excited to inquire whether the patrons of the gastric
art were as great enthusiasts as its professors.

We see they had writers who exhausted their genius on these professional
topics; and books of cookery were much read: for a comic poet, quoted by
Athenaeus, exhibits a character exulting in having procured "The New
Kitchen of Philoxenus, which," says he, "I keep for myself to read in my
solitude." That these devotees to the culinary art undertook journeys to
remote parts of the world, in quest of these discoveries, sufficient
facts authenticate. England had the honour to furnish them with oysters,
which they fetched from about Sandwich. Juvenal[126] records that
Montanus was so well skilled in the science of good eating, that he
could tell by the first bite whether they were English or not. The
well-known Apicius poured into his stomach an immense fortune. He
usually resided at Minturna, a town in Campania, where he ate shrimps at
a high price: they were so large, that those of Smyrna, and the prawns
of Alexandria, could not be compared with the shrimps of Minturna.
However, this luckless epicure was informed that the shrimps in Africa
were more monstrous; and he embarks without losing a day. He encounters
a great storm, and through imminent danger arrives at the shores of
Africa. The fishermen bring him the largest for size their nets could
furnish. Apicius shakes his head: "Have you never any larger?" he
inquires. The answer was not favourable to his hopes. Apicius rejects
them, and fondly remembers the shrimps of his own Minturna. He orders
his pilot to return to Italy, and leaves Africa with a look of contempt.

A fraternal genius was Philoxenus: he whose higher wish was to possess a
crane's neck, that he might be the longer in savouring his dainties; and
who appears to have invented some expedients which might answer, in some
degree, the purpose. This impudent epicure was so little attentive to
the feelings of his brother guests, that in the hot bath he avowedly
habituated himself to keep his hands in the scalding water; and even
used to gargle his throat with it, that he might feel less impediment in
swallowing the hottest dishes. He bribed the cooks to serve up the
repast smoking hot, that he might gloriously devour what he chose before
any one else could venture to touch the dish. It seemed as if he had
used his fingers to handle fire. "He is an oven, not a man!" exclaimed a
grumbling fellow-guest. Once havin