第26部分(第2/7 頁)

hose　tabulated　humbugs；　those　certificated　aridities　calling　themselves　human　food！　An　ounce　of　either；　any　pounds？……of　the　best　rump…steak。　There　are　not　many　ounces　of　mon　sense　in　the　brain　of　him　who　proves　it；　or　of　him　who　believes　it。　In　some　countries；　this　stuff　is　eaten　by　choice；　in　England　only　dire　need　can　pel　to　its　consumption。　Lentils　and　haricots　are　not　merely　insipid；　frequent　use　of　them　causes　something　like　nausea。　Preach　and　tabulate　as　you　will；　the　English　palate……which　is　the　supreme　judge……rejects　this　farinaceous　makeshift。　Even　as　it　rejects　vegetables　without　the　natural　conitant　of　meat；　as　it　rejects　oatmeal…porridge　and　griddle…cakes　for　a　mid…day　meal；　as　it　rejects　lemonade　and　ginger…ale　offered　as　substitutes　for　honest　beer。

What　is　the　intellectual　and　moral　state　of　that　man　who　really　believes　that　chemical　analysis　can　be　an　equivalent　for　natural　gusto？……I　will　get　more　nourishment　out　of　an　inch　of　right　Cambridge　sausage；　aye；　out　of　a　couple　of　ounces　of　honest　tripe；　than　can　be　yielded　me　by　half　a　hundredweight　of　the　best　lentils　ever　grown。

X

Talking　of　vegetables；　can　the　inhabited　globe　offer　anything　to　vie　with　the　English　potato　justly　steamed？　I　do　not　say　that　it　is　always……or　often……to　be　seen　on　our　tables；　for　the　steaming　of　a　potato　is　one　of　the　great　achievements　of　culinary　art；　but；　when　it　IS　set　before　you；　how　flesh　and　spirit　exult！　A　modest　palate　will　find　more　than　simple　fort　in　your　boiled　potato　of　every　day；　as　served　in　the　decent　household。　New　or　old；　it　is　beyond　challenge　delectable。　Try　to　think　that　civilized　nations　exist　to　whom　this　food　is　unknown……nay；　who　speak　of　it；　on　hearsay；　with　contempt！　Such　critics；　little　as　they　suspect　it；　never　ate　a　potato　in　th