THE COOKERY OF VENISON 311 



a small and select company, silver, or the humbler 

 pewter, with spirit lamps beneath, may be used with 

 great advantage. Always sensitive to the fleeting 

 nature of earthly pleasures, the bitter lesson is never 

 more forcibly brought home to the epicure than when 

 the venison fat and gravy are congealing visibly on 

 china before his eyes. The evanescent joy eludes 

 him unless he bolt the delicacies American fashion, 

 which is fatal to his hopes, obnoxious to his prin- 

 ciples, and attended by indigestion, dyspepsia and 

 remorse. 



Carving is to the full as important as serving, 

 though now it is generally done at the side table, and 

 beyond the control of a capable Amphitryon. More 

 is the pity, for much depends upon it, so far as veni- 

 son is concerned in especial. Meg Dods gives 

 excellent directions and suggests mapping out a chart 

 with cloves for the guidance of the inexperienced. 

 Incisions should be made longitudinally and cross- 

 ways, the slices should be somewhat thin and cut 

 lengthways, the more delicate lying to the left, when the 

 joint is turned endways to the carver. But carving the 

 haunch was always an embarrassing piece of business, 

 and likely to breed envy and malice. The carver, 

 in an excess of the charity which begins at home, 

 was suspected of looking after himself, of making 



