s, the
Dumpling-Eating Doctrine has so far prevailed among
'em, that they eat not only Dumplings, but _Puddings_,
and those in no small Quantities.

The Dumpling is indeed, of more antient Institution,
and of _Foreign_ Origin; but alas, what were those
Dumplings? nothing but a few Lentils sodden together,
moisten'd and cemented with a little seeth'd Fat, not
much unlike our Gritt or Oatmeal Pudding; yet were
they of such Esteem among the ancient _Romans_, that a
Statue was erected to _Fulvius Agricola_, the first
Inventor of these Lentil Dumplings. How unlike the
Gratitude shewn by the Publick to our Modern
Projectors!

The _Romans_, tho' our Conquerors, found themselves
much out-done in Dumplings by our Fore-fathers; the
_Roman_ Dumplings were no more to compare to those
made by the _Britons_, than a Stone-Dumpling is to a
Marrow Pudding; tho' indeed, the _British_ Dumpling at
that time, was little better than what we call a
Stone-Dumpling, being no thing else but Flour and
Water: But every Generation growing wiser and wiser,
the Project was improv'd, and Dumpling grew to be
Pudding: One Projector found Milk better than Water;
another introduc'd Butter; some added Marrow, others
Plumbs; and some found out the Use of Sugar; so that,
to speak Truth, we know not where to fix the Genealogy
or Chronology of any of these Pudding Projectors,
to the Reproach of our Historians, who eat so much
Pudding, yet have been so Ungrateful to the first
Professors of this most noble Science, as not to find
'em a Place in History.

The Invention of Eggs was merely accidental, two or
three of which having casually roll'd from off a Shelf
into a Pudding which a good Wife was making, she found
herself under a Necessity either of throwing away her
Pudding, or letting the Eggs remain, but concluding
from the innocent Quality of the Eggs, that they would
do no Hurt, if they did no Good. She wisely jumbl'd
'em all together, after having carefully pick'd out
the Shells; the Consequence is easily imagined, the
Pudding became a Pudding of Puddings; and the Use of
Eggs from thence took its Date. The Woman was sent for
to Court to make Puddings for King _John_, who then
sway'd the Scepter; and gain'd such Favour, that she
was the making of her whole Family. I cannot conclude
this Paragraph without owning, I received this
important Part of the History of Pudding from old Mr.
_Lawrence_ of _Wilsden-Green_, the greatest Antiquary
of the pr