
 ters is feldom enlarg’d, and their Diet con¬ 
 tinues very much the fame ; and as to Sauces 
 they are in profound Ignorance. *■ 
 
 It were to be wifh’d therefore, that every 
 Family had a French Tutor • for befides his be¬ 
 ing Groom, Gardiner, Butler, and Valet, you 
 would fee that he is endued with a greater 
 Accompliflimentj for according* to anantient 
 Author, Quot Galli, totidem.Coqui, As many 
 Frenchmen as you have, fo many Cooks you 
 may depend upon -, which is very ufeful where 
 there is a numerous Kfue : And I doubt not, 
 but with fuch Tutors • and good Houie- 
 keepers, to provide Cake and Sweet-meats} 
 together with the terder Care of an indulgent 
 Mother, to fee that the Children eat and drink 
 every thing that they call for $ I doubt not, 
 I fay, but wc may have a Warlike and Fru¬ 
 gal Gentry, a Temperate and Aufrere Cler¬ 
 gy } and fuch Perions of Quality, in all Sta¬ 
 tions, 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 5 
 
 tions, as may beP undergo the Fatigues of out 
 Fleet and Armies. 
 
 Pardon me, Sir ^ if I break off abruptly, 
 for I am going to Monfieur d'Avaux , a Perfon 
 famous for eafing the Tootlj-acb by Avulfion j 
 he has promis’d to (hew me how to ft r ike a 
 Lancet into the Jugular of a Carp, lo as the 
 Blood may iffue thence with the greateft Ef- 
 fufion, and then will inftantly perform the 
 Operation of ftewing it in its own Blood, in 
 the prelence of my felf, and feveral more 
 Virtuofi: But let him ufe what Claret he 
 will in the Performance, I will lecure enough 
 to drink your Health, and the reft of your 
 Friends. 
 
 I remain , Sir. <&*c. 
 
LETTERS to 
 
 To Mr. - 
 
 Sir, 
 
 J 
 
 Shall make bold to claim your Promile , 
 ^ in your daft obliging Letter, to obtain 
 the Happinefs of my Correfpondence • with 
 Dr. Lifter ^ and to that end have Pent you 
 the enclos’d, to be communicated to him, if 
 you think convenient. 
 
 To Dr. Lifter, prefent . 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I Am a plain Man, and therefore never ule 
 Compliments • but I muft tell you, that 
 .J have a great Ambition to hold a Correlpon- 
 dence with you, efpecially that I may beg 
 you to communicate your Remarks from the 
 Antients , concerning Denti ft alps , vulgarly 
 oil’d Tooth-picks. I take th£ u/e of them 
 
 to 
 
 Ci 
 
Dr. Lifter, and other r 7 
 
 to have been of great Antiquity, and the 
 Original to come-from the lnftin£t of Na. 
 ture, which is the bed Midrefs upon all oc¬ 
 casions. The Egyptians were a People ex¬ 
 cellent for their Philofophical and Mathema¬ 
 tical Obfervations, they fearch’d into all the 
 Springs of Action • and tho’ I mud condemn 
 their Superdition, i cannot but applaud their 
 Inventions. This People had a vad Didricf 
 that wordiipp’d the Crocodile , which is an 
 Animal, whofe Jaws being very oblong, 
 give him the Opportunity of having a great 
 many Teeth; and his Habitation and Bud- 
 nels lying mod in the Water, lie, like our 
 modern Dutcb-nhitjlers in Southwark, had a 
 very good Stomach, and was extremely vo¬ 
 racious. It is certain that he had the Water 
 of Nile always ready, and conlequently the 
 Opportunity of walking his. Mouth after 
 Meals j yet he had farther occafion for other 
 Inftruments to cleanfe his Teeth, which are 
 ferrate, or like a Saw. To this end Nature 
 has provided an Animal call’d the Ichneumon , 
 which performs this Office, and is lb main¬ 
 tain’d by the Product of its own Labour. 
 
 $ 4 The 
 

 
 ■ 'f 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 3 # 
 
 i 
 
 
 8 
 
 LETTERS to 
 
 The Egypt ians feeing fuch an ufeful Sagacity 
 in the Crocodile which they fo much reve¬ 
 renc’d, Toon began to imitate it: Great Ex¬ 
 amples eafily drawing the Multitude, fo that 
 Jt became their conftant Cuftom, to pick their 
 Teeth, and wafh their Mouths after eating. 
 I cannot find in Marjhanis Dynajlies , nor in 
 the Fragments of Manethon } what Year of the 
 Moon, (for I hold the Egyptian Years to have 
 been Lunar , that is, but of a Month’s conti¬ 
 nuance) fo venerable an Ufage fird: began : 
 For it is the fault of great Philologers to 
 omit fuch things as are mod: material. Whi¬ 
 ther Sefofiris in his large Conquefts might 
 extend the ufe of them, is as uncertain; for 
 the glorious A&ions of thofe Ages lie very 
 much in the dark : It is very probable that 
 the publick ufe of them came in about the 
 lame time that the Egyptians made ufe of 
 Juries. I find, in the Preface to the Third 
 Part of Modern Reports , cc That the Chaldees 
 iC had agreatEfteem for the number Twelve y 
 cc becaufe there were fo many Signs of the 
 Zodiac^ from them this Number came to 
 ! c the Egyptiansj and fo to Greece , where 
 
 Mars 
 
 n 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others . 9 
 
 tC Mars himfelf was try’d for a Murther, and 
 “ was acquitted. Now it does not appear 
 upon Record, nor any Stone , that I have feen, 
 whether the Jury club’d, or whether Mars 
 treated them at Dinner, tho’it is moft likely 
 that he did • for he was but a quarrelfome fort 
 of Perfon, and probably, tho’ acquitted, 
 might be as guilty as Count Coningfmark. 
 Now the Cuftom of Juries dining at an 
 Eating-houfe, and having Glajfes of Water 
 brought them with Tooth-picks , ting’d with 
 Vermillion fwimming -at the top, being ffill 
 continued- why may we not imagine, That 
 the Tooth-picks were as antient as the Dinner , 
 the Dinner as the Juries, and the Juries at 
 lead; as the Grandchildren of Mitisra 'm ? Ho¬ 
 mer makes his Heroes feed fo grofly, that 
 they feem to have had more occafion for 
 Scewers than Gooj equilis. He is very tedious 
 in defcribing a Smith’s Forge, and an Anvil; 
 whereas he might have been more polite in 
 letting out the Tooth-picl^-caje or painted Snuff- 
 Box of Achilles , if that Age had not been fo 
 barbarous as to want them. And here I can¬ 
 not but confider, that Athens in the time of 
 * Pericles . 
 
IO ’ 
 
 LETTERS to 
 
 Pericles, when it flourifh’d moft in fumptuous 
 Buildings, and Rome in its Height of Em¬ 
 pire from Auguffm down to Adrian , had no¬ 
 thing that equalled the Royal or New Exchange , 
 or Fope’s'head Alley for Curiofities and Toy- 
 fbops • neither had their Senate any thing to 
 alleviate their Debates concerning the Affairs 
 of the Univerfe like Raffling fometimes at 
 Gollonel Parfons’s. Although the Egyptians 
 often extended their Conquefts into Africa 
 and Ethiopia , and tho’ the Cafre Blacky have 
 very fine Teeth • yet l cannot find that they 
 make ufe of any fuch Inftrument; nor does 
 Ludolfm, tho’ very exa& as to the Abyjjine 
 Empire, give any account of a matter fo im¬ 
 portant ; for which he is to blame, as I fiiali 
 fhevv in my Treatife of Forks and Napkins , 
 of which 1 fliall lend you an Effay with all 
 Expedition. I fliall in that Treatife fully il- 
 lufirate, or confute this Paffage of Dr. Hey- 
 lin , in the third Book of his Cofmography , 
 where he fays of the Chinefe , That they eat 
 their Meat with two Sticky of Ivory , Ebony , 
 or the like } not touching it with their Hands 
 at all, and therefore no great Foulers of Linnen, 
 
 T he 
 
II 
 
 Dr. Lifter, and others 
 
 The ufe of Silver Forks with us , by fome . of 
 our fpruce Gallants taken up of late , came from 
 hence into Italy, and from thence into England. 
 I cannot agree with this Learned Do&or in 
 inany of thefe Particulars. For firft the ufe 
 of thefe Sticks is not fo much to fave Lin - 
 nen , as out of pure Neceflity, which arifes 
 from the length of their Nails, which Perfons 
 of great Quality in thofe Countries w r ear at 
 a prodigious length, to prevent all pofllhility 
 of working, or being ferviceable to them- 
 felves or others • and therefore if they would, 
 they could not eafily feed themfelves with 
 thofe Claws • and I have very good Autho¬ 
 rity that in the Eajl^ and efpecially in Japan, 
 the Princes have the Meat put into their 
 Mouths by their Attendants, Bcfides, thefe 
 Sticks are of no ufe but for their fort of 
 Meat, which being Pilau , is all boil’d to 
 Rags. But what would thofe Sticks fignifie 
 to carve a Turkey-cock, or a Chine of Beef? 
 Therefore our Forks are of quite different 
 Shape, the Steel ones are Bidental , and the 
 Silver generally refembling Tridents } which 
 makes me think them to be as ancient as the 
 
 Saturnian 
 
12 
 
 LETTERS to 
 
 Saturnian Race, where the former is'appro¬ 
 priated to Pluto , and the latter to Neptune. 
 It is certain that Pedro Della Valle , that fa¬ 
 mous Italian Traveller, carried his Knife and 
 Fork into the Eaji Indies , and he gives a large 
 Account how at the Court of an Indian Prince 
 he was admired for his Neatnefs in that par¬ 
 ticular, and his Care in wiping that, and his 
 Knife, before he return’d them to their refpe- 
 £live Repofitories. I could wifh Dr. Wotton , 
 in the next Edition of his Modern Learning, 
 would fhew us how much we are improv’d 
 fince Dr. Heylins time, and tell us the Ori¬ 
 ginal of Ivory Knives , with which young 
 Heirs are fuffer’d to mangle their own Pud¬ 
 ding ^ as likewife of Silver and Gold Knives , 
 brought in with the Defert for Carving Jel¬ 
 lies and Orange-Butter and the indifpenfable 
 Necefiity of a Silver Knife , at the Side-Board 
 to mingle Sallads with, as is with great Learn¬ 
 ing made out in a Treatife call’d Acetaria , 
 concerning Drejpng of Sallads . A noble 
 Work l But I tranfgrefs -—■— 
 
Dr. Lifter, and otherr. 
 
 And yet pardon me, good Do&or, I had 
 almoft forgot a thing that I would not have 
 done for the World, it is fo remarkable. I 
 think I may be pofitive from this Verfe of 
 Juvenal , where he fpeaks of the Egyptians, 
 
 Porrum ceepe nefas violare , &• frangere 
 Morftt, 
 
 That it was Sacrilege to chop a Lee\, or bite 
 an Onion: Nay, I believe that it amounts to 
 a Demonftration, That Pharaoh-Uecho could 
 have no true Lenten Porridge , nor any Car¬ 
 riers Sauce to his Mutton - the true Receipt 
 of making which Sauce I. have from an an- 
 tient MS. remaining at the Bull Inn in Bijhopf 
 gate-Jlreet , which Runs thus : C£ Take feven 
 « Spoonfuls of Spring Water, dice two 
 £C Onions of moderate Size into a large Sau- 
 u cer, and put. in as much Salt as you can 
 , cc hold at thrice betwixt your Fore-finger and 
 « thumb, if large, and ferve it up. Pro¬ 
 batum eft , Hobfon Carrier to the Univerfity of 
 Cambridge , 
 
14 LETTERS to 
 
 The Effigies of that worthy Perfon remains 
 ffill at that Inn; and I dare fay, that not 
 only Hobfon, but old Birch, and many others 
 of that mufical and delightful Profeffion 
 would rather have been Labourers at the Py¬ 
 ramids with that Regale, than to have reign’d 
 at Memphis, and have been debarred of it. I 
 break off abruptly. Believe me an Admirer 
 of your Worth, and a Follower of your 
 Methods towards the encreafe of Learning 
 and more efpecially 
 
 Tour, &c. 
 
 To Mr, 
 
 S IR, 
 
 I Am now very ferioufly employ’d in a 
 Work that, I hope, may be ufeful to the 
 Publick, which is a Poem of the Art of Cookery 
 in Imitation of Horace's Art of Poetry infcrib’d 
 to Dr. Lifter , as hoping it may be in time 
 
 read 
 
Dr. Lifter,, and others. 15 
 
 read as a preliminary to his Works : blit I 
 have not Vanity enough to think it will live 
 fo long. I have in the mean time fent you 
 an Imitation of Horace his Invitation of Tor¬ 
 quatus to Supper, which is the 5th Epiftle 
 of his firft Book. Perhaps you will find fb 
 many Faults in this, that you may fave me 
 the Trouble of my other Propofal, but how¬ 
 ever take it as it is. 
 
 If Bellvill can his gen’rous Soul confine 1 
 
 To afmall Room, few Diflies, and fome Wine, > 
 I fhall exped my Happinefs at Nine. j 
 
 Two Bottles of fmooth Palm, or Atijdu white. 
 
 Shall give a Welcome, and prepare Delight. 
 
 Then for the Bourdeaitx you may freely aft. 
 
 But the Champaigne is to each Man his Flaflc. 
 
 I tell you with what Force I keep the Field, 
 
 And if you can exceed it, fpeak, I’ll yield. 
 
 The Snow-white Damafk Enfigns are difplay’d. 
 
 And glitt’ring Salvers on the Side-board laid. 
 
 Thus 
 
i 6 LETTERS to 
 
 Thus we’ll difperfe all bufie Thoughts and Cares, 
 The General’s Counfels, and the Statefman’s Fears: 
 Nor fljall Sleep reign in that precedent Night, 
 
 Whofe joyful Hours lead on the glorious Light, 
 Sacred to Britijb Worth in Blenhebtis Fight, 
 
 The Blefiings of Good Fortune feem refus’d, 
 Unlefs fometimes with generous Freedom us d. 
 
 Tis Madnefs, not Frugality, prepares 
 A vaft Excefs of Wealth for fquandring Heirs, 
 
 Muft I of neither Wine, nor Mirth partake. 
 
 Left the cenforious World ftiould call me Rake ? 
 Who unacquainted with the gen’rous W ine, 
 
 E’er fpoke bold Truths, or fram’d a great Defign? 
 That makes us fancy ev’ry Face has-Charms j 
 That gives us Courage, and then finds us Arms: 
 Sees Care dilburthen’d, and each Tongue employ’d, 
 The Poor grown Rich, and ev’ry Wiffi enjoy’d. 
 
 This 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 
 
 1 7 
 
 This I’ll perform, and promife you fhall fee, 
 
 A Cleanlinefs, from Affe&ation free: 
 
 No Noife, no Hurry, when the Meat’s fet on. 
 
 Or when the Diih is chang’d, the Servants gone : 
 For all things ready, nothing more to fetch. 
 
 What e’er you want is in the Mailer’s Reach. 
 
 Then for the Company I’ll fee it chofe. 
 
 Their Emblematick Signal is the Rofe. 
 
 If you of Freemans Raillery approve, 
 
 Of Cotton's Laugh, and Winners Tales of Love,’ 
 And Bellairs charming Voice may be allow’d. 
 
 What can you hope for better from a Crowd > 
 
 But I fhall not prefcribe, confult your Eafe, 
 
 Write back your Men, and number as you pleafe: 
 Try yOur Back-flairs, and let the Lobby wait, 
 
 A Stratagem in War is no Deceit. 
 
 J am. Sir , yours , <5cc. 
 
 C To 
 
i8 LETTERS to 
 
 To Mr. 
 
 T Here fend you what I promts d, a Uif 
 J courje of Cookery} after the Method which 
 Horace has taken in his Art of Yoetry , which 
 I have ali along kept in my View r } for Ho¬ 
 race certainly is an Author to be imitated in 
 the Delivery of Precepts , for any Art or 
 Science : He is indeed fevere upon our fort 
 of Learning in fome of his Satyrs } but even 
 there he inftru&s., as in the fourth Satyr of the I 
 I fecond Book} [ 
 
 * Tonga quibus facies o<vis crit y ilia memento, 
 t jucci melioris j ut magis alba rotundis , 
 
 Toner e •, namque Marem cohibent callofa 
 
 cc Choofe Eggs oblong, remember they’ll 
 ‘ c be found 
 
 cc Of fweeter taft, and wdiiter than the 
 a Round }. 
 
 u The Firmnefs of that Shell includes the 
 Male. 
 
Dr, Lifter, and others. i p 
 
 I am much of his Opinion, and could only 
 wifh that the World was throughly inform'd 
 of two other Truths concerning Eggs : One 
 is, how incomparably better Koajiecl Eggs are 
 ftian boil’d • the other, never to eat 2ny 
 Butter with Eggs in the Shell : You cannot 
 imagine how much more you will have of 
 their Flavour, and how much eafier they 
 will fit upon your Stomach. The worthy 
 Perfon who recommended it to me made ma¬ 
 ny Profelytes- and I have the Vanity to think 
 that I have not been altogether unfuccelsful. 
 
 I have in this Poem us’d a plain, eafie, fa¬ 
 miliar Stile, as moft fit for Precept • neither 
 have I been too exa& an Imitator of Horace , 
 as he himfclf dire&s. I have not confulted 
 any of his Tranflators, neither Mr Oldham , 
 whofe Copioufnefs runs into Paraphrafe • 
 nor Ben Johnfon , who is admirable for his 
 clofe following of the Original ; nor yet the 
 Lord Kofcommofjy fo excellent for the Beauty 
 of his Language, and his Penetration info 
 the very Defign, and Soul of that Author. 
 
 I confider d that I went upon a new Llnderta- 
 
 C 3 kirn* 
 
20 
 
 LETTERS to 
 
 king, and tho’ I don’t value my felf upon it 
 as much as Lucretius did, yet I dare fay it 
 is more innocent and inoffenfive. 
 
 Sometimes when Horace's Rules come too 
 thick, and fententious, I have fo far taken 
 liberty as to pafs over fome of them *, for I 
 confider the Nature and Temper of Cooks , 
 who are not of the moft patient Difpofition, 
 as their under Servants too often experience. 
 I wifli I fnight prevail with them to mode¬ 
 rate their Padions, which will be the greater 
 Conqueft, feeing a continual Heat is added 
 to their native Fire. 
 
 Amidft the variety of Dire&ions which 
 Horace gives us in his Art of Poetry , that is 
 one of the moft accurate Pieces that he or 
 any other Author has wrote, there is a fe- 
 cret Connexion in reality, though he does 
 not exprefs it too plainly, and therefore this 
 Imitation of it has many Breaks in it. If fuch 
 as (hall condefcend to read this Poem, would 
 at the fame time confult Horace's original La- 
 tih , which is here affix’d, or fome of the 
 
 f 
 
 foremen- 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 21 
 
 foremention’d Tranflators , they would find at 
 leaft this Benefit, that they would recoiled 
 thofe excellent Inftrudions which he delivers 
 to us in fuch elegant Language. 
 
 I could wifii the Majler and Wardens of 
 the Cooks Company would order this Poem to 
 be read with due Consideration } for it is not 
 lightly to be run over, feeing it contains ma¬ 
 ny ufeful Inftru&ions for Humane Life. It 
 is true, that fome of thefe Rules may feem 
 more principally to refped the Steward , Clerl^ 
 of the Kitchen , Caterer , or perhaps the Butler. 
 But the Cool^ being the principal Perfon, with¬ 
 out whom all the reft will be little regarded, 
 they are dire&ed to him, and the Work be¬ 
 ing defign’d for the univerfal Good, it will 
 accomplifii fome part of its intent, if thofe 
 fort of People will improve by it. 
 
