112 A PAxfi DE PfiRIGUEUX 



not allow prejudices to convert horse-flesh into the most 

 disgusting of animal flesh. By this I do not mean to 

 advocate its use as human food, but merely to show that 

 there is nothing objectionable in its being given to hounds. 

 Were it known how many of the beautiful white chickens 

 are fed which claim so much attention on our festive 

 board, or the ingredients of a pate de Perigueux very 

 minutely examined, they would lose somewhat of the 

 favour so generally bestowed upon them. For myself, I 

 must declare that, having once met with a suspicious- 

 looking morgeau under one of these fashionable crusts, 

 to which, by turning and contemplating it in every light, 

 I could discover no other resemblance than that of a 

 cat's Up, I have ever since maintained a most decided 

 antipathy to pry into the contents of patties of every 

 description (unless made at home) , pork pies included, and 

 scrupulously adhere to plain roast and boiled (not 

 chickens, unless purchased from a farm-yard), beef, 

 mutton, and veal. There is a vulgar saying, " What 

 will not poison, will fatten." It may be true enough, 

 for anything I can vouch to the contrary, and most 

 probably is the case, since poisons are now so extensively 

 used in all articles of general consumption. 



But, although a dog-feeder, I must confess to great 

 fastidiousness of taste in the eatables and drinkables 

 which have to pass the ordeal of my very delicate palate. 

 A short time since, an illustration of how patties are 

 supposed to be compounded appeared in Punch, showing 

 how a new setter-up of a rival cook-shop was defeated, 

 by the proprietor of the old established concern paying 

 a scavenger to throw a dead cat over his neighbour's 

 counter when the shop was filled with customers. " There, 

 Marm ! " exclaimed the man, " that makes nine, and I'll 



