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comic look of despair he cast upon the other five over-occupied 
shells ; and I then broke the perfect stillness by asking him how 
he felt.” ‘‘ Profoundly grateful,” he replied, “as if I had 
swallowed a small baby.” 
In Sketches by Boz (Dickens, 1836), Scene XII, there is 
described : ‘“‘ A deal table on which are exposed Oysters, and 
divers specimens of a species of snail (Wiks we think they are 
called) floating in a somewhat bilious-looking, green liquid.” 
The Whelk, here intended, is still a familiar edible with the 
people as seen on the huckster’s stall, in common with the Winkle, 
about poor streets in our towns. Colouring matter may be 
squeezed out of the Whelk, this being at first almost colourless ; 
but by the action of light it shortly turns to a citron tint, then 
pale green, next emerald green, azure, red, and finally, in about 
forty-eight hours, to a magnificent purple hue ; but it must not 
be allowed to become dry during the experiment. This colouring 
matter has been found highly useful for curing congestion of the 
womb, and for obviating insipid (sugarless) diabetes. Uric acid 
exists in these shell-fish, within a sac, which is the first rudiment 
of a kidney; and the uric acid obtained therefrom may be 
transformed into a purple of great beauty, ** purpurate of 
ammonia,” similar in all probability to the famous Tyrian purple 
of old. Both this humble mollusc, and its stall-companion, the 
common Winkle (Littorina littorea), so largely eaten in poor 
neighbourhoods as a relish at tea, are “ nourishing food, very 
restorative in consumption, and hecticks. being sod in their own 
sea-water.” For consumptive patients they are to be boiled in 
milk ; others may eat them boyled in vinegar, or water and 
salt.” _‘* As an appetizing tit-bit the Whelk is in London King 
of its Eastern quarters. Hie then to yonder flamboyant kiosk 
perambulatory on Phcebus’s wheels, where on snow-white platter 
recline the molluses, shelled ; these, however, touch not. The 
true gourmet with simple pin coaxes from the involute conch its 
curly, luscious inhabitant, an implicate, and whirled delight. 
Add a sowpcon of vinaigre, and, paying such reverence as the 
plat merits, straightway eat! Delight will be yours, and for a 
prolonged aftermath dreams, more dreams, and yet again more 
dreams! Not Chambertin, nor St. Estephe, nor yet creamiest 
Sauterne befits to follow ; the one divine and only drink is now 
dusky Stout, fresh drawn, with silky bubbles brimming atop. 
Remember, too, the sapient example of tongue-gifted Elia ; 