 It may .happen in this as in all Works of 
 Art, that there may be fome Terms not ob¬ 
 vious to common Readers, but they are not 
 many. The Reader may not have a juft 
 Idea of a ftvol’d Mutton , w hich is a Sheep 
 
 C 3 roafted 
 

 I 
 
 
 ii 
 
 
 
 111 
 
 2 2 
 
 LETTERS to 
 
 e eti« 
 
 £ 
 
 roafted in its Wool, to fave the Labour of 
 fleaing. Bacon and Filbert Farts are Some¬ 
 thin <4 unufual, but Since Sprout Tarts and Pi* 
 jiacbio larts are much the fame thing, and 
 to be feen in Dr. Salmons Family Di&ionary • 
 thofe Perfons who have a defire for them, 
 may eafily find the way to make them. As 
 for Grout it is an old Danijb Drill, and it is 
 claim’d as an Honour to the ancient Family of 
 to carry a Difh of it up at the Co¬ 
 ronation. A Dwarf Pye was prepar’d for 
 King James the Firft, when Jeffrey his Dwarf 
 rofe out of one arm’d with a Sword and 
 Buckler, and is fo recorded in Hiftory, that 
 there are few but know it. Tho’ Marinated 
 Jfifh , Hippocras and Ambigues are known to 
 all that deal in Cookery, yet Terrenes are 
 not fo ufual, being a Silver Veffel fill’d with 
 the raoft coftly Dainties after the manner of 
 an Oglio. A Surprise is likewife a Difh not 
 fo very common, which promifing* little from 
 its firft Appearance, when open abounds with 
 all forts of Variety ; which I cannot better 
 refemble than to the Fifth A<ft of one of our 
 Modern Comedies. Left Monteth , Vinegar , 
 
 .. 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 23 
 
 Thalieffen , and Boffu fliould be taken for 
 Diflies of Rarities, it may be known that 
 Montetb was a* Gentleman with a fcallop’d 
 Coat, that Vinegar keeps the Ring at Lin¬ 
 colns Inn Fields , T haliefjen was one of the 
 moft antient Bards amongft the Britains , 
 and Boffu one of the moft certain Inftru&ors 
 of Criticifm that this latter Age has pro¬ 
 duc’d. 
 
 I hope it will not be taken ili by the Wits 
 that I call my Cooks by the Title of Ingenious ; 
 for I cannot imagine why Cooks may not be 
 as well read as any other Perfons: I am fure 
 their apprentices, of late Years, have had very 
 great Opportunities of Improvement; and 
 Men of the firft Pretences to Literature have 
 been very liberal, and fent in their Contri¬ 
 butions very largely : They have been very 
 ferviceable both to Spit and Oven, and for 
 thefe twelve Months paid, whilft Dr. Wot- 
 ton with his modern Learning was defending 
 Pye-cruft from fcorching, his dear Friend 
 Dr. Bendy, with his P balaris, has b en fin eing 
 of Capons. Not that this was occafion’d by 
 
 C 4 any 
 
2 4 LETTERS to 
 
 any Superfluity, or Tedioufnefs of their Wri¬ 
 tings., or mutual Commendations j but it was 
 found out by fome worthy Patriots, to make 
 the Labours of the two DoStors, as far as pof- 
 flble, to become ujeful to the Publicly 
 
 Indeed Cookery has an Influence upon Mens 
 A£lions even in the higheft Stations of hu¬ 
 man Life. The great Philofopher Pytbago - 
 'ros, in his Golden Verjes, fhews himfelf to be 
 extremely nice in Eating, when he makes it 
 one of his chief Principles of Morality to ab- 
 ffain from Beans. The nobleff Foundations 
 of Honour, Juftice and Integrity were found 
 to lye hid in Turnips, as appears in that great 
 ’Dictator, Cincinnatus , who went from the 
 Plough to the Command of the Roman Army 
 and having brought home Vi&ory, retir’d to his 
 Cottage : For when the Samnite Ambafladors 
 came thither to him, wifh a large Bribe, and 
 found him drefiing Turnips for his Repaft, 
 they immediately return’d with this" Sentence, 
 u That it was impoflible to prevail upon 
 cc him that could be contented with fuch a 
 £C Sapper. In fhort, there are no honorary 
 
 Appel- 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 2 5 
 
 Appellations but what may be made ufe of 
 to Cooks • for I find throughout the whole 
 Race of Charlemain , that the Great Cooh^ of 
 the Palace was one of the prime Minifters of 
 State, and Condu&or of Armies : So true is 
 that Maxim of Panins Mwilim after his glo¬ 
 rious Expedition into Greece, when he was to 
 entertain the Roman People: u That there 
 cc was equal Skill required to bring an Army 
 cc into the Field, and to fet forth a magni- 
 tc ficent Entertainment •, fince the one was as 
 cc far as poflibly to annoy your Enemy, and 
 cc the other to pleafure your Friend. In 
 fhort, as for all Perfons that have not a 
 due Regard for the learned, induftrious, 
 moral, upright, and warlike Profeflion of 
 Cookery , may they live as the antient Inha¬ 
 bitants of Pnerte Vent nr a , one of the Canary 
 Iflandsj where they being fo barbarous as to 
 make the moft contemptible Perfon to be their 
 Butchery they had likewife their Meat ferv’d 
 up ratPy becaufe they had no Fire to drefs it; 
 and I take this to be a condition bad enough 
 of all Confcience. 
 
 »•' • - ■ • - ' » - v. - 
 
 As 
 
2 6 LETTERS to 
 
 As this fmail Effay finds Acceptance, I fiiall 
 be encourag’d to purfue a great Defign I have 
 in hand of publishing a Bibliotheca Culinaria , 
 or the Cook's Compleat Library , which fhall 
 begin with a Tranjlation, or at leaf); an Lpi- 
 tome of Athenatm, who Treats of all things 
 belonging to a Grecian Feaft: He fiiall be 
 publifh’d with all his Comments, ufeful GIoffes, 
 and Indexes of a vaft Copioufnefs, with Cuts 
 of the Bajling Ladles , Dripping Pans, and 
 Drudging Boxes, &c. lately dug up at Rome 
 out of an old fubterranean Sfullery. I defign 
 to have all Authors in all Languages upon 
 that Subjeft * therefore pray confult what 
 Oriental Manufcnpts you have : I remember 
 Erpenms , in his Notes upon Locman s Fables 
 (whom I take to be the fame Perlon with 
 JFfop) gives us an admirable Receipt for ma¬ 
 king the" fowre Mill that is, the Bonny-Clab¬ 
 ber of the Arabians. I fhould be glad ro 
 know how Mahomet us’d to have his Shoulder 
 of Mutton drcfs’d ; I have heard he was a 
 great Lover of that Joint, and that a Maid 
 of an Inn poyfon’d him with one, faying, If 
 $ / he 
 
 lit 
 
 b 
 
 <k 
 
 an 
 
 if 
 
 m 
 
 P 
 
 fa 
 
 d 
 
 t! 
 
 - 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others, 27 
 
 be is a Prophet he will difcovcr it y if he is an 
 Impofior , no matter what becomes of him. I 
 fhall have occasion for the Affiftance of all 
 my Friends in this great Work. I fome Pofts 
 a qo defined a Friend to enquire what Manu¬ 
 scripts Sol. Bar dingy a famous Coolly may have 
 left behind him at Oxford. He fays, he finds 
 among his Executors feveral admirable Bills 
 of Fare for Arijlotle- Suppers , and Entertain¬ 
 ments of Country Strangers, with certain 
 Prizes according to their feveral Seafons; he 
 fays fome Pages have large black Croffes 
 drawn over them . but for the greater part 
 the Books are fair and legible. 
 
 Sir, I would beg you to fearch Cooks Hally 
 what Manufcripts they may have in their Ar* 
 chives: See what in Guild-Hall: What Ac- 
 & count of Cttfard in the Sword-bearers Office , 
 How many Tun He, a Common fryer, or a 
 (S Common Hunt may eat in their Life-time. 
 
 But I tranfgrefs the Bounds of a Letter, and 
 1 have ftray’d from my Subjeft, which fhould 
 have been to beg you to read the following 
 Lines, when you are inclin’d tp be moft 
 !x : ! favourable 
 
28 LETTERS to 
 
 favourable to your Friend, for ehe they will 
 never be able to endure your juft Cenfure^ I 
 rely upon your good Nature, and I am 
 
 Tour mojl oblig'd, &c. 
 
 To Mr. - 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I Have refle&ed upon the Difcourfe I had 
 with you the other Day, and upon fe- 
 rious Coniideration find, that the true un- 
 derftanding of the whole Art of Cookery , will 
 be ufeful to all Perfons that pretend to the 
 Belles Lett res, and efpecially to Poets. 
 
 I do not find it proceeds from any Enmity 
 of the Cooks, but it is rather the fault of their 
 Majlers , that Poets are not fo well acquainted 
 with good Eating, as otherwife they might 
 be, if oftener invited : However, even in 
 Mr. jy^Vrfeys Prefence, this I would be 
 
 bound 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 29 
 
 bound to fay, That a good Dinner is Brother 
 to a good Poem • only it is fomething more 
 fubftantial j and between two and three a Clock 
 more agreeable. 
 
 I have known a Supper make the moft di¬ 
 verting part of a Comedy : Mr. Betterton in 
 the Libertine has fat «very gravely with the 
 Leg of a Chicken, but I have feen Jacomo * 
 very merry, and eat very heartily of Peafe, 
 and butter’d Eggs under the Table. The Hojl 
 in the Villain , who carries Tables , Stools, 
 Furniture and Provisions all about him, gives 
 great Content to the Spe&ators, when from 
 the Crown of his Hat he produces his cold 
 Capon •, fo Armarillk (or rather Parthenope^ 
 as I take it) in the Rehearfa! , with her Wine 
 in her Spear, and her Pye in her Helmet- 
 and the Cool ( that flobbers his Beard with 
 Sack Poffet, in the Mans the Majier , have, 
 in my Opinion, made the moft diverting 
 part of the A&ion. Thefe Embeliftiments 
 we have receiv’d from our Imitation of the 
 antient Poets': Horace , in his Satyrs, makes’ 
 Mec£nas very merry with the Recolle&ion of 
 
 the 
 
LETTERS to 
 
 the unufual Entertainment and Diflies given' 
 him by Nafidientts ; and with his Raillery up¬ 
 on Garlick in his third Epode. The Supper 
 of Petronius with all its Machines and Con¬ 
 trivances, gives us the moft lively Defcription 
 of Nero’s Luxury. Juvenal fpends a whole 
 Satyr about the Price and Drefllng of a An¬ 
 gle Fifli, with the Judgment of the Roman- 
 Senate concerning it. Thus, whether fe- 
 rious or jocofe, good Eating is made the 
 Subject and Ingredient of Poetical Enter¬ 
 tainments. 
 
 I think all Poets agree that E pifodes are to 
 be interwove in their Poems with the greatefl: 
 Nicety of Art • and fo it is the fame thing at 
 a good Table, and yet I have feena very 
 good Epijode (give me leave to call it fo) 
 iliade by fending out the Leg of a Goofe, 
 or the Gizzard of a Turkey to be broil'd: 
 Tho’ I know that Criticks, with a good Sto¬ 
 mach, have been offended that the Unity of 
 A&ion fliou’d be fo far broken. And yet, 
 as in our Plays, fo at our common Tables, 
 many Epifodes are allow’d, as dicing of Cu¬ 
 cumbers, 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 
 
 cumbers, drcfllng of Sallads, £eafoning the 
 infide of a Sirloyn of Eeef, breaking Lob- 
 fters Claws, ftewing Wild Ducks, toafting 
 of Cheefe, Legs of Larks, and feveral 
 others. 
 
 A Poet, who by proper Exprcfilons, and 
 pleafing Images is to lead us into the Know¬ 
 ledge of neceflary Truth, may delude hk Au¬ 
 dience extremely, and indeed barbaroufly, 
 unlefs he has fome Knowledge of this Art of 
 Cookery, and the Progrefs of it. Would it 
 not found ridiculous to hear Alexander the 
 Great to command his Cannon to be mounted, 
 and to throw red hot Bullets out of his Mor¬ 
 tar-pieces ? Or to have Statira talk,of 'Tape- 
 ftry Hangings, which all the Learned know, 
 were many Years after her Death, firfi hung 
 up in the Hall of King Attalus ? Should 
 Sir John Falfafe complain of having durty’d 
 his Silk-Stockings, or Anne of Bolen call for her 
 Coach, would an Audience endure it > When 
 all the. World knows that Queen Elizabeth 
 was the firfi: that had her Coach, or wore Silk- 
 Stockings: Neither can a Poet put Hops in an 
 
 Engl if 
 
LETTERS to 
 
 Englijhmans Drinh^ before Herefy came in: 
 Nor can he ferve him with a Difti of Carps 
 before that time: He might as well give King 
 James the Firft a Difli of Afparagus upon his 
 firft coming to London, which Were not brought 
 into England till many Years after: Or make 
 Owen Tudor prefent Queen Catherine with a 
 Sugar-Loaf \ whereas he might as eafily have 
 given her a Diamond as large: Seeing the 
 Iceing of Cakes at Woodjireet Corner, and the 
 Refining of Sugar , was but an Invention of 
 Two hundred Years ftanding, and before that 
 time our Anceftors fweetened and garnidl’d 
 all with Honey, of which there are fome 
 Remains : In Wind for Bowls , Baron Bracks 
 and large Simnels fent for Prefents from 
 Litchfeld. 
 
 But now on the contrary it would {hew his 
 Reading, if the Poet put a Hen-Turkey upon 
 the Table in a Tragedy • and therefore I would 
 advife it in Hamlet , inftead of their painted 
 Trifles$ and I believe it would give more Sa¬ 
 tisfaction to the ABors. For Diodorus Siculus 
 reports, how the Sifters of Meleager , or Dio- 
 
r 
 
 Dr. Lifter, and others. 3 3 
 
 medes mourning for their Brother , were 
 turn’d into Hen-Turkeys -, from whence pro¬ 
 ceeds their Statelinefs of Gate, Refervednefs 
 in Converfation, and melancholy in the Tone 
 of their Voice, and all their Actions. But 
 this would be the moft improper Meat in the 
 World for a Comedy •, for Melancholy, and 
 Diftrefs require a different fort of Diet, as 
 well as Language: and I have heard of a fair 
 Lady, that was pleas’d to fay, that if fhe was 
 upon a ftrange Road, and driven to great 
 Neceffity, (he believ’d flie might for once, be 
 able to fup upon a Sacl\ Pojfet and a fat 
 Capon. 
 
 I am fare Poets , as well as Coohy, are for 
 having all Words nicely chofen, and pro¬ 
 perly adapted; and therefore I believe they 
 would faew the fame Regret that I do , to 
 hear Perfons of fame Rank, and Quality, lay. 
 Pray cut up that Goofe : Help me to jome of 
 that Chicken^ Hen , or Capon , or half that Plo¬ 
 ver , not confidering how indifcrcetly they 
 talk, b fore Men of Art, whofe proper Terms 
 are,' Bredl ^ that Goofe , frujl that Chicken: 
 
 D fpoit 
 
LETTERS to 
 
 fpoil that Hen : fauce that Capon : mince that 
 
 Plover : If they are fo much out in common 
 things , how much more will they be with 
 Bitterns, Herons, Cranes , and Peacocks ? But 
 
 Plover : If they are fo much out in common 
 
 it is vain for us to complain of the Faults and 
 Errors of the Worlds unlefs we lend our help¬ 
 ing Hand to retrieve them. 
 
 To conclude, our greateft Author of Dra- 
 matick Poetry, Mr. Dryden , has made ufe of 
 the Myfteries of this Art in the Prologues to 
 two of his Plays, one a Tragedy, the other 
 a Comedy, in which he has fliew’d his great- 
 eft Art, and prov’d moft fuccefsful. I had 
 not feen the Play for fome Years, before I 
 hit upon almoft the fame Words that he has 
 in the following Prologue to All for Love. 
 
 Fops may have leave to level all they can, 
 
 »• 
 
 j As Pigmies wou’d be glad to top a Man. 
 
 Half-Wits are Fleas, fo little and fo light. 
 
 We fcarce cou’d know they live, but that they bite. 
 
Dr, Lifter, ani others. 5 5 
 
 But, as the Rich, when tir’d with daily Feafts, 
 
 For change become their next poor Tenant’s Guefts: 
 Drink hearty Draughts of Ale from plain brown Bowls , 
 And fnatch the homely Rajher from the Coals: 
 
 So you retiring from much better Cheer, 
 
 For once may venture to do Penance here. 
 
 And fince that plenteous Autumn now is paft, 
 Whofe Grapes and Peaches have indulg'd your Taft, 
 Take in good part from our poor Poet’s Board, 
 
 Such fhrivel’d Fruit as Winter can afford. 
 
 How Fops and Fleas fliou’d come together 
 I cannot eafily account for • but I doubt not 
 but his Ale, Rafher, Grapes, Peaches, and 
 (hrivel’d Apples might Pit—- Box—and Gal- 
 lery-it well enough. His Prologue to Sir Mar¬ 
 tin Mar-all is fuch an exquifite Poem, taken 
 from the fame Art, that l could wifti it tran- 
 flated into Latin ^ to be prcfixt to Dr. Lifters 
 Work : The whole is as follows. 
 
 D a 
 
 PRO. 
 
LETTERS to 
 
 PROLOGVE. 
 
 Fools which each Man meets in his DHh each Day, 
 
 Are yet the great Regalia’s of a Play : 
 
 In which to Poets you but juft appear. 
 
 To prize that higheft which coft them fo dear. 
 
 Fops in the Town more eafily will pafs, 
 
 One Story makes a ftatutable Afs : 
 
 But fuch in Plays muft be much thicker fown, 
 
 Like Yolks of Eggs, a dozen beat to one. 
 
 Obferving Poets all their Walks invade. 
 
 As Men watch Woodcocks gliding through a Glade. 
 And when they have enough for Comedy, 
 
 They ’flow their feveral Bodies in a Pye. 
 
 The Poet’s but the Cook to fafhion it. 
 
 For, Gallants, you your felves have found the Wit. 
 To bid you welcome would your Bounty wrong. 
 None welcome thofe who bring their * Cheer along. 
 
 * Some Criticks read it Chair. 
 
 f 
 
 The 
 
Z)>\ Lifter, and others. 37 
 
 The Image (which is the great Perfe&ion 
 of a Poet) is fo extreme lively,and well painted, 
 that methinks I fee the whole Audience with a 
 Diih of Butter’d Eggs in one hand, and a 
 Woodcock Pye in the other. I hope I may 
 be excus’d after fo great an Example) for I 
 declare I have no Defign but to encourage 
 Learning, and am very far from any Defigns 
 againft it. And therefore I hope the worthy 
 Gentleman who faid that the Journey to Lon- 
 drought to be burnt by the common Hang¬ 
 man, as a Book, that if receiv’d,, would difcou- 
 rage Ingenuity, would be pleas’d not to make 
 his Burnfire at the upper end of Lkdgate-Jlreet, 
 for fear of endangering the Bookfellers Shops 
 and the Cathedral. 
 
 I have abundance more to fay upon thefe 
 Subje&s, but I am afraid my firft Courfe is 
 fo tedious, that you will excufe me both the 
 fecond Courfe and the Defert, and call for 
 Pipes, and a Candle; but confider the Papers 
 came from an old Friend, and fpare them out 
 pf Compaffion to, 
 
 Sir, &r. 
 
