CHAP. VII.] POTATOES. 279 



ment was fallacious. I think it a subject of 

 great importance; I regard the praises of this 

 root and the preference given to it before corn, 

 and even some other roots, to have arisen from 

 a sort of monkey-like imitation. It has become, 

 of late years, the fashion to extol the virtues of 

 potatoes, as it has been to admire the writings 

 of Milton and Shakespear. God, almighty and 

 all fore-seeing, first permitting his chief angel 

 to be disposed to rebel against him ; his per 

 mitting him to enlist whole squadrons of angels 

 under his banners ; his permitting this host to 

 come and dispute with him the throne of 

 heaven ; his permitting the contest to be long, 

 and, at one time, doubtful ; his permitting the 

 devils to bring cannon into this battle in the 

 clouds ; his permitting one devil or angel, I 

 forget which, to be split down the middle, from 

 crown to crotch, as we split a pig; his per 

 mitting the two halves, intestines and all, to go 

 slap, up together again, and become a perfect 

 body ; his, then, causing all the devil host to be 

 tumbled head-long down into a place called 

 Hell, of the local situation of which no man 

 can have an idea ; his causing gates (iron gates 

 too) to be erected to keep the devil in ; his per 

 mitting him to get out, nevertheless, and to 

 come and destroy the peace and happiness of 

 his new creation ; his causing his son to take a 



