288 
PHEASANTS AND PEACOCKS. 
together with, the Peacocks, they were, nevertheless, pro- 
bably on account of their beauty, not only highly esteemed i 
in ancient times, but viewed with a sort of superstitious 
respect; so much so, that, by the heathen Komans, those 
who first served them up at entertainments were deemed 
guilty of a sort of impiety to their idol- gods ; and even when 
they were afterwards introduced as food, they were never 
used, even by the emperors, except on the most solemn occa- * 
sions. In after-times, the Christians, who too often adopted 
the customs of their heathenish predecessors, paid an almost i 
equal respect to these birds. Thus we find so serious a 
writer as St. Jerome, giving directions for boiling a Pheasant, 
so that the form of the bird might be completely preserved. 
Prom the table, Pheasants and Peacocks became most 
fashionable and honoured additions to the toilet ; historians 
telling us, that the most splendid present one of the Popes 
sent to Pepin, one of the earliest kings of Prance, was a 
mantle, embroidered with the feathers of the latter ; and the 
richest furniture in the apartments of the nobles in the 
middle ages, was painted or inlaid in such a manner as to 
represent a Peacock’s tail, spread out and studded with eyes. 
Peacock. 