 D? To 
 
3 8 
 
 LETTERS to 
 
 To Mr. - 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I Am no great Lover of Writing more than 
 I am forc’d to, and therefore have not 
 troubl'd you with my Letters to congratulate 
 your good Fortune in London , or to bemoan 
 our Unhappinefs in the lofs of you here. The 
 occafion of this is to defire your Afliftance in , 
 a matter that I am fallen into by the Advice 
 of fome Friends^ but unlefs they help me, 
 it will be impoflible for me to get out of it. 
 I have had the Misfortune to——write ; but 
 what is worfe, I have never confider’d whe¬ 
 ther any one would read : Nay, I have been 
 fo very bad as to defign to print, but then 
 a wicked Thought came acrofs me with Who 
 will buy ? For if I tell you the Title , you 
 will be of my Mind, that the very Name 
 will deftroy it: T he Art of Cookery , in buita - 
 lion of Horaces Art of Vociry ) with fome fa¬ 
 miliar Letters to Dr. Lifter and others , occa- 
 jjon’d principally by the Title of a Book 
 
 publish'd 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others, 39 
 
 publifh’d by the Do&or, concerning the Soups 
 and Sauces of the Antients. To this a Beau 
 will cry, Though l what have I to do with 
 Kitchin-ftuf P To which I anfwer, Buy it 
 and then give it to your Servants ; For I hope 
 to live to fee the Day when every Miftrefs 
 of a Family, and every Steward (hall call up 
 their Children and Servants with, Come Mifs 
 Betty , how much have you got of your Art 
 of Cookery ? Where did you leave off, Mils 
 j Isbel P Mifs Katty , are you no farther than 
 t King Henry and the Miller P Yes, Madam, 
 I am come to * 
 
 it 
 
 u: - Hk Name Jhall be enroll'd 
 
 k In EftcourtY Booh 0 whofe Gridirons Frame 
 a of Gold. 
 
 fl 
 
 I Pray Mother, is that our Maher Ejlcourt ? 
 g Well, Child, if you mind this you fhan’t be 
 t put to your Affemblies Catechifm next Sa¬ 
 if,. turday: What a glorious fight it will be, and 
 j. how becoming a great Family, to fee the 
 u Butler out-learning the Steward, and the 
 jl pinful Skullery Maid exerting her Memory 
 ’J D 4 far 
 
 1 
 
4 o LETTERS to ^ 
 
 far beyond the mumping Houfe-keeper. I am 
 told that if a Book is any thing ufeful, the 
 Printers have a way of pirating one ano¬ 
 ther^ and printing other Perfons Copies, 
 which is very barbarous : And i then .{hall I 
 be forc’d to come out with 7 he true Art of 
 Cookery is only to be had at Mr. Pindar s a Pat- 
 ten-Mahgr s under Sf. Dunftan.r Churchy w'ith 
 the Author’s Seal at the Title Page, be¬ 
 ing Three Sauce Pans in a Bend Proper on a 
 Cooks Apron Argent : Bew T are of Counter¬ 
 feits. And be forc’d to put out Advertife- 
 ments wjlth Strops for Razors. And the beft 
 Speckicles are to be had only at the Archi■ 
 medes 0 &c. 
 
 I defign Propofals which I mu ft get deli¬ 
 ver’d to the Cooks Company, for the making 
 an Order that every Prentice fhall have the 
 Art of Cookery when he is bound, which 
 he fhall fay by Heart before he is made free 5 
 and then he fhall have Dr. Lifters Book of 
 Soups and Sauces deliver’d to him for his fu¬ 
 ture Praftice. But you know better what 
 I am to do than I. For the Kindnefs you may 
 
 fhew 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others . 41 
 
 (hew me I (hall always endeavour to make 
 what Returns lye in my Power. I am 
 
 Tour, &c. 
 
 To Mr. - 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I Cannot but recommend to your Perufal 
 a late exquifite Comedy call’d The Law - 
 yers Fortune , or, Love in a Hollow iree } 
 which Piece has its peculiar Embelifhments, 
 and is a Poem carefully fram’d according to 
 the niceft Rules of the Art of Cookery : For 
 the Play opens with a Scene of good Hut- 
 wifry, where Favourite the Houfe-keeper 
 makes this Complaint to the Lady Bonona. 
 
 Fav. The laft Mutton kill’d was lean, 
 Madam, fhould not forne fat Sheep be 
 bought in } 
 
 Bon. What 
 
42 
 
 LETTERS to 
 
 
 Bon. What fay you, Let-Acre to it > 
 
 Let. This is the world time of the Year 
 for Sheep, the frefli Grafs makes ’em fall 
 away, and they begin to tafte of the Wool j 
 they muft be fpar’ti a while, and Favourite 
 muft caft to fpe-nd fome fait Meat, and 
 Fifh • I hope we fhall have fome fat Calves 
 fhortly. 
 
 What can be more agreeable than this to 
 the Art of Cookery, where the Author fays. 
 
 But tho’ my Edge be not too nicely fet. 
 
 Yet I another’s Appetite may whet 
 May teach him when to buy, when Seafon part:, * 
 What’s dale, what-’s choice, what’s plentiful, what 6 
 waft, C 
 
 And lead him through the various maze of Taft. 
 
 In the fecond A61 Vdentine , Mrs. Bonona’s 
 Son, the confummate Chara$er of the Play, 
 having in the Firft A61 loft: his Hawk, and 
 confcquently his Way, benighted and loji , 
 
 and 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 43 
 
 and feeing a Light in a diftant Houfe, comes 
 to the thrifty Widow FuriofaV, [which is 
 exaCtly according to the Rule , A Prince 
 who in a Foreft rides aftray] Where he 
 fnds the old Gentlewoman carding, the fair 
 Florida, her Daughter, working on a Parch - 
 went, whilft the Maid is [pinning. Peg reaches 
 a Chair, Sack, n call'd for, and in the mean 
 time the good old Gentlewoman complains fo of 
 Rogues, that fhe can fcarce keep a Goofe or 
 a Turkey in S a f et y f or the™- Then Florida 
 enters with a little white Bottle about a Pint, 
 and an old Fafbiond Glafs, fils and gives her 
 Mother, jbe drinks to Valentine, he to Flori¬ 
 da, fhe to him again, he to Furiofa, who fets 
 it down on the Table. After a (mail time the 
 old Lady cries, Well tis my Bed-time, but my 
 Daughter will [hew yon the way to yours, for [ 
 know you would willingly be in it. This was 
 extremely kind! Now upon her Retirement • 
 fee the great Judgment of the Poets, fhe be¬ 
 ing an old Gentlewoman that went to bed, 
 he {hits the following Regale according to the 
 Age of the Perfon *, had Boys been put to 
 bed it had been proper to have laid the Goofe 
 
 to 
 
'ZJ 
 
 LETTERS to 
 
 44 
 
 
 to the Fire, but here ’tis other wife : For af¬ 
 ter Tome intermediate Difcourfe he is invited 
 to a Repaft, when he modeftly excufes him- 
 felf with. Truly , Madam ^ I have no Stomach 
 to any Meat } but to comply with you. You have , 
 Madam , entertain d me with all that's deferable 
 already. The Lady tells him a cold Supper is better 
 than none , fo he fits at the Table , offers to eat 
 but can't. I am fure Horace himfelf could not 
 have prepar’d himtelf more exa&ly, for [ac¬ 
 cording to the Rule, A Widow has cold Pye ,] 
 tho’ Valentine being Love-fick could not eat, 
 yet it was his Fault and not the Poets. But 
 when Valentine is to return the Civility, and 
 to invite Madam Furio fa and Madam Flori- 
 da , with other good Company, to his Mo- 
 ther the hofpitable Lady Bonona'Sj ["who by 
 the by had call’d for two Bottles of Wine for 
 Latitat her Attorney,] then Affluence and 
 Dainties are to appear [according to this Verfe, 
 Mangoes , Potargo , Champignons , C avear ef\ 
 And Mrs. Favourite the Houfe-keeper makes 
 thefe mod important Enquiries. 
 
 
 Fav. Mi- 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 45 
 
 Fav. Miftrefs, fhall I put any Muflirooms, 
 Mangoes, or Bamboons into the Sallad ? 
 
 Bon. Yes, I prithee, the beft thou haft. 
 
 Fav. Shall I ufe Ketchop or Anchovies in 
 the Gravy ? 
 
 Bon. What you will. 
 
 But however magnificent the Dinner might 
 be, yet Mrs. Bonona , as the manner of fome 
 Perfons is, makes her Excufe for it with, IVell y 
 Gentlemen , can ye fpare a little time to take a 
 jbort Dinner ? 1 promi fe you it fbarit be long. 
 It is very probable, tho’ the Author does not 
 make any of the Guefts give a relation of it, 
 that Valentine being a great Sportfman, might 
 furnifh the Table with Game and Wildfowl. 
 There was at leaft one Phefant in the Koufe, 
 which Valentine told his Mother of the Morn¬ 
 ing before. tc Madam, I had a good Flight 
 <c of a Pheafant Cock, that after my Hawk 
 cc ieix’d made Head as if he would have 
 cc fought, but my Hawk plum’d her prefent- 
 ** ly. Now it is not reafonable to fuppofe 
 that Vally lying abroad that Night, the old 
 7 7 6 Gentle- 
 
4 6- LETTERS to 
 
 / 
 
 Gentlewoman under that Concern would have 
 any Stomach to it for her own Supper. 'How. 
 ever, to fee the Fate of things there is nothing 
 permanent, for one Mrs. Candia making (tho* 
 innocently) a Prefent of an Hawk to Valen¬ 
 tine , Florida his Miftrels grows jealous, and 
 refolves to leave him, and run away with an 
 odd fort of Fellow, one Major Sly: Valen¬ 
 tine to appeafe her fends a Meffage to her by 
 a Boy, who tells her. His Mafier to fbew the 
 Trouble he took, by her mif tpprehenfion , had 
 fent her fome vifible Tokens , the Hawk torn to 
 pieces with his own Hands* and then pulls 
 out of the Basket the Wings and Legs of a Fowl. 
 So we fee the poor Bird demolijb’dj and all 
 Hopes of Wildfowl deftroy’d for the future: 
 And happy were it if Misfortunes would flop 
 here. But the cruel Beauty refufing to be 
 appeas’d, Vdentine takes a fudden Refolution, 
 which he communicates to Let-Acre the Stew¬ 
 ard, to brufh off , and quit his Habitation. 
 However it was, whether Let-Acre did not 
 think his young Matter real, and Val. haviifg 
 threaten’d the Houfe-keeper to kick her im¬ 
 mediately before, for being too fond of hfm, 
 
 and 
 
 
^17 
 
 Dr. Lifter, and others. 47 
 
 and his Boy being raw and unexperienc’d in 
 Travelling, it Teems they made but (lender 
 Provifion for their Expedition } for there is 
 but one Scene interpos’d before we find di- 
 ftrefs’d Valentine in the moft miferable condi¬ 
 tion that the joint Arts of Poetry and Cooke¬ 
 ry are able to reprefent him. There is a 
 Scene of the greateft Horror, and moft mo¬ 
 ving to Companion of any thing I have feen 1 
 amongft the Moderns *, Talks of no Pyramids 
 of Fowl y or Birkf of Fifb is nothing to it, 
 for here we fee an innocent Perfon, unle(s 
 punilh’d for his Mother’s and Houfe-keeper’s 
 Extravagancy, as was faid before, in their 
 Mulhrooms, Mangoes, Bamboons, Ketchup, 
 and Anchovies, reduc’d to the Extremity of 
 Eating his Cheeje without Breads and having 
 no other Drink but Water. /• For he and his 
 Boy 0 with two Saddles on his Bacf and Wal¬ 
 let , come into aWal\of confus'd Trees , where 
 an Owl hollows , a Bear and Leopard walk acrofs 
 the Defart , at a difiance , and yet they venture 
 in, where Valentine accofts his Boy with thefe 
 Lines, which would draw Tears from any 
 thing that is not Marble. 
 
 Hang 
 

 48 LETTERS to 
 
 Hang up thy Wallet on that Tree, 
 
 And creep thou in this hollow place with me. 
 
 Let’s here repofe our wearied Limbs till they! 
 
 more wearied be. 
 
 jf k 
 
 Boy. There’s nothing left in the Wallet 
 * but one Piece of Cheefe, what fhall we do 
 for Bread ? 
 
 Val. When we have (lept we will feek out 
 
 fome Roots that fhall fupply that Doubt. 
 
 Boy. But no Drink, Mader? 
 
 Val. Under that Rock a Spring I fee 
 
 Which (hall refrefh my Third: and thee. 
 
 So the Ad doles, and it is difmal for the 
 Audience to consider how Valentine and the 
 poor Boy, who it feems had a coming Sto¬ 
 mach, fhould continue there all the time the 
 Mulick was playing and longer. But to eafe 
 them of their Pain by an Invention which the 
 Poets call Cataftrophe , Valentine , tho’ with a 
 long Beard , and very n?e^witn fading, is re¬ 
 concil’d to Floridaj who embracing him, fays, 
 
 I doubt 
 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 49 
 
 I doubt 1 have offended him too much } but 
 YU attend him home , cherifb him with Cor- 
 dials , make him Broths [Poor good natur’d 
 Creature, I wifh (he had Dr. Lifters Book 
 to help herj anoint his Limbs , and be d 
 Nurfe , a tender Nnrfe to him. Nor do 3lef- 
 fings come alone, for the good Mother ha¬ 
 ving refrejh'd him with warm Baths , and kept 
 him tenderly in the Houfe , orders Favourite 
 with repeated Injunctions, To get the beft En¬ 
 tertainment jhe ever yet provided , to confider 
 what jhe has , and what jbe wants , and to get 
 aU ready in few Hours: And '«• this moft re¬ 
 gular Work is concluded with a Dance and a 
 Wedding Dinner. I cannot believe there 
 was any thing ever more of a Piece than 
 this Comedy^ fome Perfons may admire your 
 meagre Tragedies , but give me a Play where 
 there is a ProfpeCl of good Meat or good 
 Wine ftirring in every Ad of it. 
 
 Tho’ I am confident the Author had wrote 
 this Play, and printed it long before the Art 
 of Cookery was thought of, and I had never 
 read it till the other Poem was very near 
 
 E perfected. 
 

 i! 
 
 
 50 LETTERS to } 
 
 perfe&ed, yet it is admirable to fee how a true 
 Rule will be adapted to a good Work, or a 
 good Work to a true Rule. I fliould be hear¬ 
 tily glad, tor the fake of the Publick, if our 
 Poets, for the future, would make ufe of 
 fo good an Example. I doubt not but 
 whenever you or I write Comedy, we fhall 
 obferve it. I have juft now met with a fur- 
 prizing Happinels, a Friend that has feen two 
 of Dr. Lifters Works, one De Buccinis Flu¬ 
 viatilibus Marinis Exercitatio , An Exerci¬ 
 
 tatiori of Sea and River Shell-filh. In which 
 he fays fome of the chiefeft Rarities are the 
 Pifle and Spermatick Velfels of a Snail , deli¬ 
 neated by a Microfcope , the Omentum or 
 Caul of its Throat, its Fallopian Tube , and 
 ics Subcrccean Tejiicle • which are things Hip¬ 
 pocrates^ Galen , Celjus, Fernehus and Harvey 
 were never Mafters of. The other Curioftty 
 is the admirable Piece of Coelius Apicius , De 
 Opfoniis , jive Condimentis , jive Arte Coquinaria , 
 Libri decem , being Ten Books of Soups and 
 Sauces, and the Art of Cookery, as it is ex¬ 
 cellently printed for the Do&or • who in 
 this fo important Affair i s not fufticiently 
 
 3 com mu- 
 
 4 
 
 r, 
 
 . i *V: . II 4 
 
—^— 
 
 Dr. Lifter, and others. 51 
 
 communicative. My Friend fays he has a 
 Promife of Leave to read it. What Remarks 
 he makes I fhall not be envious of, but im¬ 
 part to him I love as well as his 
 
 Moji Humble Servant , &c. 
 
 
5 2 
 
 
 
 QUINTI 
 
 HORATII FLACCI 
 
 De ARTE POETICA 
 
 LIBER. 
 
 Ad P I S O N E S. 
 
 Umano capiti cervicem pictor equinam 
 Jungere fi velit, & varias inducers 
 plumas, 
 
 Undique collatis membris, ut turpiter atrum 
 Definat in pifcem mulier formofa fuperne; 
 Spedatum admiffi rifum teneatis amici > 
 
 t Credite^ 
 
53 
 
 The Art of Cookery 
 
 In Imitation of * 
 
 S 
 
 % * 
 
 HO RACEs Art of Poetry. 
 
 To Dr. Lifter. 
 
 Ngenious L -were a Picture drawn 
 
 With Cynthia s Face, but with a Neck 
 like Brawn j 
 With Wings of Turkey, and with Feet of Calf, 
 Tho’ drawn by Kneller , it would make you laugh ! 
 Such is (good Sir) the Figure of a Feaft, 
 
 By fome rich Farmer’s Wife and Sifter dreft. 
 
 E 3 Which 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 ft 
 
 1 
 
 ii 
 
De Arte Poetica. 
 
 54 
 
 Credite, Pifones, ifti tabui* fore librum 
 Perfimilem, cujus, velit aegri fomnia, van* 
 Fingentur fpecies: ut nec pes, nec caput uni 
 Reddatur form*. Pi&oribus atque poetis 
 Quidlibet audendi femper fuit *qua poteftas. 
 Scimus, & hanc veniam petimufque damufque vi- 
 
 ciflim: 
 
 , 
 
 Sed non ut placidis coeant immitia *, non ut 
 Serpentes avibus gemmentur, tigribus agni. 
 
 Incoeptis gravibus plerumque <3C magna profeffis. 
 Purpureus, late qui fplendeat, unus <5e alter 
 A (Tuitur pannus •, cum lucus, & ara Dian*, 
 
 Et properantis aqu* per amoenos ambitus agros^ 
 Aut flumen Rhenum, aut pluvius defcribitur arcus. 
 SeJ nunc non erat his locus: &i fortafle cupreffum 
 Scis fimulare : quid hoc, fi fractis enatat exfpes 
 Navibus, *re dato qui pingitur ? amphora coepit 
 
 Infiitui 
 
- - 
 
 The Art of Cookery. 55 
 
 Which, were it not for Plenty and for Steam, 
 
 Might be refembled to a lick Mans Dream, 
 
 Where all Ideas hudling run fo faft, 
 
 That Syllibubs come firft, and Soups the laid. 
 
 Not but that Cooks and Poets (till were free. 
 
 To ufe their Pow’r in nice Variety ^ 
 
 Hence Mac’rel feem delightful to the Eyes, 
 
 Tho’ drefs’d with incoherent Goofeberries. 
 
 Crabs, Salmon, Lobfters ares, with Fennel fpread. 
 Who never touch’d that Herb till they were dead j 
 Yet no Man lards fait Pork with Orange Peel, 
 
 Or garnilhes his Lamb with Spitchcockt Eel. 
 
 A Cook perhaps has mighty things profeft, 
 
 Then fent up but two Difhes nicely dreft, 
 
 What fignifie Scotcht-Collops to a Feaft ? 
 
 Or you can make whip’d Cream! Pray what 
 Will that be to a Saylor who wants Beef ? 
 
 E 4 
 
 Who, 
 
Inftitui: currente rota cur^urceus exit ? 
 Denique fit quod vis fimplex duntaxat & unum. 
 
 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Maxima pars vatum (pater, &C juvenes patre 
 digni) 
 
 Decipimur fpecie redi. Brevis efle laboro, 
 
 Obfcurus fio : fedantem laevia, nervi 
 Deficiunt animique: profeffus grandia, turget ? 
 Serpit humi, tutus nimium, timidufque procellae ; 
 Qui variare cupit rem prodigialiter unam. 
 
 Delphinum filvis appingit, fludibus aprum. 
 
 ' 
 
 In vitium ducit culpae fuga, fi caret arte. 
 
 wn 
 
 iEmilium circa ludum faber imus <3t ungues 
 Exprimet, 8t molles imitabitur aere capillos *, 
 Infelix operis fumma, quia ponere totum 
 Nefciet, Hunc ego me, fi quid componere curem. 
 
