EDIBLE FUNGI. 161 



" It is said that at Rome, when a mortal is about to 

 be raised to the dignity of sainthood, the precaution is 

 taken of providing a ' devil's advocate/ who, by pointing 

 out as strongly as he can all the faults of the candidate, 

 secures the fair discussion of both sides of the question, 

 and is a guarantee, moreover, that no unworthy aspirant 

 to such exalted honours should be rashly admitted to 

 them. 



" On the present occasion I make bold to present my- 

 self in this unamiable capacity. No member, indeed, of 

 this respected Club is seeking canonization, yet, a step 

 not less important is contemplated in the enrolment of a 

 hitherto despised and even abhorred member of the vege- 

 table kingdom among the list of its edible products; in- 

 deed, some may consider such a step as of more importance 

 to our race than the apotheosis of a peccant mortal ; and 

 therefore it would appear that, if in the one instance it is 

 desirable that all the peccadilloes of the candidate should 

 be exposed, a fortiori, it must be so in the other. 



" Let me, then, first observe that these gentlemen at 

 the bar have actually a very bad character, and that it 

 is not likely that this would be the case unless they were 

 really great sinners. 



" Here, some will exclaim, no doubt, ' Prejudice, my 

 dear sir ! vulgar prejudice is capable of the grossest in- 

 justice ignorant prejudice has driven from our tables a 

 delicious article of food, and deprived the poor of a whole- 



M 



