48 



'' into various joints. The entire animal is brought (after 



" the ancient Roman fashion) by the labouring servants on 

 " dish-shaped machines, such as I remember reading of in 

 " Petronius. It is a misdemeanour 1o rise from table with- 

 " out sitting six hours ; for they eat and drink long and 

 " slowly, giving for this the same reason as that tremendous 

 " glutton of old, who wished that he had the neck of a crane. 

 " Their departure is thus regulated : — In the hall there is a 

 " door just capable of admitting a fasting person ; through 

 " this confined entrance the guests are introduced, and 

 " through it each endeavours to go out after dinner. If he 

 " stick fast, he is let out by another door ; but if he is found 

 '• able to pass through as when he entered, he is detained 

 " by the master of the ceremonies, and compelled, whether 

 " he like it or not, to sit down to table again." &c. 



" In this place is a public Hospital, where all who 

 " through eating and drinking have contracted dropsy, gout, 

 " or asthma, are maintained at the public expense. But 

 " those who become toothless by old-age, or by hasty and 

 " imprudent mastication, are banished to the Sorbonne. 

 " The more wealthy possess a great number of bondmen or 

 " serfs, who are employed in tilling the fields and gardens, 

 " or in other ignoble occupations ; but as soon as any 

 " of these attain a proper degree of corpulency, they are set 

 " at liberty." 



The author proceeds further to describe the manners of 

 the people, all having a reference to good living, and informs 

 us that their intellects are most obtuse — and that no places 

 of education exist but for the purpose of instructing the 

 young people how to eat, drink, and carve. " In place 

 " of a Library, they have a public Repository of Tankards, 

 " in which cups of every sort and size are arranged. Instead 

 " of books, goblets and dishes — the smaller ones for the 

 " Freshmen— the other for the Adults. A gill for one — a 

 " pint for another — a quart for a third. To one student a 