 Non 
 
The Art of Cookery. 57 
 
 Who, lately, fliip-wreckt, never can haveEafe, 
 
 Till re-eftablifh'd in his Pork and Peafe. 
 
 When once begun let Induftry ne’er ceafe 
 Till it has render’d all things of one Piece : 
 
 At your Defert bright Pewter comes too late. 
 
 When your firft Courfe was all ferv’d up in Plate. 
 
 Moft knowing Sir! the greateft part of Cooks 
 Searching for Truth, are couzen’d by its Looks. 
 One wou’d have all things little, hence has try’d 
 Turkey Poults frelh, from th’ Egg in Batter fry’d: 
 Others, to {hew the largenefs of their Soul, 
 
 Prepare you Muttons fwol’d, and Oxen whole. 
 
 To vary the fame things fome think is Art. 
 
 By larding of Hogs-feet and Bacon Tart, 
 
 The Taft is now to that Perfe&ion brought. 
 
 That Care, when wanting Skill, creates the f ault. 
 
 In 
 
r 
 
 58 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Non magis eifq velim, quam pravo vivere nafo, 
 Spedandum nigris oculis, nigroque capillo. 
 
 Sumite materiam veftris, qui fcribitis, sequam 
 Viribus 3 & verfate diu, quid ferre recufent. 
 
 Quid valeant humeri. Cui leda potenter erit res. 
 Nec facundia deferet hunc, nec lucJdus ordo. 
 
 Ordinis hasc virtus erit, venus, aut ego fallor. 
 Ut jam nunc dicat, jam nunc debentia dici 
 Pleraque differat, & prasfens in tempus omittat j 
 Hoc amat, hoc fpernat, promifli carminis audor. 
 
 In verbis etiam tenuis cautufque ferendis, 
 Dixeris egregie, notum fi callida verbum 
 Reddiderit jundura novum. Si forte neceife eft 
 Indiciis monftrare recentibus abdita rerum j 
 Fingere cindutis non exaudita Cethegis 
 
 Continget, 
 
The Art of Cookery. 
 
 5 9 
 
 In Covent-Gardon did a Taylor dwell. 
 
 Who might deferve a place in his own Hell: 
 
 Give him a Angle Coat to make, he’d do’tj 
 A Veil, or Breeches fingly, but the Brute 
 Cou’d ne’er contrive all three to make a Suit: 
 Rather than frame a Supper like fuch Cloaths, 
 
 I’d have fine Eyes and Teeth without my Nofe. 
 
 You that from pliant Pafte wou’d Fabricks raife, 
 Expe&ing thence to gain immortal Praife, 
 
 jp 
 
 Your Knuckles try, and let your Sinews know 
 Their Power to knead, and give the Form to Dough, 
 Chufe your Materials right, your feas’ning fix, 
 
 V 
 
 And with your Fruit refpfendent Sugar mix : 
 
 From thence of courfe the Figure will arife. 
 
 And Elegance adorn the Surface of your Pies. 
 
 Beauty 
 
60 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 1 
 
 Continget, dabiturque licentia fumta pudenter : 
 Et nova fidaque nuper habebunt verba fidem, fi 
 Graeco fonte cadent, parce detorta. Quid autem 
 Csci lio Plautoque dabit Romanus, ademtum 
 Virgilio Varioque ? ego cur, acquirere pauca 
 Si poffum, invideor:, cum lingua Catonis & Enni 
 Sermonem patrium ditaverit, & nova rerum 
 Nomina protulerit ? licuit, femperque licebit 
 Signatum praefente nota producere nomen. 
 
 Ut filvse foliis pronos mutantur in annos. ^ 
 
 Prima cadunt: ita verborum vetus interit aetas, 
 Et juvenum ritu florent modo nata, vigentque. 
 Debemur morti nos noftraque : live receptus 
 Terra Neptunus claffes Aquilonibus arcet. 
 
 Regis opus \ fterilifque diu palus, aptaque remis 
 Vicinas urbes alit, & grave fentit aratrum : 
 
 Seu curfum mutavit iniquum frugibus amnis, 
 Dodus iter melius, mortalia fada peribunt: 
 
 Nedum 
 
The Art of Cookery. 61 
 
 Beauty from Order fprings, the judging Eye 
 Will tell you if one Angle Plates awry. 
 
 The Cook muft ftill regard the prefent time, 
 T’omit what’s juft in Seafon is a Crime. 
 
 Your infant Peafe to Sparrrowgrafs prefer. 
 
 Which to the Supper you may belt defer. 
 
 Be cautious how you change old Bills of Fare, 
 Such Alterations Ihou’d at leaft be rare \ 
 
 Yet Credit to the Artift will accrue, 
 
 Who in known things ftill makes th’ appearance new* 
 Frelh Dainties are by Britain *s Traffick known. 
 And now by conftant Ufe familiar grown y 
 What Lord of old wou’d bid his Cook prepare. 
 Mangoes, Potargo, Champignons, Cavare > 
 
 Or wou’d our thrum-cap’d Anceftors find fault 
 For want of Sugar-Tongs, v or Spoons for Salt. 
 
* 3 * 
 
 6 2 De y^/e Poetica. 
 
 1 
 
 Nedum fermonum ftet honos, & gratia vivax. 
 Multa renafcentur, quas jam cecidere •, cadentque, 
 Qiiae nunc funt in honore vocabula, li volet ufus j 
 Quem penes arbitrium eil, <5v jus, norma lo¬ 
 quendi. 
 
 Res gefte regumque ducumque, & triflia bella. 
 Quo fcribi polient numero monftravit Homerus. 
 
 Verlibus impariter jun&is querimonia primum, 
 Poll etiam inclufa eft voti fententia compos. 
 
 Quis tamen exiguos elegos emiferit auftor. 
 Grammatici certant, & adhuc fub judice lis eft. 
 
 Archilochum proprio rabies armavit iambo. 
 
 Hunc focci cepere pedem grandefque cothurni. 
 Alternis aptum fermonibus, &i populares 
 Vincentem ftrepitus, <3c natum rebus agendis. 
 
 Mufa 
 
The Art of Cookery. 
 
 New things produce new words, and thus Monteth 
 Has by one Veffel fav’d his Name from Death. 
 
 The Seafons change us all, by Autumn’s Froft 
 The fhady Leaves of Trees and Fruit are loft. 
 
 But then the Spring breaks forth with frefh Supplies, 
 Aud from the teeming Earth new Buds arife. 
 
 So Hubble Geefe at Michaelmas are feen 
 Upon the Spit, next May produces green. 
 
 The Fate of things lies always in the dark. 
 
 What Cavalier wou’d know St- James 's Park ? 
 
 For Locket's, Hands where Garden’s once did fpring, 
 And Wild-Ducks quack where Grafs-hoppers did ling. 
 A Princely Palace on that Space does rife. 
 
 Where Sidleys, noble Mufe found Mulberries. 
 
 Since Places alter thus, what confiant Thought 
 Of filling various Diihes can be taught } 
 
 For he pretends too much, or is a Fcol, 
 
 Who’d fix thofe things where Falhion is the Rule. 
 
64 
 
 ^17 
 
 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 11 
 
 Mufa dedit fidibus Divos, puerorque Deorum, 
 
 Et pugilem vi&orem, & equum certamine primum, 
 
 Et juvenum curas, & libera vina referre. 
 
 Defcriptos fervare vices operumque colores. 
 
 Cur ego, fi nequeo ignoroque, poeta falutor > 
 
 Cur nefcire, pudens prave, quam difeere malo ? 
 
 I ] 
 
 ♦ 
 
 Verfibus exponi tragicis res comica non vult: 
 
 ? 
 
 Indignatnr item privatis ac prope focco 
 Dignis carminibus narrari caena Thyefta?. 
 
 Singula quaque locum teneant fortita decenter. 
 Interdum tamen 5c vocem comoedia tollit, 
 
 Iratufque Chremes tumido delitigat ore : 
 
 Et tragicus plerumque dolet fermone pedeftri, 
 Telephus St Peleus, cum pauper St exui uterque, 
 Projicit ampullas St fefquipedalia verba j 
 
The Art of Cookery . 6 
 
 King Hardicnute mitlft Danes and Saxons flout. 
 Carous’d in nut-brown Ale, and din’d on Grout : 
 Which Dilh its prifline Honour flill retains, 
 
 And when each Prince is crown’d, in Splendor reigns. 
 
 By Northern Cuftom, Duty was expreft 
 To Friends departed by their Fun’ral Feafl. 
 
 Tho’ I’ve confulted Hollingfhead and Stow, 
 
 I find it very difficult to know 
 
 Who to refrefh th’ Attendants to a Grave, 
 
 Burnt-Claret firft, or Naples -Bifket gave. 
 
 Trotter from Quince, and Apples firft did frame 
 A Pye which ftill retains his proper Name, 
 
 Tho’ common grown, yet with white Sugar ftrow’d, 
 And butter’d right, its Goodnefs is allow’d. 
 
 F 
 
 As 
 
 
1 
 
The Art of Cookery . 
 
 As Wealth flow’d in, and Plenty fprang from 
 Peace, 
 
 Good Humour reign’d, and Pleafures found encreafe, 
 Twas ufual then the Banquet to prolong. 
 
 By Mufick’s Charm, and fome delightful Song; 
 Where ev’ry Youth in pleafing Accents ft rove, 
 
 To tell the Stratagems and Cares of Love. 
 
 How fome fuccefsful were, how others croft; 
 
 Then to the fparkling Glafs wou’d give his Toft; 
 Whofe Bloom did moft in his Opinion ftiine, 
 
 To relifh both the Mufick and the Wine. 
 
 Why am I ftil’d a Cook, if Pm fo loth 
 To marinate my Fifh, or feafon Broth, 
 
 Or fend up what I roll with pleafing Froth: 
 If I my Mafter’s Gufto won’t difcern. 
 
 But thro’ my balhful Folly fcorn to learn > 
 
 F 2 
 
 When 
 

 
 
 
 . ii I»V7 * A 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 • > ■ • 
 
 r . • : -J ' J 
 
 i 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 ' 
 
 . 
 
 ' • 
 
 . 
 
 : “:v : .. 
 
 - 
 
 
The Art of Cookerj. 
 
 When among Friends good Humour takes its Birth, 
 *Tis not a tedious Feaft prolongs the Mirth *, 
 
 But ’tis not reafon therefore you (hou’d fpare, 
 
 When as their future Burghefs you prepare, > 
 
 For a fat Corporation and their Mayor. j 
 
 All things fhou’d find their room in proper place. 
 And what adorns this Treat, wou’d that difgrace. 
 Sometimes the Vulgar will of Mirth partake. 
 
 And have exceflive Doings at their Wake : 
 
 Ev’n Taylors at their yearly Feafts look great. 
 
 And all their Cucumbers are turn’d to Meat. 
 
 A Prince who in a Foreft rides a if ray. 
 
 And weary to fome Cottage finds the way. 
 
 Talks of no Pyramids of Fowl or Bilks of Fiflb, 
 
 But hungry fups his Cream ferv’d up in Earthen Difh: 
 Quenches his Third: with Ale in nut-brown Bowls, 
 And takes the hafty Radier from the Coals: 
 
 F 3 
 
 Pleas’d 
 
70 De Arte Poetica, 
 
 Si curat cor fpe&antis tetigiffe querela* 
 
 Non fatis eft pulchra elle poemata *, dulcia funto, 
 
 Et quocunque volent, animum auditoris agunto. 
 
 Ut ridentibus arrideflt, ita flentibus adfunt 
 Humani vultus. Si vis me flere, dolendum eft 
 Primum ipli tibi 3 tunc tua me infortunia lasdent* 
 Telephe, vel Peleu: male fi mandata loqueris. 
 
 Aut dormitabo, aut ridebo, triftia masftum 
 Vultum verba decent ^ iratum, plena minarum 5 
 Ludentem, lafciva ^ feverum, feria diclu. 
 
 Format enim natura prius nos intus ad omnem 
 Fortunarum habitum j juvat, aut impellit ad iram, 
 Aut ad humum moerore gravi deducit, & angit: 
 Poft effert animi motus interprete lingua, 
 
 Si dicentis erunt fortunis abfona difta, 
 
 Romani 
 
The Art of Cookery . 
 
 Pleas’d as King Henry with the Miller free. 
 Who thought himfelf as good a Man as He. 
 
 Unlefs fome Sweetnefs at the Bottom lye* 
 Who Cares for all the crinkling of the Pye ? 
 
 If you wou’d have me merry with your Cheery 
 Be fo your felf, or fo at leaft appear. 
 
 The things we eat by various Juice controtii. 
 
 The Narrownefs or Largenefs of our Soul. 
 
 Onions will make ev’n Heirs or Widows weep, 
 
 The tender Lettice brings on fofter Sleep. 
 
 Eat Beef or Pye-cruft if you’d ferious be: 
 
 Your Shell-fifh raifes Venus from the Sea i 
 For Nature that inclines to Ill or Good, 
 
 Still nouriflies our Paflions by our Food. 
 
 t 4 Happy’ 
 
 f 
 
72 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Romani tollent equites peditefque cachinnum. 
 
 Intererit multum, Davufne loquatur, an heros } 
 Maturufne fenex, an adhuc florente juventa 
 Fervidus j an matrona potens, an fedula nutrix *, 
 Mercatorne vagus, cultorne virentis agelli 
 Colchus, an Aflyrius 5 Thebis nutritus, an Argis. 
 
 Aut 
 
The Art of Cookery. 
 
 73 
 
 Happy the Man that has each Fortune try’d. 
 
 To whom (he much has giv'n, and much deny’d: 
 With Abftinence all Delicates he fees. 
 
 And can regale himfelf with Toaft and Cheefe. 
 
 Your Betters will defpife you if they fee, 
 
 Things that are far furpafling your degree 
 Therefore beyond your Subftance never treat, 
 
 ’Tis Plenty in fmall Fortune to be neat. 
 
 Tis certain that a Steward can't afford 
 An Entertainment equal with his Lord. 
 
 Old Age is frugal, gay Youth will abound 
 With Heat, and fee the flowing Cup go round. 
 
 A Widow has cold Pye, Nurfe gives you Cake, 
 From gen’rous Merchants Ham or Sturgeon take. 
 The Farmer has brown Bread as frelh as Day, 
 
 And Butter fragrant as the Dew of May. 
 
 CornvpA 
 
74 
 
 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Aut famam fequere, aut fibi convenientia finge 
 Scriptor. Honoratum fi forte reponis Achillem ^ 
 Impiger, iracundus, inexorabilis, acer, 
 
 Jura neget fibi nata, nihil non arroget armis* 
 
 Sit Medea ferox invi&aque, flebilis Ino, 
 
 Perfidus Ixion, Io vaga, tfiftis Orefte 9 .' 
 
 Si quid inexpertum fcens committis, &C audes 
 Perfonam formare novam ; fervetur ad imum 
 
The Art of Cookery . 75 
 
 Cornwal Squab-Pye, and Devon White-Pot brings. 
 And Leijier Beans and Bacon, Food of Kings ! 
 
 At Chriftmas time be careful of your Fame, 
 
 See the old Tenants Table be the fame \ 
 
 Then if you wou’d fend up the Brawner’s Head, 
 Sweet Rofemary and Bays around it fpread: 
 
 His foaming Tufts let fome large Pippin grace. 
 
 Or midfl: thofe thundering Spears an Orange place* 
 Sauce like himfelf, offenfive to its Foes, 
 
 The Roguilh Muftard, dang’rous to the Nofe. 
 
 Sack and the well-fpic’d Hippo eras the Wine ‘1 
 Waffail the Bowl with antient Ribbands fine, > 
 Porridge with Plumbs, and Turkeys with the Chine.) 
 
 If you perhaps wou’d try fome Diili unknown, 
 Which more peculiarly you’d make your own. 
 
 Like 
 
De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Qualis ab incoepto procefferit, & libi condet. 
 Difficile eft proprie communia dicere: tuque 
 Redius Iliacum carmen deducis in adus, 
 
 Quam fi proferres ignota indidaque primus. 
 Publica materies, privati juris erit, fi 
 Non circa vilem patulumque moraberis orbem ^ 
 Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus 
 Interpres 5 nec defilies imitator in ardum, 
 
 Unde pedem proferre pudor veter, aut operis lex. 
 
 
 Nec fic incipies, ut fcriptor cyclicus olim : 
 fortunam Priami cantabo , & nobile bellum. 
 Quid dignum tanto feret hic promifTor hiatu ? 
 Parturient Montes: nafcetur ridiculus mus. 
 Quanto redius hic, qui nil molitur inepte : 
 
 4 
 
 Dic 
 
The Art of Coohery. 77 
 
 Like antient Sailors Hill regard the Coaft, 
 
 By ven’tring out too far you may be loft. 
 
 By rolling that which our Forefathers boil’d. 
 
 And boiling what they rolled much is fpoil’d. 
 
 That Cook to Britifo Palates is complete 
 Whofe fav’ry Hand gives Turns to common Meat. 
 
 Tho’ Cooks are often Men of pregnant Wit, 
 Through Nicenefs of their Subject, few have writ. 
 
 In what an awkard Sound that antient Ballad ran. 
 Which with this bluft’ring Paragraph began ? 
 
 Cbetc toag a $ztnce of Hubbetf an&, 
 
 SI potentate of fjfgb Command, 
 
 Cen tboufanb 23afie^ Did attend btm> 
 
 Con tboufanb defter# did befriend btnr, 
 Cliefe biongijt l)im fetflmg Crufts, anb tbofc 
 fought btm fnxali 25ecr, before be vofe. 
 
 Ths 
 
 fe 
 
T ” 7 
 
 1 
 
 78 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Dic mihi, Mufa , virum ., capta pojl tempora Troja, 
 Qui mores hominum multorum vidit, & urbes. 
 
 Non fumum ex fulgore, fed ex fumo dare lucem 
 Cogitat, ut fpeciofa dehinc miracula promat, 
 Antiphaten, Scyllamque, & cum Cyclope Cha- 
 rybdim. 
 
 Nec reditum Diomedis ab interitu Meleagri, 
 
 Nec 
 
 • ^ \ 
 
 iliifl: 
 
79 
 
 The Art of Cookery . 
 
 The Author raifes Mountains feeming full. 
 
 But all the Cry produces little Wool; 
 
 So if you fue a Beggar for a Houfe, 
 
 And have a Verdid, what d’ye gain? a Loufe, 
 
 Homer more modeft, if we fearch his Books, 
 
 Will fliew us that his Heroes all were Cooks; 
 
 How lov’d P atrocius with Achilles joins. 
 
 To quarter out the Ox, and fpit the Loins, 
 
 Oh cou’d that Poet live ! cou’d he rehearfe 
 Thy Journey, L -—• in immortal Verfe! 
 
 Mufe, fmg the Man that did to Paris go. 
 
 That he might tajle their Soups, and Mujhrooms 
 
 know . 
 
 Oh how would Homer praife their Dancing Dogs, 
 Their {linking Cheefe, and Fricafy of Frogs! 
 
 He'd 
 
8 o De Arte Foetica. 
 
 Nec gemino bellum Trojanum orditur ab ovo: 
 Semper ad eventum feftinat j & in medias res. 
 
 Non fecus ac notas, auditorem rapit: & quas 
 Defperat tra&ata nitefcere poffe, relinquit: 
 
 Atque ita mentitur, fic veris falfa remifcet. 
 
 Primo ne medium, medio ne difcrepet imum. 
 
 Tu, quid ego <3C populus mecum defideret, audi. 
 Si plauforis eges aulasa manentis, Sc ufque 
 CeiTuri, donec cantor. Vos plaudite, dicat j 
 jEtatis cujufque notandi funt tibi mores, 
 Mobilibufque decor naturis dandus, Sc annis. 
 Reddere qui voces jam fcit puer, & pede certo 
 Signat humum •, geftit paribus colludere, Sc iram 
 Colligit ac ponit temere, Sc mutatur in horas. 
 
