454 HOW TO CATER. 



to be put before a good fire. If he arrives too late at 

 night for this, let him, rather than lie between sheets 

 which are not properly aired, sleep with only the blankets. 

 He then, supposing he would not be at the trouble of 

 carrying meat, sends for his beef or mutton. Having 

 secured this for the next day's dinner, he takes out of 

 his basket something ready dressed, or some eggs, or a 

 string of sausages, or a few kidneys ; or a fowl to broil, 

 a cake or two of portable soup, or a little mock turtle, 

 ready to warm ; or, in short, any other things that the 

 town may have afforded ; and with this, he makes up 

 his dinner on the day of his arrival. If the beer is sour, 

 and he does not choose to be troubled with carrying 

 bottles of other beverage, he is provided with a 



Little carbonate of soda, which will correct the acid ; a little nutmeg 

 or powdered ginger, to take off the unpleasant taste ; and, with a 

 spoonful of brown sugar and a toast, he will make tolerably palatable 

 that, which, before, was scarcely good enough to quench the thirst. 



He will know better than to call for brandy or gin, but 

 will order rum, knowing that that is a spirit* which 

 would soon be spoiled by any tricks or adulteration. 

 He will have in his basket some lemons, or a bottle of 

 lemon acid, and make a bowl of punch, recollecting the 

 proportions of 



One sour, 



Two sweet ; 

 Four strong, 



And eight weak. 



* If a sportsman likes to take a flask of spirit, as a guard against 

 cold, a stomach-ache, &c., he will, I think, find nothing equal to the 

 real Highland Scotch, or Irish, whisky. Or, if he cannot get this, 

 a little exlrait d 'absinthe Suisse; from the celebrated Mr. Johnson, 

 No. 2, Colonnade, Pall-mall ; or Mr. Sargenson, at No. 5, who is one 

 of the best and cheapest spirit merchants in London. 



