TRUE METHOD OF PREPARING CHOCOLATE. The Americans [Footnote: South Americans.--TRANSLATOR.] make their chocolate without sugar. When they wish to take chocolate, they send for chocolate. Every one throws into his cup as much cocoa as it needs, pours warm water in, and adds the sugar and perfumes he wishes. This method neither suits our habits nor our tastes, for we wish chocolate to come to us ready prepared. In this state, transcendental chemistry has taught us that it should neither be rasped with the knife nor bruised with a pestle, because thus a portion of the sugar is converted into starch, and the drink made less attractive. Thus to make chocolate, that is to say, to make it fit for immediate use, about an ounce and a half should be taken for each cup, which should be slowly dissolved in water while it is heated, and stirred from time to time with a spatula of wood. It should be boiled a quarter of an hour, in order to give it consistency, and served up hot. "Monsieur," said madame d'Arestrel, fifty years ago, to me at Belley, "when you wish good chocolate make it the evening before in a tin pot. The rest of the night gives it a velvet-like flavor that makes it far better. God will not be offended at this little refinement, for in himself is all excellence." MEDITATION VII. THEORY OF FRYING. It was a fine morning in May; the sun shed his brightest rays on the smoky roofs of the city of enjoyments, and the streets (strangely enough) were filled neither with mud nor dust. The heavy diligences had long ceased to shake the streets; the heavy wagons had ceased to pass, and only open carriages were seen, in which indigenous and exotic beauties under beautiful hats, cast disdainful looks on ugly, and smiling ones on good- looking cavaliers. It was three o'clock when the professor sought his arm chair to meditate. His right leg rested vertically on the floor, his left formed a diagonal angle with, and rested on it. His back was comfortably supported, and his hands rested on the lions' heads which terminated the arms of the venerable piece of furniture in which he sat. His lofty brow indicated intense study, and his mouth a taste for pleasant amusement. His air was collected, and any one to have seen him would have said, "that is a sage of ancient days." The professor sent for his preparateur en chef, (chief COOK) and that officer arrived, ready to receive orders, advice or lessons. ALLOCUTION. "Master la Planche," said the professor with that deep grave accent which penetrates the very depth of our hearts, "all who sit at my table pronounce your potages of the first class, a very excellent thing, for potage is the first consolation of an empty stomach. I am sorry to say though that you are uncertain as a friturier. [Footnote: Anglice. Fryer.]