 Imberbis 
 
The Art of Cookery. 81 
 
 He’d raife no Fables, ling no flagrant Lye, 
 
 Of Boys with Cuftard choak’d at Newberry^ 
 
 But their whole Courfes you’d entirely fee. 
 
 How all their Parts from firft to laft agree. 
 
 If you all forts of Perfons wou’d engage, 
 Suit well your Eatables to ev’ry Age* 
 
 The Fav’rite Child that juft begins to prattle. 
 And throws away his Silver Bells and Rattle, 
 
 Is very humorfome, and makes great clutter, 
 
 Till he has Windows on his Bread and Butter: 
 
 He for repeated Supper-Meat will cry. 
 
 But won’t tell Mammy what he’d have, or why> 
 
 G The 
 
82 
 
 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Imberbis juvenis, tandem cuftode remoto. 
 
 Gaudet equis, canibufque, St aprici gramine campi \ 
 Cereus in vitium fle£ti, monitoribus afper. 
 
 Utilium tardus provifor, prodigus aeris. 
 
 Sublimis, cupidufque, St amata relinquere pernix. 
 
 \ 
 
 Converfis (ludiis, zetas animufque virilis 
 Quaerit opes St amicitias, infervit honori j 
 Commifille cavet quod mox mutare laboret. 
 
 Multa fenem circumveniunt incommoda *, vel quod 
 Qiiaerit, St inventis mifer abftinet, ac timet uti *, 
 
 Vel 
 
Tbe Art of Cookery. 83 
 
 The fmooth fac'd Youth that has new Guardians 
 chofe. 
 
 From Play-Houfe fteps to Supper at the Rofe t 
 Where he a Main or two at Random throws: 
 Squan’dring of Wealth, impatient of Advice, 
 
 His eating muft be Little, Coftly, Nice. 
 
 Maturer Age to this Delight grown flrange. 
 Each Night frequents his Club behind the Change . 
 Expecting there Frugality and Health, 
 
 And Honour rifing from a Sheriff’s Wealth: 
 Unlefs he fome Infurance Dinner lacks, 
 
 Tis very rarely he frequents Pontacks. 
 
 But then old Age, by flill intruding Years, 
 Torments the feeble Heart with anxious Fears: 
 
 G a 
 
 Morofe, 
 
8 4 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Vel quod res omnes timide gelideque miniftrat, 
 Dilator, fpe longus, iners, avidufque futuri, 
 Difficilis, querulus, laudator temporis adi 
 Se puero, caftigator cenforque minorum. 
 
 Multa ferunt anni venientes commoda fecum, 
 Multa recedentes adimunt, Ne forte feniles 
 Mandentur juveni partes, pueroque viriles j 
 Semper in adjundis, aevoque morabimur aptis. 
 
 Aut agitur res in fcenis, aut ada refertur. 
 Segnius irritant animos demiila per aurem. 
 Quam quas funt oculis fubjeda fidelibus, & quas 
 Ipfe fibi tradit fpedator. Non tamen intus 
 Digna geri, promes in fcenam: multaque tolles 
 Ex oculis, quas mox narret facundia praefens. 
 Nec pueros coram populo Medea trucidet 5 
 
The Art of Cookery. 85 | 
 
 Morofe, perverfe in Humor, diffident. 
 
 The more he Hill abounds, the lefs content. 
 
 His Larder and his Kitchin too obferves. 
 
 And now, left he ffiou’d want hereafter, ftarves ; 
 
 Thinks Scorn of all the prefent Age can give. 
 
 And none thefe threefcore Years knew how to live. 
 
 But now the Cook muft pafs thro’* all degrees. 
 
 And by his Art difcordant Tempers pleafe. 
 
 And minifter to Health and to Difeafe. 
 
 Far from the Parlor have your Kitchin plac’d. 
 Dainties may in their working be difgrac’d. 
 
 In private draw your Poultry, clean your Tripe, 
 
 And from your Eels their flimy Subftance wipe. 
 
 Let cruel Offices be done by Night, 
 
 For they who like the Thing abhor the Sight. 
 
 
86 Ve Arte Poetica. 
 
 Aut humana palam coquat exta nefarius Atreus *, 
 Aut in avem Progne vertatur, Cadmus in anguem. 
 Quodcunque oftendis mihi fic, incredulus odi. 
 
 Neve minor, neu fit quinto produ&ior actu 
 Fabula, quae pofci vult, & fpe&ata reponi. 
 
 Nec Deus interfit, nifi dignus vindice nodus 
 Inciderit: nec quarta loqui perfona laboret. 
 
 Aftoris 
 
The Art of Cookery . 
 
 Next let Difcretion moderate your Coll, 
 
 And when you treat, three Courfes be the mod. 
 Let never frefti Machines your Paftry try, 
 Unlefs Grandees or Magiftrates are by. 
 
 Then you may put a Dwarf into a Pye. 
 
 Or if you’d fright an Alderman and Mayor, 
 Within a Pally lodge a living Hare 5 
 Then midll their graved; Furs fhall Mirth arife. 
 And all the Guild purfue with joyful Cries. 
 
 Crowd not your Table, let your Number* be 
 Not more than fev’n, and never lefs than three. 
 
88 
 
 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Adoris partes chorus, officiumque virile 
 Defendat: neu quid medios intercinat adus. 
 Quod non propofito conducat, &C hasreat apte. 
 Ille bonis faveatque & confilietur amice. 
 
 Et regat iratos, & amet peccare timentes 
 Ille dapes laudet menfe brevis, ille falubrem 
 Juftitiam, legefque, & apertis otia portis: 
 
 Ille tegat commifla, Deofque precetur, < 3 c oret, 
 Ut redeat miferis, abeat fortuna fuperbis. 
 
 Tibia 
 
The Art of Cookery. 89 
 
 Tis the Defert that graces all the Feaft, 
 
 For an ill end difparages the reft: 
 
 A thoufand things well done, and one forgot, • 
 Defaces Obligation by that Blot. 
 
 Make your tranfparent Sweet-meats truly nice, 
 With Indian Sugar and Arabian Spice : 
 
 And let your various Creams incircl’d be 
 With fwelling Fruit juft ravifh’d from the Tree. 
 Let Plates and Difhes be from China brought. 
 With lively Paint and Earth tranfparent wrought. 
 The Feaft now done Difcourfes are renew’d. 
 
 And witty Arguments with Mirth purfu’d : 
 
 The cheerful Mafter midft his jovial Friends, 
 
 His Glafs to their beft Willies recommends. 
 
 The Grace Cup follows to his Sovereign s Health, 
 And to his Country Plenty, Peace and Wealth. 
 
 Perform- 
 
9 ° 
 
 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Tibia non, ut nunc, orichalco vinda, tubaeque 
 jEmula *, fed tenuis, limplexque foramine pauco 
 Afpirare, 6c adeffe choris erat utilis, atque 
 Nondum fpifla nimis complere fedilia flatu : 
 
 Quo fane populus numerabilis, utpote parvus. 
 
 Et frugi, caftufque, verecundufque coibat. 
 Poftquam coepit agros extendere victor, 6c urbem 
 Latior a tripled i murus, vinoque diurno 
 Placari Genius feftis impune diebus ^ 
 
 Accedit numerifque modifque licentia major. 
 Indodus quid enim faperet liber que laborum 
 Rufticus urbano confufus, turpis honefto ? 
 
 Sic prifcas motumque & luxuriam addidit arti 
 
 Tibicen, 
 
9 1 
 
 The Art of Cookery. 
 
 Performing then the Piety of Grace, 
 
 Each Man that pleafes reaifumes his place: 
 
 • * 
 
 While at his Gate from fuch abundant Store, 
 
 He ffiow’rs his God-like Bleffings on the Poor. 
 
 In Days of old our Fathers went to War, 
 Expe&ing fturdy Blows, and hardy Fare: 
 
 Their Beef they often in their Murrions ftew’d. 
 And in their Balket-Hilts their Bev’rage brew d. 
 Some Officer perhaps might give Confent, 
 
 To a large cover’d Pipkin in his Tent, 
 
 Where ev’ry thing that ev’ry Soldier got, 1 
 
 Fowl, Bacon, Cabbage, Mutton, and what not, > 
 Was all thrown into Bank, and went to Pot. ) 
 But when our Conquefts were extenfive grown. 
 And thro’ the World our Britijh Worth was known. 
 Wealth on Commanders then flow’d in a '% 
 
 Their Champaign fparkl'd equal with the 
 
De Arte Poetica. 
 
 9 2 
 
 Tibicen, traxitque vagus per pulpita veftem : 
 
 Sic etiam fidibus voces crevere feveris, 
 
 V • ' / •- 
 
 Et tulit eloquium infolitum facundia praeceps: 
 Utiliumque fagax rerum, Se divina futuri. 
 Sortilegis non difcrepuit fententia Delphis. 
 
 Carmine qui tragico vilem certavit ob hircum, 
 Mox etiam agreftes Satyros nudavit, Se afper 
 Incolumi gravitate jocum tentavit: eo quod 
 Illecebris erat Se grata novitate morandus 
 Spedator, fundufque facris, Se potus. Se exlex. 
 Veriim ita rifores, ita commendare dicaces 
 Conveniet Satyros, ita vertere feria ludo. 
 
 Ne, quicunque Deus, quicunque adhibebitur heros. 
 Regali confpedus in auro nuper Se oftro, ’ 
 
 Migret in obfcuras humili fermone tabernas 
 Aut, dum vitat humum, nubes Se inania captet. 
 Effutire leves indigna tragoedia verfus: 
 
 Ut feftis matrona moveri juffa diebus. 
 
 Intererit 
 
The Art of Cookery. 93 
 
 Quails, Beccoficos, Ortelans were fent 
 To grace the Levee of a Gen’ral’s Tent. 
 
 In their gilt Plate all Delicates were feen. 
 
 And what was Earth before became a rich Terrene. 
 
 When the young Players get to IJlington , 
 
 They fondly think that all the World’s their own : 
 Prentices, Parilh-Clerks, and He&ors meet, 
 
 He that is drunk, or bullied, pays the Treat. 
 
 Their Talk is loofe, and o’er their bouncing Ale, 
 
 At Conftables and Juftices they rail.r 
 Not thinking Cuftard fuch a ferious thing. 
 
 That Common Council Men ’twill thither bring, 
 Where many a Man at variance with his Wife, 
 
 With foft’ning Mead and Cheefe-Cake ends the 
 Strife. 
 
O' 
 
 Be Arte Poetica. 
 
 Intererit Satyris pauliim pudibunda protervis. 
 
 Non ego inornata, & dominantia nomina foliim. 
 Verbaque, Pifones, Satyrorum fcriptor atnabo: 
 
 Nec fic enitar tragico differre eoiori, 
 
 Ut nihil interfit, Davufne loquatur, & audax 
 Pythias, emundo lucrata Simone talentum j 
 An cuftos famulufque Dei Silenus alumni. 
 
 Ex noto fidum carmen fequar : ut fibi quivis 
 Speret idem j fudet multum, fruflraque laboret 
 Aufus idem. Tantum feries junduraque pollet : 
 Tantum de medio fumtis accedit honoris. 
 
 Silvis dedudi caveant, me .judice, Fauni, 
 
 Ne velut innati triviis, ac pene forenfes. 
 
 Aut nimium teneris juvenentur verfibus unquam. 
 Aut immunda erepent, ignominiofaque dida. 
 Offenduntur enim, quibus eft equus, & pater, «Stres: 
 Nec, fi quid fridi ciceris probat &C nucis emtor, 
 jEquis accipiunt animis, donantve corona. 
 
 4 
 
 Syllaba 
 
The Art of Cookery. 
 
 Ev’n Squires come there, and with their mean 
 Difcourfe, 
 
 Render the Kitchin, which they fit in, worfe. 
 Midwives demure, and Chamber-Maids moft gay. 
 
 Foremen that pick the Box and come to play, 
 
 * 
 
 Here find their Entertainment at the Height, 
 
 In Cream and Codlings rev’ling with Delight. 
 
 What thefe approve the great Men will diflike. 
 
 But here’s the Art, if you the Palate ftrike 
 By Management of common things fo well. 
 
 That what was thought the meaneft, fhall excel ^ 
 While others drive in vain, all Perfons own 
 Such Dilhes cou’d be dreft by you alone. 
 
 When 
 
* 
 
 < J 
 
 V 
 
 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Syllaba longa brevi fubjefla, vocatur jambus, 
 
 Pes citus: unde etiam trimetris accrefcere juffit 
 Nomen iambeis, cum fenos redderet ictus, 
 
 Primus ad extremum fimilis fibi. Non ita pridem, 
 Tardior ut paulo graviorque veniret ad aures. 
 Spondeos flabiles in jura paterna recepit 
 Commodus & patiens-, non ut de fede fecunda 
 Cederet aut quarta focialiter. Hic & in Acci 
 Nobilibus trimetris apparet rarus, & Enni: 
 
 In fcenam miffos magno cum pondere verfus. 
 
 Aut operae celetis nimium, curaque carentis. 
 
 Aut ignoratae premit artis crimine turpi. 
 
 Non quivis videt immodulata poemata judex . 
 
 Et data Romanis venia eft indigna poetis. 
 
 Idcircone vager, fcribamque licenter ? an omnes 
 Vifaros peccata putem mea, tutus, 6c intra 
 Spem veniae cautus? vitavi denique culpam, 
 
 Non 
 
 - 
 

 'w , 
 
 The Art of Cookery . 
 
 When ftraiterid in your time, and Servants few. 
 You’ll rightly then compofe an Ambigue : 
 
 Where firft and fecond Courfe, and your Defert 
 All in our (ingle Table have their part ; 
 
 From fuch a vaft Confufion ’tis Delight, 
 
 To find the jarring Elements unite, . 
 
 And raife a Structure grateful to (he Sight, 
 
 A 
 
 * ' 
 
 \ 
 
 ‘ *' 
 
 Be not too far by old Example led. 
 
 With Caution now we in their Footfteps tread i 
 The French our Relifh help, and well fupply 
 The want of things too grofs by Decency. 
 
 H bixs 
 
 
 - 
 
 
98 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Non laudem merui. Vos exemplaria Graeca 
 Nodurna verfate manu, verfate diurna. 
 
 At noflri proavi Plautinos & numeros &C 
 Laudavere fales •, nimium patienter utrumque. 
 Ne dicam fluite, mirati ^ fi modo ego & vos 
 Scimus inurbanum lepido feponere dido, 
 Legitimumque fonum digitis callemus, Sc aure. 
 
 Ignotum tragicae genus invenifTe camenae 
 Dicitur, & plauflris vexiffe poemata Thefpis, 
 Quae canerent agerentque perundi fascibus ora. 
 Pofl hunc perfonas Palisque repertor honefbe 
 JEfchylus, modicis inftravit pulpita tignis. 
 
 Et docuit magnumque loqui, nitique cothurno. 
 Succeffit vetus his Comoedia, non fine multi 
 Laude: fed in vitium libertas excidit, 6c vim 
 Dignam lege regi: lex efl accepta, chorufque 
 Turpiter obticuit, fublato jure nocendi. 
 
^ , • ", ' 
 
 The Art of Cookery. gy 
 
 Our Fathers moft admir’d their Sauces fweet, 
 
 And often alk’d for Sugar with their Meat * 5 
 They butter’d Currants on fat Veal bellow’d, 
 
 And Rumps of Beef with Virgin Honey ftrew’d. 
 Inlipid Taft, old Friend, to them who Paris know. 
 Where Rocombole, Shallot, and the rank Garlick 
 grow. 
 
 » 
 
 Tom Bold did firft begin the Strolling Mart, 
 
 And drove about his Turnips in a Cart: 
 
 Sometimes his Wife the Citizens wou’d pleafe. 
 
 And from the fame Machine fell Pecks of Peafe. 
 
 Then Pippins did in Wheel-barrows abound. 
 
 And Oranges in Whimfey-boards went round. 
 
 Befs Hoy firft found it troublefome to bawl. 
 
 And therefore plac’d her Cherries on a Stall } 
 
 Her Currants there and Goofeberries were fpread, 
 With the enticing Gold of Ginger-bread : 
 
 H 2 
 
 But 
 
lOO 
 
 O' 
 
 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Nil intentatum noftri liquere poetic, 
 
 Nec minimum meruere decus, veftigia Grasca 
 Aufi deferere. Si celebrare domeftica fafta, 
 
 Vel qui pretext as, vel qui docuere rogatas. 
 
 Nec virtute foret clarifve potentius armis. 
 
 Quam lingua, Latium, fi non offenderet un um - 
 Quemque poetarum limas labor. Si mora, vos, 6 
 Pompilius fanguis, carmen reprehendite, quod non 
 Multa dies Si multa litura coercuit, atque 
 Perfedum decies non caftigavit ad unguem. 
 
 Ingenium 
 
The Art of Cookery. i o i 
 
 But Flounders, Sprats, and Cucumbers were cry’d, 
 And ev’ry Sound, and ev’ry Voice was try’d. 
 
 At lafl the Law this hideous Din fuppreft, 
 
 And order’d that the Sunday fhould have red. 
 
 And that no Nymph her noify Food fhould fell. 
 Except it were new Milk or Maccarel. 
 
 There is no Difh but what our Cooks have made, 
 And merited a Charter by their Trade. 
 
 Not French Kick-fhaws, or Oglio’s brought from Spain, 
 Alone have found Improvement from their Brain \ 
 But Pudding, Brawn, and White-pots own’d to be 
 
 Th’ Effeds of Native Ingenuity. 
 
 * 
 
 Our Britijh Fleet which now commands the Main 
 Might glorious Wreaths of Vidory obtain 
 
 ) . 
 
 H 3 
 
 Wou’d 
 
102 
 
 O' 
 
 Ve Arte Poetica. 
 
 Ingenium mifera quia fortunatius arte 
 Credit, & excludit fanos Helicone poetas 
 Democritus 3 bona pars non ungues ponere curat. 
 Non barbam : fecreta petit loca, balnea vitat. 
 Nancifcetur enim precium nomenque poeta?, 
 
 Si tribus Antyciris caput infanabile, nunquam 
 Tonfori Licino commiferit. O ego lasvus. 
 
 Qui purgo bilem, fub verni temporis horam! 
 
 Non alius faceret meliora poemata : verum 
 Nil tanti eft. Ergo fungar vice cotis, acutum 
 Reddere quas ferrum valet, exfors ipfa fecandi: 
 
 4 
 
 Munus. 
 
The Art of Cookery. 103 
 
 } 
 
 Wou’d they take time : Wou’d they with Leifure 
 work. 
 
 With Care wou’d fait their Beef, and cure their Pork •, 
 Wou’d boil their Liquor well whene’er they brew, 
 Their Conqueft half is to the Victualler due. 
 
 Becaufe that Thrift and Abftinence are good, 
 
 As many things if rightly underftood, 
 
 Old Crofs condemns all Perfons to be Fops 
 That can’t regale themfelves with Mutton-Chops. 
 He often for ftuft Beef to Bedlam runs, 
 
 And the clean Rummer, as thePeft Houfe, Hi tins. 
 Sometimes poor Jack and Onions are his Difh, 
 
 And then he faints thofe Fryars who ftink of Fifli. 
 As for my felf I take him to abftain. 
 
 Who has good Meat, with Decency, tho’ plain : 
 
 But tho* my Edge be not too nicely fet. 
 
 Yet I another’s Appetite may whet •, 
 
 May 
 
104 Arte Poetica . 
 
 Munus & Officium, nil fcribens ipfe, docebo 
 Unde parentur opes *, quid alat formetque poetam } 
 Quid deceat, quid non *, quo virtus, quo ferat 
 
 error. 
 
 Scribendi rede, fapere eft & principium Sc fons. 
 Rem tibi Socraticae poterunt oftendere cliart$ ; 
 Verbaque provifam rem non invita fequentur. 
 
