f strength but from the digestion of our food, it
becomes important on this account that we should attend to its quantity,
quality, and the periods of taking it, with a view to ensure its proper
digestion."--ABERNETHY'S _Sur. Obs._ 8vo. 1817, p. 65.

[20-+] "If science can really contribute to the happiness of mankind, it
must be in this department; the real comfort of the majority of men in
this country is sought for at their own fireside; how desirable does it
then become to give every inducement to be at home, by directing all the
means of philosophy to increase domestic happiness!"--SYLVESTER'S
_Philosophy of Domestic Economy_, 4to. 1819, p. 17.

[20-++] The best books of cookery have been written by physicians.--Sir
KENELME DIGBY--Sir THEODORE MAYERNE.--See the last quarter of page 304
of vol. x. of the _Phil. Trans._ for 1675.--Professor BRADLEY--Dr.
HILL--Dr. LE COINTE--Dr. HUNTER, &c.

"To understand the THEORY OF COOKERY, we must attend to the action of
heat upon the various constituents of alimentary substances as applied
directly and indirectly through the medium of some fluid, in the former
way as exemplified." In the processes of ROASTING and BOILING, the chief
constituents of animal substances undergo the following changes--the
_fibrine_ is corrugated, the _albumen_ coagulated, the _gelatine_ and
_osmazome_ rendered more soluble in water, the _fat_ liquefied, and the
_water_ evaporated.

"If the heat exceed a certain degree, the surface becomes first brown,
and then scorched. In consequence of these changes, the muscular fibre
becomes opaque, shorter, firmer, and drier; the tendons less opaque,
softer, and gluey; the fat is either melted out, or rendered
semi-transparent. Animal fluids become more transparent: the albumen is
coagulated and separated, and they dissolve gelatine and osmazome.

"Lastly, and what is the most important change, and the immediate object
of all cookery, the meat loses the vapid nauseous smell and taste
peculiar to its raw state, and it becomes savoury and grateful.

"Heat applied through the intervention of boiling oil, or melted fat, as
in FRYING, produces nearly the same changes; as the heat is sufficient
to evaporate the water, and to induce a degree of scorching.

"But when water is the medium through which heat is applied--as in
BOILING, STEWING, and BAKING, the effects are somewhat different, as the
heat never exceeds 212 deg., which is not sufficient to commence the p