Of Food. 411 



by mixing with it some hard and tasteless substance, 

 such as crumbs of bread rendered hard by toasting, or 

 any thing else of that kind, by which a long mastication 

 is rendered necessary, the enjoyment of eating may be 

 greatly increased and prolonged. 



The idea of occupying a person a great while, and 

 affording him much pleasure at the same time, in eat- 

 ing a small quantity of food, may perhaps appear ridic- 

 ulous to some ; but those who consider the matter 

 attentively will perceive that it is very important. It 

 is perhaps as much so as any thing that can employ the 

 attention of the philosopher. 



The enjoyments which fall to the lot of the bulk of 

 mankind are not so numerous as to render an attempt 

 to increase them superfluous. And, even in regard to 

 those who have it in their power to gratify their appe- 

 tites to the utmost extent of their wishes, it is surely 

 rendering them a very important service to show them 

 how they may increase their pleasures without destroy- 

 ing their health. 



If a glutton can be made to gormandize two hours 

 upon two ounces of meat, it is certainly much better 

 for him than to give himself an indigestion by eating 

 two pounds in the same time. 



I was led to meditate upon this subject by mere acci- 

 dent. I had long been at a loss to understand how 

 the Bavarian soldiers, who are uncommonly stout, 

 strong, and healthy men, and who, in common with all 

 other Germans, are remarkably fond of eating, could 

 contrive to live upon the very small sums they expend 

 for food ; but a more careful examination of the econ- 

 omy of their tables cleared up the point, and let me 

 into a secret which awakened all my curiosity. These 