 Qui didicit patrias'quid debeat, & quid amicis. 
 Quo (it amore parens, quo frater amandus, <3c hofpes, 
 Quod fit confcripti, quod judicis officium, quas 
 Partes in bellum rniffi ducis j ille profedo 
 Reddere perfonas fcit convenientia cuique. 
 
 Refpicere exemplar vitas morumque jubebo 
 Dodum imitatorem, & veras hinc ducere voces. 
 Interdum fpeciofa locis, morataque rede 
 Fabula, nullius veneris, fine pondere & arte. 
 
 Valdius 
 

 The Art of Cookery. 105 
 
 May teach him when to buy, when Seafon’s paft, 
 What’s ftale, what’s choice, what plentiful, what/ 
 
 waft, V 
 
 And lead him thro’ the various Maze of Tafte. 
 
 The fundamental Principle of all 
 Is what ingenious Cooks the Relifli call ^ 
 
 For when the Market fends in Loads of Food, 
 
 They all are taftelefs till that makes them good. 
 Belides ’tis no ignoble piece of Care, 
 
 To know for whom it is you wou’d prepare : 
 
 You’d pleafe a Friend, or reconcile a Brother, 
 
 A telly Father, or a haughty Mother: 
 
 Wou’d mollifie a Judge, wou’d cram a Squire, 
 
 Or elfe fome Smiles from Court you may defire; 
 
 Or wou’d perhaps fome hafty Supper give. 
 
 To Ihew the fplendid State in which you live. 
 
 v r.rx 
 
 Purfuant 
 
106 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Valdius oble&at populum, meliufque moratur. 
 Quam verfus inopes rerum nugasque canora. 
 
 Graiis ingenium, Graiis dedit ore rotundo 
 Mufa loqui, praster laudem nullius avaris. 
 
 Romani pueri longis rationibus aflem 
 Difcunt in partes centum diducere. Dicat. 
 
 Filius Albini, fi de quincunce remota eft 
 Uncia, quid fuperat> poteras dixiffe—Triens. Eu! 
 Rem poteris fervare tuam. Redit uncia : quid fit? 
 Semis. Ad hasc animos asrugo Sc cura peculi 
 
 Cum 
 
The Art of Cookery . 107 
 
 Purfuant to that Int’reft you propofe, 
 
 Muft all your Wines, and all your Meat be chofe. 
 Let Men and Manners ev’ry Difh adapt, 
 
 Who’d force his Pepper where his Guefts are clapt? 
 A Caldron of fat Beef and Stoop of Ale, 
 
 On the huzzaing Mob fliall more prevail. 
 
 Than if you give them with the niceft Art 
 Ragoufts of Peacocks Brains, or Filbert Tart. 
 
 The French by Soups and Haut-goufts Glory raife. 
 And their Defires all terminate in Praife. 
 
 The thrifty Maxim of the wary Dutch, 
 
 Is to fave all the Money they can touch : 
 
 Hans, crys the Father, fee a Fin lies there, 
 
 A Pin a Day will fetch a Groat a Tear. 
 
 To your five Farthings join three Farthings more, 
 
 And they, if added, make your half Pence four. 
 

 108 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Ciun femel imbuerit, fperamus carmina fingi 
 Polle linenda cedro, & levi fervanda cupreiTo } 
 
 Aut prodelfe volunt, aut delectare poetae; 
 
 Aut fimul &C jucunda & idonea dicere vitae. 
 Quidquid prscipies, efto brevis: ut cito dicla 
 Percipiant animi dociles, teneantque fideles. 
 Omne fupervacuum pleno de pedore manat. 
 
 Fida voluptatis caufa, fint proxima veris: 
 
 Nec quodcunque volet, pofcat libi fabula credi: 
 Neu pranfae Lamiae vivum puerum extrahat alvo. 
 Centuriae feniorum agitant expertia frugis: 
 
 Celfi praetereunt auftera poemata Rhamnes. 
 
 Omne tulit pundum, qui mifcuit utile dulci, 
 Ledorem deledando, pariterque monendo. 
 
 Hic meret asra liber Soliis} hic & mare tranlit. 
 
 Et 
 
The Art of Cookery. 109 
 
 Thus may your Stock by Management encreafe. 
 
 Your Wars {hall gain you more than Britain s Peace, 
 Where Love of Wealth and rufty Coin prevail, 
 What hopes of fugar’d Cakes or butter’d Ale? 
 
 Cooks garnilh out fome Tables, forne they fill. 
 
 Or in a prudent Mixture (hew their Skill: 
 
 Clog not your confiant Meals, for Difhes few 
 Encreafe the Appetite, when choice and new. 
 
 Ev’n they who will Extravagance profefs, 
 
 Have ftill an inward Hatred for Excefs. 
 
 * 
 
 Meat forc’d too much, untouch’d at Table lies, 1 
 Few care for carving Trifles in Difguife, > 
 
 Or that fantaftick Difti, fome call Surprise. ) 
 When Pleafures to the Eye and Palate meet, 
 
 That Cook has rendred his great Work complete: 
 His glory far, like Sir-Loins, Knighthood flies. 
 Immortal made as Kit-cat by his Pies. 
 
 Good 
 
no 
 
 O' 
 
 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Et longum' noto fcriptori prorogat asvum. 
 
 Sunt delida tamen, quibus ignoviffe .velimus: 
 Nam neque corda fonum reddit quem vult manus 
 dc mens, 
 
 Pofcentique gravem perfaepe remittit acutum } 
 
 Nec femper feriet quodcunque minabitur arcus. 
 Verum ubi plura nitent in carmine, non ego paucis 
 Offendar maculis, quas aut incuria fudit. 
 
 Aut humana parum cavit natura. Quid ergo > 
 
 Ut fcriptor fi peccat idem librarius ufque. 
 
 Quamvis eft monitus, venia caret 3 & citharoedus 
 Ridetur, corda qui femper oberrat ddem : 
 
 Sic mihi qui multum ceffat, fit Choerilus ille. 
 Quem bis terque bonum, cum rifu miror*, &c idem 
 Indignor, quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus. 
 Verum opere in longo fas eft obrepere fomnum. 
 
 Ut 
 
Ill 
 
 The Art of Cookery , 
 
 
 Good Nature muft fome Failings overlook. 
 
 Not Wilfulnefs, but Errors of the Cook. 
 
 A String won’t always give the Sound defign’d 
 By the Mufitian’s Touch, and Heav’nly Mind : 
 Nor will an Arrow from the Parthian Bow 
 Still to the deftin’d Point dire&ly go. 
 
 Perhaps no Salt is thrown about the Difli, 
 
 Or no fry’d Parlley fcatter’d on the Fifli j 
 Shall I in Paflion from my Dinner fly, 
 
 And hopes of Pardon to my Cook deny. 
 
 For things which Carelefsnefs might overfee. 
 
 And all Mankind commit as well as he ? 
 
 I with Compaflion once may overlook 
 A Scewer fent to Table by my Cook : 
 
 But 
 
112 
 
 Ve Arte Poetica 
 
 
 Ut pi&ura, poefis: erit, qux, fi propius fies. 
 
 Te capiat magis ; 5t quasdam, fi longius abites: 
 Hasc amat obfcurum j volet haec fub luce videri. 
 Judicis argutum qua; non formidat acumen : 
 
 j. Haec 
 
 . 
 
The Art of Cookery. 1 1 
 
 But think not therefore tamely I’ll permit 
 That he fhou’d daily the fame Fault commit. 
 
 For fear the Rafcal fend me up the Spit. 
 
 Poor Roger Fowler had a gen’rous Mind 
 Nor would fubmit to have his Hand confin’d. 
 
 But aim’d at all, yet never cou’d excel 
 In any thing but fluffing of his Veal: 
 
 But when that Difh was in Perfection feen, 
 
 And that alone, wou’d it not move your Spleen ? 
 >Tis true, in a long Work foft Slumbers creep, 
 And gently fink the Artifl into Sleep. 
 
 Even Lamb himfelf, at the mod folemn Feafl 
 Might have fome Chargers not exaftly dreft. 
 
 Tables fhou’d be like Pictures to the Sight, 
 Some Difhes caft in Shade, fome fpread in Light, 
 Some at a diflance brighten, fome near hand. 
 
 Where Eafe may all their Delicace command: 
 
 I 
 
 Some 
 
 
ii4 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Haec placuit femel j hxc decies repetita placebit* 
 
 O major juvenum, quamvis 6c voce paterni 
 Fingeris ad re&um, & per te fapis j hoc tibi di&um 
 Tolle memor : certis medium & tolerabile rebus 
 Rede concedi: confultus juris, ador 
 Caufarum mediocris, abeft virtute diferti 
 Melfalae, nec fcit quantum Cadellius Aulus *, 
 
 Sed tamen in precio eft : mediocribus ede poetis, 
 Non homines, non Di, nem concedere columns. 
 
 Ut gratas inter menfas fymphonia difeors, 
 
 Et craffum unguentum, & Sardo cum meile papaver 
 Offendunt ^ poterat duci quia coena fine iftis: 
 
 Sic animis natum inventumque poema juvandis. 
 
 Si paulum fummo decefiit, vergit ad imum. 
 
 f 
 
 Ludere 
 
The Art of Cookery. 1 15 
 
 Some fhou’d be mov’d when broken, others la ft 
 Thro’ the whole Treat, incentive to the Tafte. 
 
 Locket by many Labours feeble grown. 
 
 Up from the Kitchin call’d his eldeft Son : 
 
 “ Tho’ wife thy felf (fays hcj tho’ taught by me, 
 
 “ Yet fix this Sentence in thy Memory, 
 
 “ There are fome certain things that don’t excel, 
 
 “ And yet we fay are tolerably well; 
 
 “ There’s many worthy Men a Lawyer prize, 
 
 “ Whom they diftinguifh as of middle fize, 
 
 “ For pleading well at Bar, or turning Books, 
 
 “ But this is not (my Soin) the Fate of Cooks, 
 
 “ From whofe myflerious Art true Pleafure fprings, 
 * To Stall of Garter , and to Throne of Kings, 
 
 “ A Ample Scene, a difobliging Song, 
 
 “ Which no way to the main Defign belong. 
 
Be Arte Poetica. 
 
 1 1 6 
 
 O' 
 
 Ludere qui nefcit, campeftribus abftinet armis : 
 Indoctufque pilas, difcive, trochive, quiefcit j 
 Ne fpifTag rifum tollant impune corona : 
 
 Qui nefcit, verfus tamen audet fingere. Quid ni > 
 Liber & ingenuus, ptaferticn. cenfus equeftrem 
 Summam nummorum, vkioq.ue remotus ab omni. 
 
 f 
 
 Tu nihil invita dices faciefv.e Minervd : 
 
 Id tibi judicium eft, ea mens. Si quid tamen olim 
 Scripferis, in Meti defcendat judicis aures. 
 
 Et patris, &i noliras, nonumque prematur in annum. 
 Membranis intus politis, delere licebit 
 Quod non edideris: nefcit vos milia reverti. 
 
 Sylveftre 
 
The Art Cookery. j j 7 
 
 “ 0r were they abfent never wou’d be mifs’d, 
 
 “ Have made a well-wrought Comedy be hifs’d: 
 
 So in a Feaft, no intermediate Fault 
 Will be allow d, but if not belt ’tis naught. 
 
 He that of feeble Nerves and Joints complains 
 From Nine-pins, Coits, and from Trap-ball abftains 
 Cudgels avoids, and Ihuns the wreftling place. 
 
 Left Vinegar refounds his loud Difgrace. 
 
 But ev’ry one to Cookery pretends, 
 
 Nor Maid, or Miftrefs e’er confult their Friends. 
 
 But, Sir, if you wou’d roll a Pig, be free; 
 
 Why not with Brawn , with Locket , or with me > 
 We’ll fee when ’tis enough, when both Eyes out. 
 
 Or if it wants the nice concluding bout. 
 
 But if it lies too long the Crackling’s pall’d. 
 
 Not by the drudging Box to be recall’d. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Our 
 
u8 Pe Arte Poetica. 
 
 Sjlveftres homines facer interprefque Deorum 
 Caedibus & victu foedo deterruit Orpheus •, 
 
 Didus ob hoc lenire tigres rabidofque leones j 
 Didus & Amphion, Thebanae conditor arcis. 
 
 Saxa movere fono teftudinis, 6C prece blanda 
 Ducere quo vellet. Fuit haec fapientia quondam. 
 Publica privatis fecernere, facra profanis ^ 
 
 Concubitu prohibere vago j dare jura maritis j 
 Oppida moliri*, leges incidere ligno. 
 
 Sic honor & nomen divinis vatibus atque 
 Carminibus venit. Poft hos infignis Homerus, 
 Tyrtaeufque Mares animos in Martia bella 
 Verfibus exacuit. Didas per Carmina fortes. 
 
 Et vita; monftrata via eft, & gratia regum 
 
 l ' - v ' , * 
 
 Pieriis tentata modis, ludufque repertus, 
 
 Et longorum operum finis: ne forte pudori, 
 
 Sit tibi mufa lyrae folers, & cantor Apollo. 
 
 Natura 
 
 ^ 
 
The Art of Cookery . 
 
 119 
 
 Our Cambrian Fathers fparing in their Food, 
 Firft broil’d their hunted Goats on Bars of Wood, 
 Sharp Hunger was their Seas’ning, or they took 
 Such Salt as iffu’d from the native Rock, 
 
 Their fallading was never far to feek. 
 
 The poynant Water-grafs or fav’ry Leek *, 
 
 Until the Britijh Bards adorn’d this I He, 
 
 And taught them how to rofl, and how to boil : 
 Then ThalieJJen rofe and fweetly ftrung 
 His Britijh Harp, inftruding whilft he fung: 
 Taught them that Honefty they ftill poifefs. 
 
 Their Truth, their open Heart, their modeft Drefs, 
 Duty to Kindred, Conftancy to Friends, 
 
 And inward Worth, which always recommends. 
 Contempt of Wealth and Pleafure to appear 
 To all Mankind with hofpitable Cheer. 
 
121 
 
 The Art of Cookery. 
 
 In after Ages Arthur taught his Knights 
 At his round Table to record their. Fights, 
 
 Cities eraz’d, Encampments forc’d in Field, 
 
 Monfters fubdu’d, and hideous Tyrants quell’d, > 
 Infpir’d that Cambrian Soul which ne’er can yield. ) 
 Then Guy , the Pride of Warwick, truly great. 
 
 To future Heroes due Example fet. 
 
 By his capacious Cauldron made appear. 
 
 From whence the Spirits rife, and Strength of War. 
 The prefent Age to Gallantry enclin’d. 
 
 Is pleas’d with vaft Improvements of the Mind. 
 
 He that of Honour, Wit and Mirth partakes, 
 
 May be a fit Companion o’er Beef-fteaks j 
 His Name may be to future Times enroll’d 
 In Eflcourt 's Book, whofe Gridir n’s fram d of Gold. 
 Scorn not thefe Lines defign’d to let you know 
 Profits that from a well-plac’d Table flow. 
 
122 
 
 O' 
 
 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Natura fieret laudabile carmen, an arte, 
 Quasfitum eft. Ego nec ftudium fine divite veni. 
 Nec rude quid profit video ingenium : alterius fie 
 Altera pofcit opem res, <Si conjurat amice. 
 
 Qui ftudet optatam curfu contingere metam, 
 
 Multa tulit fecitque puer ^ fudavit & alfit, 
 Abftinuit venere & vino: qui Pythia cantat. 
 Tibicen, didicit prius, extimuitque Magiftrum, 
 Nunc fatis eft dixifle, Ego mira poemata pango : 
 Occupet extremum fcabies: mihi turpe relinqui eft, 
 Et, quod non didici, fane nefcire fateri. 
 
 Ut 
 
I 
 
 The Art of Cookery. 123 
 
 *Tis a fage Qjieftion, if the Art of Cooks 
 Is lodg’d by Nature, or attain’d by Books : 
 
 That Man will never frame a noble Treat 
 Whofe whole Dependance lies on fome Receipt. 
 Then by pure Nature ev’ry thing is fpoil’d. 
 
 She knows no more than ftew’d, bak’d, roft and 
 
 boyl’d. 
 
 When Art and Nature join th’ Effeft will be 
 gome nice Ragouft, or charming Fricafy. 
 
 The Lad that wou’d his Genius fo advance. 
 That on the Rope he might fecurely dance. 
 
 From tender Years inures himfelf to Pains, 
 
 To Summer’s parching Heat, and Winter Rams, 
 And from the Fire of Wine and Love abftain?. 
 
 No Artift can his Haut-boys Stops command, 
 Unlefs fome Ikilful Mafter form his Hand 
 
 V * 
 
 But 
 
124 De Arte Poetica, 
 
 * 
 
 Ut praco, ad merces turbam qui cogit «mendas 5 
 AiTentatores jubet ad lucrum ire poeta 
 Dives agris, dives pofitis in fenore nummis. 
 
 Si vero eft undum qui rede ponere poffit. 
 
 Et fpondere levi pro paupere, & eripere atris 
 Litibus implicitum 3 mirabor, fi fciet inter- 
 nofcere mendacem verumque beatus amicum. 
 
 Tu feu donaris, feu quid donare voles cui 3 
 Nolito ad verfus tibi fados ducere plenum 
 Lxutix : clamabit enim, Pulchre, bene, rede - 
 Pallefcet fuper his 3 etiam ftillabit amicis 
 Ex oculis rorem 3 faliet 3 tundet pede terram. 
 
 Ut qui condudi plorant in funere, dicunt' 
 
 Et 
 
The Art of Cookery. 125 
 
 But Gent’ry take their Cooks, tho’ never try’d, 
 
 It feems no more to them than up and ride. 
 Preferments granted thus Ihew him a Fool 
 That dreads a Parent’s Check, or Rods at School. 
 
 Ox Cheek when hot, and Wardens bak’d fome cry. 
 But ‘its with an Intention Men Ihou’d buy. 
 
 Others abound with fuch a plenteous Store, 
 
 That if you’ll let them treat they’ll alk no more i 
 And ’tis the vaft Ambition of their Soul, 
 
 To fee their Port admir’d, and Table full. 
 
 But then amidft that cringing fawning Crowd, 
 
 Who talk fo very much, and laugh fo loud. 
 
 Who with fuch Grace his Honour’s Adions praife. 
 How well he fences, dances, lings and plays •, 
 
 Tell him his Liv’ry’s rich, his Chariot’s fine. 
 
 How choice his Meat, and delicate his Wine, 
 
 Surrounded 
 
12 6 
 
 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 O' 
 
 Et faciunt prope pltira dolentibus ex animo: fic 
 Derifcr vero plus laudatore movetur. 
 
 Reges dicuntur multis urgere culullis. 
 
 Et torquere meto, quem perfpexilTe laborent. 
 An fit amicitia dignus. Si carmina condes. 
 Nunquam te fallant animi fub vulpe latentes; 
 
 Qpiutilio 
 
The Art of Cookery. 127 
 
 Surrounded thus, how fhou’d the Youth defcry 
 The Happinefs of Friendship from a Lye. 
 
 Friends ad with cautious Temper when fincere. 
 
 But flatt ring Impudence is void of Care: 
 
 So at an Irifi Funeral appears 
 A Train of Drabs with mercenary Tears} 
 
 Who wringing of their Hands with hideous Moan, 
 Know not his Name for whom they feem to groan. 
 While real Grief with filent Steps proceeds. 
 
 And Love unfeign’d with inward Paflion bleeds. 
 Hard Fate of Wealth! were Lords, as Butchers wife. 
 They from their Meat wou’d banifli all the Flies! 
 The Ferfian Kings with Wine and mafiy Bowl 
 Search’d to the dark Recedes of the Soul: 
 
 That fo laid Open no one might pretend, 
 
 Unlefs a Man of Worth, to be their Friend. 
 
 But now the Guefts their Patrons undermine. 
 
