TASTING. 



animals, is the seat of this sense ; and the same may be true 

 of worms and zoophytes.' 



Of Tasting. 



The tongue and palate are the great instruments of this sen- 

 sation. With much wisdom and propriety, the organ of taste 

 is situated in such a manner as enables it to be a guardian to 

 the alimentary canal, and to assist the organ of smell in distin- 

 guishing salutary from noxious food. The tongue is perpetu- 

 ally moistened with saliva, a liquor which, though insipid itself, 

 is one great cause of all tastes. The saliva of animals is 

 a very powerful solvent. Every substance applied to the 

 tongue is partially dissolved by the saliva before the sensation 

 of taste is excited. When the tongue is rendered dry, or 

 coated by disease, or any other cause, the sense of taste is 

 either vitiated, or totally annihilated. 



' When we exercise this sense, the substance which we 

 wish to taste is pressed by the tongue against the roof of the 

 mouth, and the different parts of the mouth are contracted 

 closely around the tongue and the sapid body. The more 

 complete and perfect the contact which thus takes place, the 

 more perfect is the art of tasting. The internal surface of 

 the mouth is very little capable of perceiving or distinguishing 

 tastes, unless this pressure takes place. In fact, if the mouth 

 be held open and a substance of even a pretty powerful taste 

 be applied to the tongue, the impression it gives is very indis-' 

 tinct and indefinite, arid becomes perceptible only by closing 

 the jaws and bringing the tongue up into contact with the 

 roof of the mouth. Hence arises the pleasure we feel in 

 the act of chewing and swallowing. The motion of the jaw, 

 and the action of the teeth and tongue, mix the food with 

 saliva, thus putting it into a fit state for producing the sensa- 

 tion of taste, and, at the same time, convey it between the 

 tongue and the roof of the mouth ; whilst, in swallowing, 

 almost the whole internal surface of the mouth contracts upon 

 and comes in contact with the morsel, raising the pleasure of 

 taste to the highest degree.' 



In some men the sense of taste is so blunt, that they can- 

 not distinguish, with any degree of accuracy, the different 

 species of that sensation. In others, whether from nature or 

 . from habit, this sense is so acute, that they can perceive the 

 nicest distinctions in the savor of solids and of liquids. 



