64 PEOSE HALIEUTICS. 



fided to the Udes and Soyers of the Augustan age with- 

 out stint or admonition, 'periturae parcere chartse !' 



If we glance from these savoury Apician sardines 

 swimming in their paper envelopes in fine Venafrian 

 oil, to the cooking utensils around, a noble batterie de 

 cuisine, shining in metallic splendour, presents itself to 

 view, — silver stewpans, covercled and without lids; a 

 range of massive saucepans of the same metal, beauti- 

 fully chased; silver shapes in endless variety; silver egg- 

 poachers in abimdance; and, as if even silver itself were 

 too plebeian for the favourite food of these extravagant 

 men, golden fish-dishes (chrysendeta), inlaid with pre- 

 cious stones, are there; with golden drinking goblets, the 

 charge of some trusty slave, to be well watched when 

 presented to poor friends and needy clients: while the 

 plate-range is filled with an immense assortment of all 

 kinds of red Arretian earthenware; enough for every 

 possible culinary requirement or emergency. Some- 

 times however, in spite of all these magnificent prepa- 

 rations, the first kitchens might be taken by surprise : 

 Domitian's for instance, on a notable occasion, 



possess'd no casserole 

 In which, to dress the noble tiirbot whole. 



But this circumstance proves nothing, for who knows 

 what that turbot's dimensions were? A rhombus may 

 be as big as a whale. Rondolet saw one of true ceta- 

 cean proportions, being five cubits long, eleven broad, 

 and one thick; and the recent annals of fishing on our 

 own coasts register a turbot taken off Whitby, weighing 

 thirteen stone eight pounds, and measuring sis feet 

 across. That was not cooked whole, we presume; while 

 Domitian's — whatever its size may have been — remained 

 unmutilated, and was served ' integer et cadavere toto.' 



