d in its results most
gratifying professions in existence; her services are secured
beforehand by special retainers; and happy is the peer who can point
to his pudding, and declare that it is of the true Dunn composition.
Her fame has even extended to the provinces. For some time previous to
Christmas Day, she forwards puddings in cases to all parts of the
country, ready cooked and fit for the table, after the necessary
warming. All this is, of course, for the English. No prejudice can be
stronger than that of the French against plum-pudding--a Frenchman
will dress like an Englishman, swear like an Englishman, and get drunk
like an Englishman; but if you would offend him for ever compel him to
eat plum-pudding. A few of the leading restaurateurs, wishing to
appear extraordinary, have _plomb-pooding_ upon their cartes, but in
no instance is it ever ordered by a Frenchman. Everybody has heard the
story of St. Louis--Henri Qautre, or whoever else it might be--who,
wishing to regale the English ambassador on Christmas Day with a
plum-pudding, procured an excellent recipe for making one, which he
gave to his cook, with strict injunctions that it should be prepared
with due attention to all particulars. The weight of the ingredients,
the size of the copper, the quantity of water, the duration of time,
everything was attended to except one trifle--the king forgot the
cloth, and the pudding was served up, like so much soup in immense
tureens, to the surprise of the ambassador, who was, however, too well
bred to express his astonishment. Louis XVIII., either to show his
contempt of the prejudices of his countrymen, or to keep up a custom
which suits his palate, has always an enormous pudding on Christmas
Day, the remains of which, when it leaves the table, he requires to be
eaten by the servants, _bon gre, mauvais gre_; but in this instance
even the commands of sovereignty are disregarded, except by the
numerous English in his service, consisting of several valets, grooms,
coachmen, &c., besides a great number of ladies' maids in the service
of the duchesses of Angouleme and Berri, who very frequently partake
of the dainties of the king's table."

In his "Year Book, 1832," Hone says that at Rouen, after the _Te
Deum_, in the nocturnal office or vigil of Christmas, the
ecclesiastics celebrated the "office of the shepherds" in the
following manner:--

"The image of the Virgin Mary was placed in a stable prepared behind
the alta