The Fitz-Boodle PapersThackeray, William Makepeace
General
The Fitz-Boodle Papers
Thackeray, William Makepeace
Imaginary letters; Satire, English
He will then give out in a manly and somewhat pompous address what has
before been mentioned, namely, that he has seen the fatal way in which
the hospitality of England has been perverted hitherto, accapare'd by
a few cooks with green trays. (He must use a good deal of French in his
language, for that is considered very gentlemanlike by vulgar people.)
He will take a set of chambers in Canton Gardens, which will be richly
though severely furnished, and the door of which will be opened by
a French valet (he MUST be a Frenchman, remember), who will say, on
letting Mr. Snorter or Sir Benjamin Pogson in, that “MILOR is at
home.” Pogson will then be shown into a library furnished with massive
bookcases, containing all the works on cookery and wines (the titles
of them) in all the known languages in the world. Any books, of course,
will do, as you will have them handsomely bound, and keep them under
plate-glass. On a side-table will be little sample-bottles of wine, a
few truffles on a white porcelain saucer, a prodigious strawberry or
two, perhaps, at the time when such fruit costs much money. On the
library will be busts marked Ude, Careme, Bechamel, in marble (never
mind what heads, of course); and, perhaps, on the clock should be a
figure of the Prince of Conde's cook killing himself because the fish
had not arrived in time: there may be a wreath of immortelles on the
figure to give it a more decidedly Frenchified air. The walls will be of
a dark rich paper, hung round with neat gilt frames, containing plans
of menus of various great dinners, those of Cambaceres, Napoleon,
Louis XIV., Louis XVIII., Heliogabalus if you like, each signed by the
respective cook.
After the stranger has looked about him at these things, which he does
not understand in the least, especially the truffles, which look like
dirty potatoes, you will make your appearance, dressed in a dark dress,
with one handsome enormous gold chain, and one large diamond ring; a
gold snuff-box, of course, which you will thrust into the visitor's paw
before saying a word. You will be yourself a portly grave man, with
your hair a little bald and gray. In fact, in this, as in all other
professions, you had best try to look as like Canning as you can.
When Pogson has done sneezing with the snuff, you will say to him,
“Take a fauteuil. I have the honor of addressing Sir Benjamin Pogson, I
believe?” And then you will explain to him your system.
This, of course, must vary with every person you address. But let us
lay down a few of the heads of a plan which may be useful, or may
be modified infinitely, or may be cast aside altogether, just as
circumstances dictate. After all I am not going to turn gastronomic
agent, and speak only for the benefit perhaps of the very person who is
reading this:--
“SYNOPSIS OF THE GASTRONOMIC AGENCY OF THE HONORABLE GEORGE GOBBLETON.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account