la mode; la Perdrix rouge,
belle de sa propre beaute, dont les qualites sont independantes de la
fantaisie, qui reunit en sa personne tout ce qui peut charmer les yeux,
delecter Ie palais, stimuler l'appetit, et ranimer les forces, plaira
dans-tous les temps, et concourra a l'honneur de tous les festins, sous
quelque forme qu'elle y paroisse." [1]

[1] "Manuel des Amphitryons."

The Doctor sighed: "That's nothing to what he says of the woodcock:" and
with trembling hand she turned over the leaves, till he found the
place. "Here it is," said he, "page 88, chap. xvi. Just be so good as
read that, Lady Emily, and say whether it is not infamous that Monsieur
Grillade has never even attempted to make it."

With an air of melancholy enthusiasm she read--"Dans les pays ou les
Becasses sont communes, on obtient, de leurs carcasses pilees dans un
mortier, une puree sur laquelle on dresse diverses entrees, telles que
de petites cotelettes de mouton, etc. Cotte puree est l'une des plus
delicieuses choses qui puisse etre introduite dans Ie palais d'un
gourmand, et l'on peut assurer que quiconque n'en a point mange n'a
point connu les joies du paradis terrestre. Une puree de Becasse, bien
faite, est Ie _ne plus ultra_ des jouissances humaines. II faut mourir
apres l'avoir goutee, car toutes les autres alors ne paroitront plus
qu'insipides."

"And these _becasses,_ these woodcocks, perfectly swarm on the
Glenallan estate in the season," cried the Doctor; "and to think that
such a man should have been refused. But Miss Mary will repent this the
longest day she lives. I had a cook in my eye for them, too--one who is
quite up to the making of this _puree. _'Pon my soul! she
deserve to live upon sheep's head and haggis for the rest of her life;
and if I was Lady Juliana I would try the effect of bread and water."

"She certainly does not aspire to such joys as are here portrayed in
this _your_ book of life," said Lady Emily; "for I suspect she could
endure existence even upon roast mutton with the man she loves."

"That's nothing to the purpose, unless the man she loves, as you call it,
loves to live upon roast mutton too. Take my word for it, unless she
gives her husband good dinners he'll not care twopence for her in a
week's time. I look upon bad dinners to be the source of much of the
misery we hear of in the married life. Women are much mistaken if they
think it's by dressing themselves they are to please their husbands."