U. O. I think so, generally, Mr. Dillon. And yet it is not wholly of their finding either; for it seems to me that the providence of God has given to every country in the most abundance that sort of food which is most suitable to the people who inhabit there. Difference of climate makes a difference of food necessary. Thus it is that in all warm countries much less animal food is consumed than in cold or temperate regions. So it is in Persia. I am persuaded that an Englishman in the humbler ranks of life, eats more animal food in a month than a Persian does in a year. You will recollect that when I was telling you about the quadrupeds and birds of Persia, I mentioned those which are there used for food; so I have the less to say on that subject now.

H. If they don't eat animal food, what do they eat, Sir?

U. O. They do eat animal food; but it does not form the principal part of their diet. Rice, boiled and prepared in various ways, forms the substantial part of their food. Rice is the standard dish among all classes: the rich mix various articles with it, and have various dishes to eat besides it, but the lower classes get little

else, except it be bread, cheese, butter, curdled milk, fruits and vegetables. In some remoter parts of the country, even rice is a luxury, and instead of it, husked corn is boiled and prepared in the same way as rice. This I have often eaten, and thought that I liked it as well as rice; perhaps because I am not remarkably fond of rice, and was tired of having it continually brought before me wherever I went. H. But is the rice simply boiled?

U. O. I have said there are various ways of preparing it. If I mistake not, good cooks make it their boast of knowing sixty or seventy ways of making pillau, which is the name given to the messes of rice. But the difference is very little. The humblest way is to boil it with a little salt. But it is usually flavoured with melted fat or butter; and the favourite method is to boil with it a fowl or small bits of mutton. With this addition, a mess is composed which is really very good in itself, and with which the highest people in the land are never tired, and which the lowest never cease to desire. I will tell Mary how to make it to-morrow, and then you will be able to judge for yourselves.

Frank and Jane. Thank you, dear Uncle.

U. O. I have told you before, that mutton, lamb and fowl, form the only animal food in common use. They always dress their meat soon after it is killed. I have known a sheep to be killed, flayed, boiled and all its bones picked in two or three hours.

J. How nasty!

U. O. It cannot be helped. Meat would be spoiled if kept more than a day in a warm climate. But as they dress their meat so soon after it is killed, it would be unpleasantly tough, if they did not dress it more than we do. Their meat is therefore, always what we should call overdone. The least appearance of rawness about a dressed joint would disgust the Persians; nor do they ever think it done enough until it is ready to fall to pieces of itself. This is also necessary on another account, which is that as the Persians never use knives or forks in eating, it is necessary that it should be so done as to be easily pulled to pieces with their fingers; for it is thus they always do it.

H. and J. Ugh!

U. O. And what is more, having no forks, they convey all their food to their mouth with their hand.

J. What a filthy people!

Mr. Dillon. Not more so than our ancestors and other European people were, about two centuries ago. Forks are quite a modern refinement. The Greeks and Romans, in all their luxury, never had such a convenience. Like the Persians, they thought their ten fingers quite sufficient.

The Per

U. O. Five fingers, Mr. Dillon. sians use only their right hand in eating; they keep the other at rest in their lap.

Mr. D. Well! five fingers then. I believe the first Englishman who mentions forks is the curious old traveller, Coryat, who lived in the time of James I., and who was the person who first introduced the instrument into this country. He mentions them as remarkable things which were used no where but in Italy. If you would like to hear the passage, I will run and fetch the book.

U. O. We shall be much obliged to you, Mr. Dillon.

(Mr. Dillon goes, and quickly returns with an old book under his arm, from which he reads as follows:-) "I observed a custom in all the Italian towns and cities, through which I passed,

other

that is not used in any other country that I saw in my travels, neither do I think that any country in Christendom doth use it, but only Italy. The Italians and almost all strangers that are conversant in Italy, do always at their meals use a little fork when they cut their meat. For, while with their knife which they hold in one hand, they cut the meat out of the dish, they fasten their fork, which they hold in their other hand, upon the same dish, so that whatsoever he be that sitting in the company of any others at meal, should unadvisedly touch the dish of meat with his finger from which all at the table do cut, he would give offence unto the company, as having transgressed the laws of good-manners, insomuch that for his error he shall be at the least brow-beaten, if not reprehended in words. This form of feeding, I understand, is generally used in all places of Italy, their forks being for the most part made of iron or steel, and some of silver, but these are used only by gentlemen. The reason of this their curiosity is, because the Italian cannot by any means endure to have his dish touched with fingers, seeing all men's fingers are not alike clean. Hereupon, I myself thought good to imitate this Italian fashion, by