The Pleasures of the Table An Account of Gastronomy from Ancient Days to Present Times. With a History of Its Literature, Schools, and Most Distinguished Artists; Together With Some Special Recipes, and Views Concerning the Aesthetics of Dinners and Dinner-giving

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  [Illustration: THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE]




                       BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR


   "The Garden's Story, or Pleasures and Trials of an Amateur
   Gardener." Illustrated by Louis Rhead.

   "The Story of My House." With a frontispiece by Sidney L.
   Smith.

   "In Gold and Silver." Illustrated by A. B. Wenzell and W.
   Hamilton Gibson.

   "The Rose." By H. B. Ellwanger. Revised edition, with an
   Introduction by George H. Ellwanger.

   "Idyllists of the Country Side." With a title-page by George
   Wharton Edwards.

   "Love's Demesne: A Garland of Contemporary Love Poems Gathered
   from Many Sources."

   "Meditations on Gout, with a Consideration of its Cure through
   the Use of Wine." With a frontispiece and title-page by George
   Wharton Edwards.

  [Illustration: "A SA TOUTE-PUISSANCE!"

  From the painting by Gabriel Metzu, 1664]




  [Illustration:

                                  THE
                               PLEASURES
                             OF THE TABLE

                       AN ACCOUNT OF GASTRONOMY
                         FROM ANCIENT DAYS TO
                            PRESENT TIMES.

                   WITH A HISTORY OF ITS LITERATURE,
               SCHOOLS, AND MOST DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS;
                  TOGETHER WITH SOME SPECIAL RECIPES,
                         AND VIEWS CONCERNING
                       THE AESTHETICS OF DINNERS
                          AND DINNER-GIVING.

                                  BY
                       GEORGE H. ELLWANGER, M.A.


                               NEW YORK
                        DOUBLEDAY PAGE AND CO.
                                 1902
]




                          Copyright, 1902, by
                         DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & CO.

  [Illustration:

    FANTAISIE CULINAIRE: LE POISSON PRÉVOYANT

    By A. Thierry]




  [Illustration:

                                TO HER,
                          TRUE COMRADE, WHOSE
                       VERSANT TOUCH AND ARTFUL
                          HAND HAVE KEENED MY
                      ZEST FOR GASTRONOMIC LORE,
                       THIS VOLUME IS DEVOTEDLY
                              INSCRIBED.
]


   "Gasteria is the Tenth Muse; she presides over the enjoyments
   of Taste."

                                                    BRILLAT-SAVARIN.

   "The History of Gastronomy is that of manners, if not of
   morals; and the learned are aware that its literature is both
   instructive and amusing; for it is replete with curious traits
   of character and comparative views of society at different
   periods, as well as with striking anecdotes of remarkable men
   and women whose destinies have been strangely influenced by
   their epicurean tastes and habits."

                                                    ABRAHAM HAYWARD.




                            _INTRODUCTORY_


_It is far from the purpose or desire of the author to add another to
the innumerable volumes having practical cookery as their theme--the
published works of the past decade alone being too numerous to digest._

_The following chapters, therefore, though touching upon the practical
part of the art, will be found more closely concerned with the history,
literature, and æsthetics of the table than with its purely utilitarian
side. Indeed, a complete manual of practical cookery is one of the
impossibilities, for no person would have the patience to compile
it; and even were such a work achievable, few readers could find
sufficient time for its perusal. A glance at the portly "Bibliographie
Gastronomique" of Georges Vicaire, in which English contributions
to the subject are so meagrely represented, will suffice to show
the difficulties such a task would impose. To classify properly the
multitudinous dishes which, virtually identical, figure under so many
different names, would of itself require years of severe application
and laborious research. It may be observed, notwithstanding, that the
world stands much less in need of additional inventions as regards the
utilisation and preparation of foods than of an expert anthologist
to garner the most worthy among recipes already existing in such
bewildering profusion._

_In the succeeding pages the writer has drawn from many sources, both
ancient and modern--wherever an anecdote which is not too familiar has
been found amusing, or an observation has been deemed pertinent or
instructive. An occasional recipe has been given, and the sweet tooth
of femininity has not been neglected. The hygiene of the table has
likewise been considered, and some pernicious customs in connection
with dining have been plainly dealt with.