Gastronomy as a fine art, or, The science of good living : A translation of the "Physiologie du goût" of Brillat-Savarin / by R.E. Anderson, M.A.

  • Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Gastronomy as a fine art, or, The science of good living : A translation of the "Physiologie du goût" of Brillat-Savarin / by R.E. Anderson, M.A. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    256/328
    vels of nature, the loves of the gods, and the noble deeds of warriors. Such bards formed a sort of priesthood, under some of w7hom the divine Homer himself was probably trained. He could not have risen to such eminence had his poetical studies not begun in early youth. Madame Dacier observes that Homer never makes any mention of boiled meat in any part of his works. The Jews were more advanced, on account of having lived for a considerable time in Egypt; they had vessels to stand fire, and it was in some such pot that the soup was made which Jacob sold so dear to his brother Esau. The most ancient books extant make honourable Eastern mention of the feasts of oriental kings, banquets. And we may easily believe that those who ruled over countries so abundantly fertile, especially in spices and perfumes, kept sumptuous tables. Details, however, are wanting, excepting the statement that Cadmus, who taught Greece the use of letters, had been cook to the King] of Sidon. It was amongst those voluptuous and effemi- nate races that the custom was first introduced of putting couches round the banqueting-table and lying down to eat. This refinement, being obviously akin to weakness, was long rejected by those nations