atantes, etc.

and told them that they were commonly eaten with the thus Syriacum,
a certain anodyne and astringent seed, which qualified the purgative
nature of the fish. This learned physician gave them to understand, that
though this was reckoned a luxurious fish in the zenith of the Roman
taste, it was by no means comparable, in point of expense, to some
preparations in vogue about the time of that absurd voluptuary
Heliogabalus, who ordered the brains of six hundred ostriches to be
compounded in one illness.

By this time the dessert appeared, and the company were not a little
rejoiced to see plain olives in salt and water: butt what the master of
the feast valued himself upon, was a sort of jelly, which he affirmed
to be preferable to the hypotrimma of Hesychius, being a mixture of
vinegar, pickle, and honey, boiled to proper consistence, and candied
assafoetida, which he asserted, in contradiction to Aumelbergius and
Lister, was no other than the laser Syriacum, so precious, as to be sold
among the ancients to the weight of a silver penny. The gentlemen took
his word for the excellency of this gum, but contented themselves with
the olives, which gave such an agreeable relish to the wine, that they
seemed very well disposed to console themselves for the disgraces they
had endured; and Pickle, unwilling to lose the least circumstance of
entertainment that could be enjoyed in their company, went in quest of
the painter, who remained in his penitentials in another apartment, and
could not be persuaded to re-enter the banqueting room, until Peregrine
undertook to procure his pardon from those whom he had injured. Having
assured him of this indulgence, our young gentleman led him in like a
criminal, bowing on all hands with all air of humility and contrition;
and particularly addressing himself to the count, to whom he swore in
English, as God was his Saviour, he had no intent to affront man, woman,
or child: but was fain to make the best of his way, that he might not
give the honourable company cause of offence, by obeying the dictates of
nature in their presence.

When Pickle interpreted this apology to the Italian, Pallet was forgiven
in very polite terms, and even received into favour by his friend the
doctor, in consequence of our hero's intercession: so that all the
guests forgot their chagrin, and paid their respects so piously to the
bottle, that in a short time the Champagne produced very evident effects
in