felves or others; and therefore if they would they could not easily feed themfelves with thofe claws: and I have very good authority that in the East, and especially in Japan, the princes have the meat put into their mouths by their attendants. Befides, thefe flicks are of no ufe but for their fort of meat, which being pilau is all boiled to rags. But what would those sticks fignify to carve a turkeycock or a chine of beef? therefore our forks are of quite different shape: the steel ones are bidental, and the filver are generally resembling tridents; which makes me think them to be as ancient as the Saturnian race, where the former is appropriated to Pluto and the latter to Neptune. It is certain that Pedro Della Valle, that famous Italian traveller, carried his knife and fork into the Eaft Indies; and he gives a large account how at the court of an Indian prince he was admired for his neatness in that particular, and his care in wiping that and his knife before he returned them to their refpective repofitories. I could wifh Dr. Wotton, in the next edition of his Modern Learning, would fhew us how much we are improved fince Dr. Heylin's time, and tell us the original of ivory knives, with which young heirs are fuffered to mangle their own pudding, as likewife of silver and gold knives, brought in with the deffert for carving of jellies and orangebutter, and the indispensable neceflity of a filver Knife at the sideboard to mingle fallads with, as is

with great learning made out in a treatife called Acetaria, concerning dreffing of fallads:

but I tranfgrefs

noble work!

And yet, pardon me, good Doctor! I had almost forgot a thing that I would not have done for the world, it is so remarkable. I think I may be positive from this verfe of Juvenal, where he speaks of the Egyptians,

Porrum et cepe nefas violare, et frangere morfu,

that it was facrilege to chop a leek or bite an onion: nay, I believe that it amounts to a demonstration that Pharaoh Necho could have no true lenten porridge, nor any carriers' fauce to his mutton; the true receipt of making which fauce I have from an ancient MS. remaining at the Bull-inn in Bishopfgate-street, which runs thus:

"Take seven spoonfuls of spring-water, slice two "onions of moderate fize into a large faucer, and put "in as much falt as you can hold at thrice betwist "your forefinger and thumb, if large, and ferve it "up." Probatum eft.

HOBSON, Carrier to the University of Cambridge.

The effigies of that worthy person remains still at that inn; and I dare fay not only Hobfon but old Birch, and many others of that musical and delightful profeffion, would rather have been labourers at the Pyramids with that regale, than to have reigned

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 increase of learning, and more efpecially your, &c.

SIR,

LETTER IV. TO MR.

I am now very seriously employed in a work that I hope may be useful to the publick, which is a poem of The Art of Cookery, in Imitation of Horace's Art of Poetry, infcribed to Dr. Lifter, as hoping it may be in time read as a preliminary to his works; but I have not vanity enough to think it will live fo long. I have in the meantime fent you an Imitation of Horace's invitation of Torquatus to fupper, which is the fifth epistle of his first book. Perhaps you will find fo many faults in this that you may fave me the trouble of my other proposal; but, however, take it as it is:

If Bellvill can his gen'rous foul confine

To a small room, few difhes, and fome wine,
I shall expect my happiness at nine.
Two bottles of fmooth Palm or Anjou white
Shall give a welcome and prepare delight:
Then for the Bourdeaux you may freely ask,
But the Champaigne is to each man his flask.
I tell you with what force I keep the field,
And if you can exceed it speak; I'll yield.
The fnow-white damaík enfigns are difplay'd,
And glitt'ring falvers on the fideboard laid

}

Thus we 'll difperfe all busy thoughts and cares,
The gen❜ral's counfels and the ftaterman's fears:
Nor thall Sleep reign in that precedent night
Whofe joyful hours lead on the glorious light
Sacred to British worth in Blenheim's fight.
The bleffings of good fortune feem refus'd
Unless sometimes with gen'rous freedom us'd.
"Tis madness not frugality prepares

A vaft excess of wealth for fquand'ring heirs.
Muft I of neither wine nor mirth partake
Left the cenforious world fhould call me rake?
Who unacquainted with the gen'rous wine
F'er spoke bold truths or fram'd a great defign?
That makes us fancy ev'ry face has charms;
That gives us courage, and then finds us arms;
Sees care difburthen'd, and each tongue employ'd,
The poor grown rich, and ev'ry with enjoy'd.

This I'll perform, and promise you thall fee
A cleanliness from affectation free:

No noife, no hurry, when the meat 's fet on,
Or when the dith is chang'd the fervants gone:
For all things ready, nothing more to fetch;
Whate'er you want is in the matter's reaclt.
Then for the company I'll fee it chofe;
Their emblematick fignal is the Rofe.
If you of Freeman's raillery approve,
Of Cotton's laugh, and Winner's tales of love,
And Bellair's charming voice may be allow'd,
What can you hope for better from a crowd?
But I shall not prescribe. Confult
your eafe;
Write back your men and number as you pleafe;
Try your back-ftairs, and let the lobby wait:

A ftratagem in war is no deceit.

I am, Sir, your's, &c.

}

LETTER V. TO MR.

I Here fend you what I promised, A Discourse of Cookery, after the method which Horace has taken in his Art of Poetry, which I have all along kept in my view; for Horace 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 some of his Satires; but even there he instructs, as in the fourth fatire of the fecond book, ver. 13.

Longa quibus facies ovis erit, illa memento,
Ut fucci melioris, et ut magis alba rotundis,
Ponere: namque marem cohibent callofa vitellum.

Chufe eggs oblong; remember they'll be found
Of sweeter tafte and whiter than the round.
The firmnefs of that shell includes the male.

I am much of his opinion, and could only wish that the world was thoroughly informed of two other truths concerning eggs. One is, how incomparably better roafted eggs are than boiled; the other, never to eat any 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 ftomach. The worthy perfon who recommended it to me made many profelytes; and I have the vanity to think that I have not been altogether unfuccessful.

I have in this Poem used a plain, easy, familiar, style, as moft fit for precept: neither have I been too exa