 And fiander them for giving them their Wine. 
 
 I ~ 
 
 Great 
 
128 
 
 De Arte Poetica, 
 
 
 Quintilio fi quid recitares, Corrige, fodes. 
 
 Hoc, aiebat, 5 c hoc: melius te pofce negares. 
 
 Bis terque expertum fruflra delere jubebat. 
 
 Et male tornatos incudi reddere verfus: 
 
 Si defendere deli&um, quam vertere, malles j 
 Nullum ultra verbum, aut operam infumebat 
 inanem, 
 
 Qpin fine rivali teque & tua folus amares. 
 
 Vir bonus & prudens verfus reprehendet inertes. 
 Culpabit duros, incomtis allinet atrum 
 Tranfverfo calamo fignum j ambitiofa recidet 
 Ornamental parum claris lucem dare coget j 
 
The Art of Cookery . 129 
 
 Great Men have dearly thus Companions bought, 
 Unlefs by thefe Inftru&ions' they’ll be taught, 
 
 They fpread the Net, and will themfelvesbe caught. 
 
 Were Horace , that great Mailer, now alive, 
 
 A Feaft with Wit and Judgment he’d contrive. 
 
 As thus-fuppofing that you wou’d rehearfe 
 
 A labour’d Work, and every Dilh a Verfe. 
 
 He’d fay, mend this, and t’other Line, and this 
 If after Tryal it were Hill amifs. 
 
 He’d bid you give it a new Turn of Face, 
 
 Or fet fome Dilh more curious in its place. 
 
 If you perlill he wou’d not llrive to move 
 A Pallion fo delightful as Self-love. 
 
 We Ihou’d fubmit our Treats to Criticks View, 
 And ev’ry prudent Cook Ihou’d read Befit. 
 
 K % Judgment 
 
O' 
 
 igo De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Arguet ambigue di&um j mutanda notabit *, 
 Fiet Ariftarchus : nec dicet, Cur ego amicum 
 Offendam- in nugis ? has nugas feria ducent 
 Ia mala dgrifum femel, exceptumque finiffre. 
 
I 3 I 
 
 The Art of Cookery. 
 
 Judgment provides the Meat in Seafon fit. 
 
 Which by the Genius dreft, its Sauce is Wit. 
 
 Good Beef for Men, Pudding for Youth and Age, 
 Come up to the Decorum of the Stage. 
 
 The Critick ftrikes out all that is not juft. 
 
 And ’tis ev’n fo the Butler chips his Cruft. 
 
 Poets and Paltry Cooks will be the fame. 
 
 Since both of them their Images mull frame. 
 Chimera’s from the Poet’s Fancy flow, 
 
 The Cook contrives his Shapes in real Dough. 
 
 When Tr uth commands there’s no Man can offend. 
 That with a modeft Love corrects his Friend. 
 
 Tho’ ’tis in toafting Bread, or butt’ring Peafe, 
 
 So the Reproof has Temper, Kindnefs, Eafe. 
 
 But why flrou’d we reprove when Faults are fmall? 
 Becaufe ’tis better to have none at all. 
 
 K 2 There’s 
 
 i 
 

 132 De Arte Poetica . 
 
 Ut raala quem fcabies aut morbus regius urget. 
 Aut fanaticus error, & iracunda Diana 5 
 Vefanum tetigifle timent fugiuntque poetam. 
 
 Qui fapiunt: agitant pueri, incautique fequuntur. 
 
 Hic, dum fublimes verfus rudatur, errat. 
 
 Si veluti merulis intentus decidit auceps 
 In puteum, foveamve • licet. Succurrite, longum 
 Clamat, io cives j non fit 'qui tollere curet. 
 
 Si qui curet opem ferre, &i demittere funem j 
 
 Qui fcis, an prudens huc fe dejecerit, atque 
 
 Servari nolit ? dicam, Siculique poetae 
 Narrabo interitum. Deus immortalis haberi 
 Dum cupit Empedocles, ardentem frigidus Aitnam 
 Infiluit, Sit jus, liceatque perire poetis. 
 
 Invitum qui fervat, idem facit occidenti. 
 
 Nec femel hoc fecit*, nec fi retradus erit, jam 
 
 Fiet 
 
The Art of Cookety. 133 
 
 There’s often Weight in Things that feem the leaft. 
 And our mofl trifling Follies raife the Jeff, 
 
 Tis by his Cleanlinefs a Cook muff pleafe, 
 
 A Kitchin will admit of no Difeafe. 
 
 The Fowler and the Huntfman both may rtiri* 
 Amidft that Dirt which he muff nicely fhun, 
 Empedocles a Sage of old would raife, 
 
 A Name immortal by unufual ways ^ 
 
 At laft his Fancies grew fo very odd. 
 
 He thought by rolling to be made a God. 
 
 Tho’ fat he leapt with his unwieldy Stuff 
 
 In JLtnds Flames, fo to have Fire enough. 
 
 Were my Cook fat and I a flander by. 
 
 I’d rather than himfelf his Fifh fhou’d fry 
 
 There ar$ fome Perfons fo exceffive rude, 
 That to your private Table they’ll intrude. 
 
 K 3 
 
 u 
 
O' 
 
 134 De Arte Poetica. 
 
 Fiet homo, &i ponet famofae mortis amorem. 
 Nec fatis apparet, cur verfus faditet •, utrum 
 Minxerit in patrios cineres, an trifte bidental 
 Moverit incertus: certe furit, ac velit urfus, 
 Objedos caveae valuit rt frangere clathros, 
 Indodum dodumque fugat recitator acerbus. 
 Quem vero arripuit, tenet, occiditque legendo, 
 Non miffura cutem, nirt plena cruoris, hirudo. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
The Art of Cookery, 135 
 
 In vain you fly, in vain pretend to faft. 
 
 Turn like a Fox they’ll catch you at the laft. 
 
 You muft, fince Bars and Doors are no Defence, 
 Ev.’n quit your Houfe as in a Peftilcnce, 
 
 Be quick, nay very quick, or he’ll approach* 
 
 And as you’re fcamp’ring flop you in your Coach. 
 Then think of all your. Sins and you will fee 
 How right your Guilt and Puniftiment agree ; 
 Perhaps no tender Pity cou’d prevail. 
 
 But you would throw fome Debtor into Jail. 
 
 Now mark th’ Effed of his prevailing Curfe, 
 
 You are detain'd by fomething that is worfe. 
 
 Were it in my Election I fhou’d choofe, 
 
 To meet a rav’nous Wolf or Bear got loofe s 
 Hell eat and talk, and talking ftill will eat, 
 
 No Quarter from the Parafite you’ll get*, 
 
 But like a Leech well fix’d he’ll fuck what’s good, 
 And never part fill fatisfy’d with Blood. 
 
 FINIS. : 
 
i3$ LETTERS to 
 
 
 To Mr. - 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 MuJft communicate my Happinefs 
 to you, becaufe you are fo much 
 my Friend as to rejoice at it. 
 I Tome Days ago met with an 
 old Acquaintance, a curious Perfon, of whom 
 I enquir’d if he had feen the Book concern¬ 
 ing Soups and Sauces • he told me he had, 
 but that he had but a very flight View of it, 
 the Perfon who was Mailer of it not being 
 willing to part with fo valuable a Rarity out 
 of his Clofet. I defir’d him to give me what 
 account he could of it. He fays. That it is 
 a very handiome OStavo } for ever fince the 
 Days of Ogilby , good Paper, and good Print, 
 
 and 
 
 i' _ _ • _ 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 137 
 
 and fine Cuts make a Book become ingenious, 
 and brighten up an Author ftrangely. That 
 there is a copious Index , and at the end a 
 Catalogue of all the Do&or’s Works concern¬ 
 ing Cockles, Englifh Beetles, Snails, Spiders 
 that get up into the Air and throw us down 
 Cobwebs, a Monfter vomited up by a Baker, 
 and fuch like* which, if carefully perus d, 
 would wonderfully improve us. There is, it 
 feems, no Manufcript of it in England , nor 
 any other Country that can be heard of fo 
 that this Imprefiion is from one ox Hwnel* 
 bergins , who, as my Friend fays, he does 
 not believe contriv’d it himtelf, becaufc tne 
 things are fo very much out of the way, that it 
 is not probable any learned Man would fet 
 himfelf ferioufiy to work to invent ’em. He 
 tells me of this ingenious Remark made by 
 the Editor, That whatever Manufcripts there 
 might have been , they mujl have been extreme¬ 
 ly vitio us and corrupt , as being writ out by we 
 Cooks thcmfelves , or forne of their Friends or 
 Servants , who are not always the mojl acnraie. 
 And then, as my Friend obferv’d, if theCook 
 had us’d it much, it might be iulhed ^ the 
 
O' 
 
 138 LETTERS to - 
 
 Cook perhaps not always licking his Fingers 
 when he had occasion for it. I fhould think 
 it no improvident matter for the State to or¬ 
 der a feleft Scrivener to tranicribe Receipts 
 left ignorant Women and Houfe-keepers 
 fhould impofe upon future Ages by ill-fpelt 
 and uncorreft Receipts for Potting of Lob- 
 fters, or Pickling of Turkeys. Colins Api¬ 
 cius , it feems, paffes for the Author of this 
 Treatife, whofe Science , Learning and Disci¬ 
 pline were extremely contemn’d, and almoft 
 abhorr’d by Seneca and the Stoicas , as intro¬ 
 ducing Luxury, and infe<fting the Manners of 
 the Romans • and lo lay negle&ed till the in¬ 
 ferior Ages, but then were introduc’d as be¬ 
 ing a help to Phyfick, to which a learned 
 Author, call’d Donatus , fays, that the Kitch- 
 in is a Handmaid. I remember in our Days, 
 tho’ we cannot in every refpe£l: come up to 
 the Antients, that by a very good Author an 
 old Gentleman is introduc’d as making ule of 
 three Doctors, Dr. Diet , Dr. Quiet , and 
 Dr. Merriman. They are reported to be ex¬ 
 cellent Phyfitians, and if kept at a conftant 
 Penfion, their Fees will not be very coftly. 
 
 It 
 
 — . 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 139 
 
 It feems, as my Friend has learnt, there 
 were twoPerfons that bore the Name of Api¬ 
 cius, one under the Republick, the other in 
 the time of Tiberius, who is recorded by Pli¬ 
 ny To have had a great deal of Wit and Judg¬ 
 ment in aU Affairs that related to Eating, and 
 confequently has his Name affix’d to many 
 forts of Amulets and Pancakes. Nor were 
 Emperors lefs Contributors to fo great an Un¬ 
 dertaking, as Vitellius , Commodus , Didius 
 Julianus , and Varius Heliogabalus, whole 
 Imperial Names are prefix’d to mamlold Re¬ 
 ceipts. The laft of which Emperors had the 
 peculiar Glory of firft making Saufages of 
 Shrimps, Crabs, Oyfters, Sprawns, and Lob- 
 fters. And thefe Saufages being mention d 
 by the Author which the Editor publishes, 
 from that and many other Arguments the 
 Learned Doaor irrefragably maintains, that 
 the Book, as now printed, could not be tran- 
 fcrib’d till after the time of Heliogaba.us, who 
 gloried in the Titles of Apicius and Vitellius, 
 inore than Antoninus , wfio had gain d his 
 Reputation by a temperate, auftere, and 
 folid Virtue. And, it feems, under his Ad- 
 
13 / 
 
 Mo LETTERS to 
 
 miniflration a Pcrfon that found out a new 
 Soup might have as great a Reward as Drake 
 or Dampier might expefi: for finding a new 
 Continent. My Friend fays the Editor tells 
 us of unheard of Dainties- how ALCotm had 
 a Supper of the Tongues of Birds that could 
 ipeak ; and that his Daughter regal’d on 
 Pearls^ tho’ he does not tell us how die dreft 
 em i ^ ow Hortenftm left ten thoufand Pipes 
 of Wine in his Cellar for his Heirs drinking - 
 how Vedius Fodio fed his Fifii-ponds with Man’s 
 Flefii , and how Ccefar bought fix thoufand 
 Weight of Lampreys for his Triumphal Supper. 
 He lays tne Editor proves equally to a Demon- 
 ftration, by the Proportions and Quantities fet 
 down, and theNaufeoufnefsof the Ingredients, 
 that the Dinners of the Emperors were order’d 
 by their Phyfirians, and that the Recipe was 
 taken by the Cook as the Collegiate Do- 
 &ors would do their Bills to a Modem Apo¬ 
 thecary, and that this Cuftom was taken from 
 the Egyptians , and that this Method conti¬ 
 nued till the Goths and Vandals over-ran the 
 Wejiern Empire, and that they by Ufe Exer- 
 eife, and Nccefiky of Abftinence, introduc’d 
 
 the' 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 141 
 
 the eating of Checfe and Venifon without 
 thofe additional Sauces, which the Phyficians 
 of old found out to reftore the deprav’d Ap¬ 
 petites of fuch great Men as had loft their 
 Stomachs by an Excefs of Luxury. Out of 
 the Ruins of Erafijlratus his Book of Endive, 
 Glaucus Lorrenfis of Cow-heel, Mitbxcw of 
 Hot-pots, Dionyfius of Sugar Sops, Agk of 
 Pickled Broom-buds, Epinctus of Sacl^poffet, 
 Euthedemus of Apple-dumplings, Hege/ippus of 
 Blach^pudding, Crito of Sowed Maccaret, Ste- 
 phanus of L imon Cream, Archytes of Hogs 
 Harjlet, Acejlius of Quince Marmalade, Hice- 
 fws of Potted Fidgeons, Diocles of Sweet-breads, 
 and Philijiion of Oat Calces, and feveral other 
 fuch Authors, the great Humelbergius com¬ 
 pos’d his Annotations upon Apicius, whofe Re¬ 
 ceipts when part of Tally, Livy, and Tacitus 
 have been negle&ed and loft, w'ere prelcrv’d 
 in the utmoft Parts of Iranfilvania , f ar the 
 peculiar Palate of the ingenious Editor. Lati¬ 
 nus Latinius finds fault with feveral Dithes of 
 Apicius, and is pleas’d to fay they arc nau- 
 feous, but our Editor defends that great Per- 
 fon by {hewing the difference of our Cuftoms, 
 
142 LETTERS to 
 
 how Plutarch fays the Antients us’d no Pepper, 
 whereas all, or at leaft five or fix hundred of 
 Apicius’ s Delicates were feafon’d with it. For 
 we may as well admire that fome Weft Indians 
 fiiould abfiain from Salt, as that we fiiould 
 be able to bear the Bitternefs of Hops in our 
 common Drink ; and therefore we ihou’d not 
 be averfe to Rue, Cummin, Parfley Seed, 
 Marfh-mallows, or Nettles with our common 
 Meat, or to have Pepper, Honey, Salt, Vi¬ 
 negar, Raifons, Muftard, and Oyl, Rue, 
 Maftick, and Cardamums ftrown promifcuoufly 
 over our Dinner when it comes to Table. My 
 Friend tells me of fome fhort Obfervations he 
 made out of the Annotations, which he owes 
 to his Memory, and therefore begs Pardon if 
 in fome things he may miftake, becaule it is 
 not wilfully, as that Papirius Petus was the 
 great Patron of Cuftard : That the Tetraphar¬ 
 maco /? , a Difii much admired by the Emperors 
 Adrian and Alexander Severus was made of 
 Pheafant, Peacock, a wild Sow’s Hock, and 
 Udder, with a Bread Pudding over it, and 
 that the Name and Reafon of fo odd a Difh 
 are to be fought for amongft the Phyfitians. 
 
 The 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 143 
 
 The Work is divided into Ten Books, of 
 which the firft treats of Soups and Pickles, and 
 amongft other things Ihews that Sauce Pans 
 were tinn’d before the time of Pliny . That 
 Gordian ufed a Glafs of Bitter in a Morning. 
 That the Ancients fealded their Wine- and 
 that burnt Claret, as now pra&is’d with Spice 
 and Sugar, is pernicious. That the Adultera¬ 
 tion of Wine was as antient as Cato. That 
 Brawn was a Roman Dilh, which Apicius 
 commends as Wonderful } its Sauce then was 
 Muftard and Honey, before the frequent ufe 
 of Sugar. Nor were fowe’d Hogs Feet, Cheeks 
 and Ears unknown to thole Ages. ’Tis very 
 probable they were not io fuperftitious as to 
 have fo great a Delicate only at Cbrijhnas. It 
 were worth a Differtation between two Learn¬ 
 ed Perfons, fo it were manag’d %/ith Temper 
 and Candour, to know whether the Britains 
 taught it to the Romans , or whether C<xjar 
 introduc’d it into Britain , and ’tis lirange he 
 Ihould take no notice of it} whereas he has 
 recorded that they did not eat Hare’s Flelh, 
 that the Antients us’d to Marinate their f ilh 
 by frying them in Oyl, and the Moment they 
 
 4 were 
 
i 4 4 LETTERS to 
 
 were taken out pouring boiling Vinegar upon 
 them. The Learned Annotator obferves, that 
 the beft way of keeping the Liquor in Oyfters 
 is by laying the deep Shell downwards, and 
 that by this means Apicius convey’d Oyfters 
 to Tiberius when in Parthia . A noble Inven¬ 
 tion fines made ufe of at Colcbejler with mod 
 admirable Succefs. What Eftates might Brawn 
 or Locket have got in thofe Days, when A- 
 picius only for boiling of Sprouts after a new 
 Faihion, defervedly came into the good Gra¬ 
 ces of Drufus who then commanded the Ro¬ 
 man Armies. 
 
 The firft Book having treated of Sauces or 
 {landing Pickles for Relifh, which are us’d in 
 moll: of the fucceeding Receipts. The fecond 
 has a glorious Subjeft: of Saufages, both with 
 Skins and without, which contains Matters no 
 lefs remarkable than the former. The Antients 
 that were delicate in their eating prepar’d their 
 own Mulhrooms with an Amber or at leaf! a 
 Silver Knife • where the Annotator fhews ele¬ 
 gantly again!! Hardoinus^ that the whole Knife, 
 and not only the Handle, was of Amber or 
 Silver, left the Ruftinefs of an ordinary Knife 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 145 
 
 might prove infectious. This is a Nicety which 
 I hope we may in time arrive to • for the Bri¬ 
 tain;, tho’ not very forward in Inventions, 
 yet are out-done by no Nations in Imitation 
 or Improvements. 
 
 The third Book is of fuch Edibles as are pro¬ 
 duc’d in Gardens. The Romans us’d Nitre to 
 make their Herbs look green ; the Annotator 
 fhews our Salt-Peter at prefent to differ from the 
 antient Nitre. Apicius had a way of mincing 
 them firft with Oil and Sale, and fo boiling 
 ’em, which Pliny commends. But the prefent 
 Receipt is to let the Water boil well, throw 
 in Salt, and a bit of Butter, and fo not only 
 Sprouts but Spinage will be green- There is 
 a moft extraordinary Obfervation of the Edi- 
 . tors, to which I cannot but agree. That it 
 is a vulgar Error that Walnut Trees, like Ruf¬ 
 fian Wives, thrive the better for being beaten, 
 and that long Poles and Stones are us’d by 
 Boys and others to get the Fruit down, tlie 
 Walnut-Tree being fo very high they cou’d 
 not other wife reach it, rather out of Kindnefs 
 to themfelves, than any Regard to the Tree 
 that bears it. As for Jfparagus there is an 
 
 L excellent 
 
 ‘V 
 
1 46 LETTERS to 
 
 excellent Remark, that according to Pliny 
 they were the great Care of the antient Gard¬ 
 ners, and that at Ravenna three weigh’d a 
 Pound; but that in England it was thought a 
 Rarity when too of them weigh’d thirty. 
 That Cucumbers are apt to rife in the Stomach, 
 unlefs par’d or boil’d with Oyl, Vinegar and 
 Honey. That the Egyptians wou’d drink hard 
 without any Difturbance, becaufe it was a 
 Rule for them to have always boil’d Cabbage 
 for their firft Difli at Slipper. That the belt 
 way to roft Onions is in Colewort Leaves, for 
 fear of burning ’em. That Beets are good for 
 Smiths, becaufe they working at the Fire are 
 generally coftive. That Petronius has recorded 
 a little old Woman who fold the Jgrejle Olus 
 of the Antients, which Honour l take to be 
 as much due to thofe who in our Days cry 
 Nettle-tops, Elder-buds, and Cliver, in Spring 
 time very wholefome. 
 
