The Works of Charles Lamb in Four Volumes, Volume 4Lamb, Charles
General
The Works of Charles Lamb in Four Volumes, Volume 4
Lamb, Charles
English essays; English poetry; Short stories, English
Secondly, his _diet_.--To which purpose I find a most remarkable
passage in Burton, in his chapter entitled "Bad diet a cause of
melancholy." "Amongst herbs to be eaten (he says) I find gourds,
cucumbers, melons, disallowed; but especially CABBAGE. It causeth
troublesome dreams, and sends up black vapors to the brain. Galen,
_Loc. Affect_, lib. iii. cap. 6, of all herbs condemns CABBAGE. And
Isaack, lib. ii. cap. 1, _animæ gravitatem facit_, it brings
heaviness to the soul." I could not omit so flattering a testimony
from an author who, having no theory of his own to serve, has so
unconsciously contributed to the confirmation of mine. It is well
known that this last-named vegetable has, from the earliest periods
which we can discover, constituted almost the sole food of this
extraordinary race of people.
BURTON, _Junior_.
* * * * *
HOSPITA
ON THE IMMODERATE INDULGENCE OF THE PLEASURES
OF THE PALATE.
TO THE EDITOR OF "THE REFLECTOR."
MR. REFLECTOR,--My husband and I are fond of company, and being in
easy circumstances, we are seldom without a party to dinner two or
three days in a week. The utmost cordiality has hitherto prevailed at
our meetings; but there is a young gentleman, a near relation of my
husband's, that has lately come among us, whose preposterous behavior
bids fair, if not timely checked, to disturb our tranquillity. He is
too great a favorite with my husband in other respects, for me to
remonstrate with him in any other than this distant way. A letter
printed in your publication may catch his eye; for he is a great
reader, and makes a point of seeing all the new things that come out.
Indeed, he is by no means deficient in understanding. My husband says
that he has a good deal of wit; but for my part I cannot say I am any
judge of that, having seldom observed him open his mouth except for
purposes very foreign to conversation. In short, sir, this young
gentleman's failing is, an immoderate indulgence of his palate. The
first time he dined with us, he thought it necessary to extenuate the
length of time he kept the dinner on the table, by declaring that he
had taken a very long walk in the morning, and came in fasting; but
as that excuse could not serve above once or twice at most, he has
latterly dropped the mask altogether, and chosen to appear in his own
proper colors, without reserve or apology.
You cannot imagine how unpleasant his conduct has become. His way of
staring at the dishes as they are brought in, has absolutely
something immodest in it: it is like the stare of an impudent man of
fashion at a fine woman, when she first comes into a room. I am
positively in pain for the dishes, and cannot help thinking they have
consciousness, and will be put out of countenance, he treats them so
like what they are not.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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