A CHINESE DINNER. 231 



They are slippery, and very difficult to be handled 

 by inexperienced chopsticks ; but they are most 

 pleasant and succulent food, not at all unlike in 

 flavour to the green fat of the turtle. If a man can- 

 not eat anything of a kind whereof he has not seen 

 his father and grandfather eat before him, we must 

 leave him to his oysters, and his periwinkles, and 

 his craw-fish, and not expect him to swallow the 

 much more comely sea-slug. But surely a Briton, 

 who has eaten himself into a poisonous plethora 

 upon mussels, has no right to hold up his hands and 

 eyes at a Chinaman enjoying his honest, well-cooked 

 stew of Beckes de Her. 



'During the discussion of this dish our Chinese 

 master of the ceremonies solemnly interposed. We 

 were neglecting the rudiments of politeness, no one 

 had offered to intrude one of these sleek and savoury 

 delicacies, deeply rolled in sauce, into the mouth of 

 his neighbour. Efforts were made to retrieve the 

 barbarian honour, but with no great success, for the 

 slugs were evasive, and the proffered mouthful was 

 not always welcome.' 