 The fourth Book contains the univerfal Art 
 of Cookery. As Math^us Sylvaticus compos’d 
 the Pande&s of Phyfick, and Jnflinian thofe of 
 Law, fo Apicius has done the Pande&s of his Art 
 in this Book which bears that Infcription. The 
 
 firft 
 
 _ 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 147 
 
 firft Chapter contains the admirable Receipt 
 of a Salacacaby of Apicius. Bruife in a Mortar 
 Parfley Seed, dry’d Peneryal, dry’d Mint, Gin¬ 
 ger, green Coriander, Raifons fton’d, Honey, 
 Vinegar, Oyl and Wine, put ’em into a Ca- 
 cabulum , three Crufts of Pycentine Bread^ the 
 Flefh of a Pullet, Goat Stones, Veftine Cheele, 
 Pine Kernels, Cucumbers, dry’d Onions minc’d 
 ftnall} pour a Soup over it, garnifh it with 
 Snow, and fend it up in the Cacabuhun. This 
 Cacabulum being an unufual Veftel, my l H riend 
 went to his Di&ionary, where finding an odd 
 Interpretation of it, he was eafily pertuaded 
 from the Whimficalnefs of the Compofition, 
 and the Fantafticalnefs of Snow for its Garni¬ 
 ture, that the propereft Veftel for a Phyfitian 
 to prefcribe to lend to Tatle upon that occa- 
 fion might be a Bedpan. There are fome ad¬ 
 mirable Remarks in the Annotations to the 
 fecond Chapter concerning the Dialogue of 
 A fell ins Sabinus , who introduces a Combat be¬ 
 tween Mufhrooms, Chats or Becco ficos, Oy fters, 
 and Redwings, a Work that ought to be pub- 
 lifh’d. For the fame Annotator obferves, that 
 this Iftand is not deftitute of Redwings, tho 
 .' JL 2 coming 
 
 ¥ 
 
14» LETTERS to 
 
 
 I 
 
 coming to us only in the hardeft Weather, 
 and therefore feldom brought fat to our Ta¬ 
 bles. That the Chats come to us in April and 
 breed, and about Autumn return to Africk. 
 That Experience (hews us they may be kept 
 in Cages fed with Beef or Weather Mutton, 
 Figs, Grapes and minc’d Fil herds, being Dain¬ 
 ties not unworthy the Care of fuch as wou’d 
 preferve our Britijh Hofpitality. There is a 
 curious Obfervation concerning the diversity 
 of Roman and Brinfh Diflies, the firft delight¬ 
 ing in Hodge-podge, Gallimaufreys, Forc’d 
 Meats, Juffels, and Salmagundies • the latter 
 in Spear-ribs, Stirloins, Chines, and Barons; 
 and thence our Terms of Art, both as to Dref- 
 fing and Carving become very different; for 
 they lying upon a fort of Couch cou’d not have 
 carv’d thofeDiihes which our Ancefiors, when 
 they fct upon Formes us’d to do. But fince 
 the ufe of Cufliions and Elbow Chairs, and 
 the Editions of good Books and Authors it 
 may be hop’d in time we may come up to 
 them. For indeed hitherto we have been 
 fomething to blame, and I believe few of us 
 have feen a Difli of Capon Stones at Table: 
 
 (Lamb 
 
I Dr. Lifter, and others. 140 
 
 (Lamb Stones is acknwledg’d by the Learned 
 Annotator that we have) For the Art of ma¬ 
 king Capons has long been buried in Obli- 
 j vion. Varro the great Roman Antiquary tells 
 11s how to do it by burning of their Spurs, 
 which occafioning their Sterility, makes them 
 Capons in effe&, tho thole Parts thereby 
 became more large and tender. 
 t The fifth Book is oi Peafe Porridge, under 
 which are included Fruinentary, Watergruel, 
 Milk Porridge, Rice Milk, Fhimary, Stir a- 
 bouf, and the like. The Latin , or rather 
 Greeks Name is Aufprios , but my Friend was 
 pleas’d to entitle it Pantagruel, a Name us’d 
 by Rablak an eminent Phyfitian. There are 
 I fome very remarkable things in it as the Em- 
 1 pQvovJulianns'h^d feldom any thin gbut Spoon- 
 [ Meat at Supper. That the Herb Fenugreek, 
 with Pickles, Oyl and Wine was a Roman 
 Dainty ^ upon which the Annotator obferves, 
 that it is not us’d in our Kitchins, for a cer¬ 
 tain ungrateful Bitterncfs that it has, and 
 that it is plainly a Phyfical Dyet that will 
 give a Stool, and that mix’d with Oats, it’s 
 the belt Purge for Horfes. An excellent In- 
 
 L 2 vention 
 
O' 
 
 ! 5 o LETTERS to 
 
 vention for Frugality, that nothing might be 
 loft, for what the Lord did not eat he might 
 fend to his Stable. 
 
 The fixth Book treats of Wild-fowl, how 
 to drefs Oftridges ^ the biggeft, groffeft and 
 moft difficult of Digeftion of any Bird, Phe- 
 nicoptrices, Parrots, &c. 
 
 The feventh Book treats of things Jump- 
 tnous and copy , and therefore chiefly con- 
 cerning Hog-mc&tj in which the K oatutis came 
 to that Excefs, that the Laws forbad the Ufage 
 of Hogs Harflet, Sweetbreads, Cheeks, &c. 
 at their publick Suppers. And Cato ^ when 
 Cenfor fought to reftrain the extravagant Ufe 
 of Brawn by feveral of his Orations j fo much 
 Regard was had then to the Art of Cookery, 
 that we fee it took place in the Thoughts of. 
 the wifeft Men, and bore a part in their moft 
 important Councils. But alas! the Degeneracy 
 of our prefent Age is fuch, that I believe few 
 befides the Annotator know the Excellency ot 
 a Virgin Sow, efpecially of the black Kind 
 brought from China 5 and how to make the 
 moft of her Liver, Lights, Brains, and Pet¬ 
 titoes: and to vary her into thofe fifty Dimes 
 
 which 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 151 
 
 which Pliny fays were ufually made of that 
 delicious Creature. 'Belides, Galen tells us 
 more of its Excellencies, That Fellow that eats 
 Bacon for two or three Days before he is to box 
 or wrefile,, jball be much fironger than if he 
 fboud eat the bejl Kofi Beef or Bag Pudding in 
 the Parifb . 
 
 The eighth Book treats of fuch Dainties as 
 Four-footed Beafts afford usas, 1 fi , the Wild 
 Boar, which they us’d to boil with all its 
 Briftles on. idly. The Veer, drefs’d with 
 Broth made with Pepper, Wine, Honey, Oyl, 
 and fierv d Damfons, <&c. 3 dly , The Wild 
 Sheep, of which there are innumerable in the 
 Mountains of Yorkfhire and Weftmorland that 
 will let no body handle 'em but if they are caught 
 they are to be fent up with an elegant Sauce 
 prefcrib’d , after a Phyjical manner, in form of 
 an EleBuary , made of Pepper , Rue, Par(ley 
 Seed, Juniper, Time dried. Mint, Peneryal, 
 Honey, &-c. with which any Apothecary in 
 that Country can furnifli you. 4 thly. Beef, 
 with Onion Sauce, and commended by Cel - 
 fm, but not much approv’d by Hippocrates , 
 becaufe the Greeks fcarce kpew how to make 
 
 L 4 Oxen, 
 
'U 
 
 152 LETTERS to 
 
 Oxen y and Powdering Tubs were in very few 
 Families } for Phyficians have been very pe¬ 
 culiar in their Diet in all Ages- otherwise Ga¬ 
 len would fcarce have found out that young 
 Foxes were in Seafon in Autumn, The 
 
 Suckling Pig-, boil’d in Paper. 6 thly y The Hare y 
 the chief of the Roman Dainties , its Blood 
 being the Avceteft of anv Animal, its Natu¬ 
 ral Fear contributing to that Excellencv. Tho’ 
 
 <T* ' a 
 
 the Emperors and Nobility had Parks to fat 
 them in, yet in the time of Didius Julianus , 
 if any one had fent him one, or a Pig, he 
 would make it laft him three 'Days, whereas 
 Alexander Severus had one every Meal, which 
 muft have been a great Expence, and is very 
 remarkable. But the moft excjuihre Animal 
 was referv’d for the laft Chapter, and that 
 was the Dormouje y aharmleis Creature, whofe v 
 Innocence might at leaft have defended it both 
 from Cooks and Phyfitians. v But Apu ins found 
 out an odd fort of Fate for thole pool Crea¬ 
 tures, fome to be boned, and others to be 
 put whole, with odd Ingredients, into Hogs 
 Guts , and fo boil’d for Sanfages. In an- 
 tient Times People made it their Bufincfs to 
 
 kitten 
 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 153 
 
 fatten them: Jr; ft otic rightly obferves that 
 Sleep fatten’d them, and Martial fromthence 
 too poetically tells us that Sleep was their on¬ 
 ly Nourifhment: But the Annotator has clear’d 
 that Point • he, good Man, has tenderly ob- 
 ferv’d one of ’em for many Years, and finds 
 that it does not deep all the Winter, asfaiily 
 reported, but wakes at Meals, and after its 
 Repaft then rolls it fell up in a ball to Sleep. 
 This Dormoufe, according to the Author, did 
 not drink in three Years time, but whether 
 other Dormi fe do fo I cannot tell, becaufe 
 Bambonftclbcrgins hisTreatife of FatningDor- 
 mife is loft. ~ Tho’ very coftly they became a 
 common Difii at great Entertainments; Petro - 
 mas delivers us an odd Receipt for drefling 
 ’em,«and ferving ’em up with Poppies and 
 Honey, which mu ft be a very foporiferous 
 Dainty, and as good as Owl Pye to luch as 
 want a Nap after Dinner. The Fondnefs of 
 the Roman? came to be fo excefiive towards 
 ’em, that, as Pliny fays, the Cenforian Laws 
 and Marcus Scaurus in hi* Confuljhip got 
 them prohibited from Publicf LLnt ert ainment s. 
 But Nero. , Commodus • and Heliogabalus would 
 
i 54 LETTERS to 
 
 not deny the Liberty, and indeed Property 
 of their $ubje£s in fo reafonable an Enjoy, 
 ment, and therefore we find them long after 
 brought to 1 able in the Times of Ammianus 
 Marcellinus, who tells us like wife, that Scales 
 were brought to flable in tbofe Ages to weigh 
 curious Fijfbes , Birds and Dormife , to fee whe¬ 
 ther they were at the Standard of Excellence 
 and Pcrfe&ion, and fometimes, I fuppofe, to 
 vie with other Pretenders to Magnificence. 
 The Annotator takes hold of this occafion to 
 fhew of how great Zlfe Scales would be at the 
 Tables of our Nobility , efpecially upon the 
 bringing up of a Difh of Wild-fowl: For if 
 twelve harks (fays he) fbould weigh below 
 twelve Ounces they would be very lean , and 
 fcarce tolerable • if twelve and down Weight they 
 would be very well • but if thirteen they would 
 be fat to Perfection. We fee upon how nice 
 and exaft a Balance the Happinefs of Eating 
 depends! 
 
 I could fcarce forbear fmiling, not to fay 
 worfeof fuch Exa&nefs and fuch Dainties, and 
 told my Friend that thofe Scales would be of 
 extraordinary Ufe at Dunfiable , and that if 
 
 the 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 15 5 
 
 the Annotator hadmot prefcrib’d his Dormoufc, 
 
 I fhould upon the firft occafion be glad to vi it 
 it, if I knew its vifiting Days and Hours, io 
 
 as not to difturb it. . ,. , 
 
 My Friend faid there remain d but two 
 
 Books more, one of Sea, and the other of 
 River Fifh, in the account of which he would 
 not be long, feeing his Memory began to lad 
 him almoft as much as my Patience. 
 
 'Tis true in a long Wor%foft Slumbers creep , 
 
 ' And gently finb^tbe Artifi into Sleep -, 
 
 Efpecially when treating of Dormice. 
 
 The ninth Book is concerning Sea Fifli,where, 
 amongft other Learned Annotations, is rec £ r “ 
 ded that famous Voyage of Apicius, who ha¬ 
 ving fpent many Millions, and being retn 
 into Campania, heard that there were Lobfters 
 of a vaft and unufuai Bignefs in Africa and 
 thereupon impatiently got on Shipboard the 
 fame Day, and having Puffer d much at Sea, 
 came at laft to the Coaft. But the Fame of fo 
 great a Man’s coming had landed before him, 
 and all the Filhcrmcn fail’d out to meet him, 
 and prefented him with their iaireft Loblters. 
 
to 
 
 i $6 LETTERS 
 
 He ask d if they had no larger, they anfwer’d 
 their Sea produc’d nothing more excellent 
 than what they brought. This honeft Free- 
 
 Iit " 1 o f .. t L ie ' rSj wich his Disappointment , fo 
 difgufted him, that he took pet, and bad the 
 
 Malter return Home again immediately : And 
 lo, it feems, AfHca loft the Breed of one 
 Monfter more than it had before. There are 
 many Receipts in the Book to drefs Cramp. 
 Mi that numb the Hands of thofe that touch 
 em; the Cuttle-fflh, whofe Blood is like Ink; 
 the Pourcontrel or Many-feet; the Sea Urchin 
 or hedge-hog ; with feveral others whofe 
 Sauces arc agreeable to their Natures. But to 
 tfte Comfort of us Moderns, the Antients often 
 eat their Oyfters alive, and fpread hard Eggs 
 mined over their Sprats, as we do now over our 
 oalt-mn. There is one thing very curious con¬ 
 cerning Herrings : It feems the Antients were 
 \ery raiitaftical in making one thing pafs for 
 another • fo at Petronius ' s Supper the Cook 
 lent up a fat Goofe, Fifli, and Wild-fowl of 
 all forts to appearance, but fti 11 all were made 
 out of the feveral Parts of one fingle Porker. 
 The great Nicomdes , King of Bythifiia , had 
 
 a very 
 
Dr, Lifter, and others, 157 
 
 a very delightful Deception of this nature put 
 upon him by his Cook • the King was extreme¬ 
 ly aff £kd with frefh Herrings (as indeed who 
 is not but being far up in Afa from the Sea 
 Coa l ;, his whole Wealth could not have pur- 
 chas d one, but his Cook contriv’d fome fort of 
 Meat,which put into aFrame lo refembled aHer- 
 ring that it was extremely fatisfaftory both to his 
 Prince’s Eyes and Gufto. My Friend told me 
 that to the Honour of the City of London he 
 had feen a thing of this nature there, that is, a 
 Herring, or rather a Salmogundy, with the Head 
 and Tail fo neatly laid that it furpriz’d him. 
 He fays many of the Species may be found at 
 the Sugar Loaf in Bell Tard , as giving an ex¬ 
 cellent Reliih to Burton-Ale, and not cofting 
 above Sixpence • an inconfiderable Price for 
 fo Imperial a Dainty. 
 
 The tenth Book, as my Friend tells me, is 
 concerning Fifb Sauces , which confift of va¬ 
 riety of Ingredients, among!! w hich is general¬ 
 ly a kind of Frumenty. But it is not to be for¬ 
 got by any Perfon who would boil Fifli exa&ly, 
 that they threw them alive into the Water, 
 which at prefent is faid to be a Dutch Receipt, 
 
 but 
 
158 LETTERS to 
 
 but was derived from the Romans. It teems Se- 
 neca the Philofopher (a Man from whofe mo- 
 rote Temper little good in the Art of Cookery 
 could be expected) in his third Book of Na¬ 
 tural Queftions, corre&ing the Luxury of the 
 Times fay s^theRomans were come to that Dain- 
 tinefs,that they would not eat a Fite unlefs upon 
 the fame Day it was taken, that it might taft 
 of the Sea, as they expreft it; and therefore 
 had ’em brought by Perfons who rode Poft, 
 and made a great Out-cry, whereupon all o- 
 ther People were oblig’d to give them the 
 Road. It was an ufual Expreffion for a Roman 
 to fay. In other matters I may confide in you 3 
 but in a thing of this Weight it is not con fifient 
 with my Gravity and Prudence , I will trufl no¬ 
 thing but my own Eyes , bring the Fifb hither , 
 let me fee him breath his lafl. And when the 
 poor Fite was brought to Table fwimming and 
 gafping, would cry out, Nothing is more beau¬ 
 tiful than a dying Mullet! My Friend fays, the 
 Annotator looks upon thete as Jefls made by 
 the Stoicks, and fpokgn abfurdly and beyond Na¬ 
 ture ; tho’ the Annotator at the fame time tells 
 . us that it was a Law at Athens that the Fiteer- 
 
 men 
 
Dr. Lifter, and others. 159 
 
 men fliould not wafli their Fifli, but bring them 
 as they came out of the Sea. Happy were the 
 Athenians in goodLaws,and theRotnans in great 
 Examples • but I believe our britains need 
 wilh their Friends no longer Life than till they 
 fee London ferv’d with live Herring and gafping 
 Maccarel. ’Tis true we are not quite lo bar¬ 
 barous but that we throw our Crabs alive into 
 fcalding Water, and tye our Lobfters to the 
 Spit to hear them fqiieek when they are rofted • 
 our Eels ule the fame periftaltick Motion upon 
 the Gridiron, when their Skin is off^ and their 
 Guts are out as they did before; and our 
 Gudgeons taking opportunity of jumping after 
 they are flower’d, give occafion to the admira¬ 
 ble Remark of fome Perfons Folly, when to 
 avoid the Danger of the Frying-pan they leap 
 into the Fire. My Friend faid that the mention 
 of Eels put him in mind of the concluding Re¬ 
 mark of the Annotator,That they who amongft 
 the Sybarites would fithior Eels, or fell them, 
 fhould be free from all Taxes. I was glad to hear 
 of the word Conclude , and told him nothing 
 could be more acceptable to me than the men¬ 
 tion of the Sybarites , of whom I fhortly inten¬ 
 ded 
 
 
i 
 
 160 LETTERS to 
 
 ded a Hiftory, file wing how they defervedly 
 banifh’d Cocks for waking them in a Mornings 
 and Smiths for being ufeful • how on e cry’d out 
 becaufe one of the Rofe Leaves he lay on was 
 rumpled • how they taught their Horfes to 
 dance, and fo their Enemies coming againft ’em 
 with Guitars and Harpfichords, fet them fo up¬ 
 on their round O’s and Minuets, that the Form 
 of their Battel was broken, and three hundred 
 thoufand of them flain, as Goldman , Littleton , 
 and feveral other good Authors affirm. I told 
 my Friend I had much overfraid my Hour, but 
 if at any time he would find D ich^Hmnelbergius , 
 Cafpar Bartbim , and another Friend, with him- 
 felf, I would invite him to Dinner of a few, but 
 choice Difhes to cover the Table at once, which 
 except they would think of any thing better, 
 ffiould be a Salacacaby , a Diffi of Fenugreek, 
 a wild Sheeps Head, and Appurtenance, with 
 a fuitable Ele&uary, a Ragouft of Capons 
 Stones, and fome Dormoufe Saufages. 
 
 If,as Friends do with one another at aVenifon 
 Pafty, you ffiou’d fend for a Plate, you know 
 you may command it, for what is mine is yours, 
 as being entirely your, &c. 
 
 'F l N I S, 
 

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