f a great Whig duke, within the
recollection of people whom I have known, used to preface his sermon
with a prayer for the nobility, and "especially for the noble duke to
whom I am indebted for my scarf"--the badge of chaplaincy--accompanying
the words by a profound bow toward his Grace's pew. The last "running
footman" pertained to "Old Q."--the notorious Duke of Queensberry, who
died in 1810. Horace Walpole describes how, when a guest playing cards
at Woburn Abbey dropped a silver piece on the floor, and said, "Oh,
never mind; let the Groom of the Chambers have it," the Duchess replied,
"Let the carpet-sweeper have it; the Groom of the Chambers never takes
anything but gold."

These grotesque splendours of domestic living went out with the
eighteenth century. Dr. Johnson, who died in 1784, had already noted
their decline. There was a general approach towards external
equalization of ranks, and that approach was accompanied by a general
diffusion of material enjoyment. The luxury of the period was prodigal
rather than refined. There lies before me as I write a tavern bill for a
dinner for seven persons in the year 1751. I reproduce the items
verbally and literally, and certainly the bill of fare is worth studying
as a record of gastronomical exertion on a heroic scale:--

Bread and Beer. Potage de Tortue. Calipash. Calipees. Un Pate de
Jambon de Bayone. Potage Julien Verd. Two Turbots to remove the
Soops. Haunch of Venison. Palaits de Mouton. Selle de Mouton.
Salade. Saucisses au Ecrevisses. Boudin Blanc a le Reine. Petits
Pates a l'Espaniol. Coteletts a la Cardinal. Selle d'Agneau glace
aux Cocombres. Saumon a la Chambord. Fillets de Saules Royales. Une
bisque de Lait de Maquereaux. Un Lambert aux Innocents. Des Perdrix
Sauce Vin de Champaign. Poulets a le Russiene. Ris de Veau en
Arlequin. Quee d'Agneau a la Montaban. Dix Cailles. Un Lapreau. Un
Phesant. Dix Ortolans. Une Tourte de Cerises. Artichaux a le
Provensalle. Choufleurs au flour. Cretes de Cocq en Bonets. Amorte
de Jesuits. Salade. Chicken. Ice Cream and Fruits. Fruit of various
sorts, forced. Fruit from Market. Butter and Cheese. Clare.
Champaign. Burgundy. Hock. White Wine. Madeira. Sack. Cape. Cyprus.
Neuilly. Usquebaugh. Spa and Bristol Waters. Oranges and Lemons.
Coffee and Tea. Lemonade.

The total charge for this dinner for seven amounted to L81, 11s. 6d.,
and a footnot