-186 PEOSE HALIEUTICS. 



tL (^aiverai ;' ' And what do you think then of our profes- 

 sionj Te-)(y7) T ' The grand art of all, no doubt; and as you 

 have strongly interested, perhaps you will further enlighten 

 me by some practical illustration of what you have just 

 been saying.' ' With pleasure : suppose me now engaged 

 on trial, and a large party coming to dine with us next 

 week, I should immediately request to know the compo- 

 sition of our table ; not only the number of guests we were 

 to entertain, but whence each came, — whether, ex. gr., 

 there were to be any citizens of Rhodes, for in that case 

 it would be necessary to send to the market and buy at 

 any price a whacking sUurus, to be boUed and set before 

 them in its own liquor ; these gentlemen's addiction to 

 boiled sUurus (all tastes, we have said, are respectable) is 

 well known in our circle ; and we style it ' silurismus.' If, 

 again, we expect any Byzantines at table, everything for 

 them must be saturated, first vtdth wormwood, then with 

 salt, nor must an abundant supply of onions be wanting 

 in every dish. For many island visitors we have to ca- 

 ter differently : these worthy gentlemen have extremely 

 well-informed palates, and while they require the most 

 delicate fish and dainty made-dishes, criticize the cook's 

 labours with so much discrimination and judgment that 

 I always consider it a privilege and a pleasure to dress a 

 dinner for such men. For Arcadian Highlanders, who 

 seldom see the sea, and devour greedUy, in any condi- 

 tion, whatever marine produce is served up to them, a 

 supply of melandrya, cybia, and other strong-scented 

 provisions from the drysalters suffices, and it would be 

 a most profligate waste to set before them delicate fish 

 which they neither desire nor appreciate. Their cooks 

 inure these men to vile dishes all of one smeU, and with 

 another, had they noses, ought each to be sent back in 

 disgrace to the kitchen : 



€Ka(TTOv avTotv Kara fiepos TrpocrTrapSerm. 



