THE COOKERY OF VENISON 307 



galle and when it boilithe kole it a litille with ale and 

 serve it.' 



In the dish made of those modest materials, we 

 have the obvious origin of our humble pie. And in 

 those times of enforced economy and rough living, 

 the deer like the bullock went into the salting trough, 

 and was toughened for winter consumption in a strong 

 solution of brine. 



There has been a long-standing controversy as to 

 the comparative merits of haunches of hill mutton 

 and haunches of venison. Christopher North, who 

 professed himself a connoisseur in good living, 

 pronounces dogmatically, more suo : * Try a gigot 

 of five-year-old blackfaced,' he says, * with the veni- 

 son, by alternate platefuls, and you will invariably 

 leave off after the venison.' But our faith in Chris- 

 topher was considerably shaken by some previous 

 remarks on a Tay salmon. Conceive a man of taste 

 and feeling committing sacrilege on the crimping and 

 the curd by calling on the waiter to bring the casters, 

 and blending vinegar, ketchup, and cayenne, with 

 what ? with peas and potatoes. For the only sauce 

 for that noble fish was the water in which he had been 

 boiled. We attach greater importance to the dis- 

 cussion of the epicures in 'Meg Dods,' although 

 there the dispute was left practically open. Jekyl 



X. 2 



