Acetaria: A Discourse of Sallets Part 9

Survey we their _Bills of Fare_, and Numbers of Courses serv'd up by _Athenaeus_, drest with all the Garnish of _Nicander_ and other _Grecian_ Wits: What has the _Roman Grand Sallet_ worth the naming? _Parat Convivium_, The Guests are nam'd indeed, and we are told,

----[107]_Varias, quas habet hortus opes?_ How richly the Garden's stor'd:

_In quibus est Luctuca sedens, & tonsile porrum, Nee deest ructatrix Mentha, nec herba salax, &c._

A Goodly Sallet!

_Lettuce_, _Leeks_, _Mint_, _Rocket_, _Colewort-Tops_, with _Oyl_ and _Eggs_, and such an _Hotch-Pot_ following (as the Cook in _Plautus_ would deservedly laugh at). But how infinitely out-done in this Age of ours, by the Variety of so many rare _Edules_ unknown to the Ancients, that there's no room for the Comparison. And, for Magnificence, let the _Sallet_ drest by the Lady for an Entertainment made by _Jacobus Catsius_ (describ'd by the Poet [108]_Barlaeus_) shew; not at all yet out-doing what we every Day almost find at our _Lord Mayor's Table_, and other great Persons, Lovers of the Gardens; that sort of elegant Cookery being capable of such wonderful Variety, tho' not altogether wanting of old, if that be true which is related to us of [109]_Nicomedes_ a certain King of Bithynia, whose Cook made him a _Pilchard_ (a Fish he exceedingly long'd for) of a well dissembl'd Turnip, carv'd in its Shape, and drest with _Oyl_, _Salt_, and _Pepper_, that so deceiv'd, and yet pleased the Prince, that he commended it for the best Fish he had ever eaten. Nor does all this exceed what every industrious _Gardiner_ may innocently enjoy, as well as the greatest Potentate on Earth.

Vitellius _his Table, to which every Day_ _All Courtiers did a constant Tribute pay,_ _Could nothing more delicious afford_ _Than Nature's Liberality._ _Help'd with a little Art and Industry,_ _Allows the meanest Gard'ners Board,_ _The Wanton Taste no Fish or Fowl can chuse,_ _For which the Grape or Melon she would lose._ _Tho' all th' Inhabitants of Sea and Air._ _Be lifted in the Glutton's Bill of Fare;_ _Yet still the_ Sallet, _and the_ Fruit _we see_ _Plac'd the third Story high in all her Luxury_.

So the Sweet [110]_Poet_, whom I can never part with for his Love to this delicious Toil, and the Honour he has done me.

Verily, the infinite Plenty and Abundance, with which the benign and bountiful Author of Nature has stor'd the whole Terrestrial World, more with _Plants_ and _Vegetables_ than with any other Provision whatsoever; and the Variety not only equal, but by far exceeding the Pleasure and Delight of Taste (above all the Art of the _Kitchen_, than ever [111]_Apicius_ knew) seems loudly to call, and kindly invite all her living Inhabitants (none excepted) who are of gentle Nature, and most useful, to the same _Hospitable_ and Common-Board, which first she furnish'd with _Plants_ and _Fruit_, as to their natural and genuine Pasture; nay, and of the most wild, and savage too _ab origine_: As in _Paradise_, where, as the _Evangelical_ [112]Prophet adumbrating the future Glory of the _Catholick Church_, (of which that happy _Garden_ was the _Ant.i.type_) the _Wolf and the Lamb, the angry and furious Lion, should eat Gra.s.s and Herbs together with the Ox_. But after all, _latet anguis in herba_, there's a _Snake_ in the Gra.s.s; Luxury, and Excess in our most innocent Fruitions. There was a time indeed when the Garden furnish'd Entertainments for the most Renown'd Heroes, virtuous and excellent Persons; till the Blood-thirsty and Ambitious, over-running the Nations, and by Murders and Rapine rifl'd the World, to transplant its Luxury to its new Mistriss, _Rome_. Those whom heretofore [113]two Acres of Land would have satisfied, and plentifully maintain'd; had afterwards their very Kitchens almost as large as their first Territories: Nor was that enough: Entire [114]_Forests_ and _Parks_, _Warrens_ and _Fish-Ponds_, and ample Lakes to furnish their Tables, so as Men could not live by one another without Oppression: Nay, and to shew how the best, and most innocent things may be perverted; they chang'd those frugal and _inemptas Dapes_ of their Ancestors, to that Height and Profusion; that we read of [115]_Edicts_ and _Sumptuary Laws_, enacted to restrain even the Pride and Excess of _Sallets_. But so it was not when the _Pease-Field_ spread a Table for the Conquerors of the World, and their Grounds were cultivated _Vomere laureato, & triumphali aratore_: The greatest Princes took the _Spade_ and the _Plough-Staff_ in the same Hand they held the Sceptre; and the n.o.blest [116]Families thought it no Dishonour, to derive their Names from _Plants_ and _Sallet-Herbs_; They arriv'd, I say to that Pitch of ingrossing all that was but green, and could be vary'd by the Cook (_Heu quam prodiga ventris_!) that, as _Pliny_ tells us (_non sine pudore_, not without blushing) a poor Man could hardly find a _Thistle_ to dress for his Supper; or what his hungry [117]_a.s.s_ would not touch, for fear of p.r.i.c.king his Lips.

Verily the Luxury of the East ruin'd the greatest Monarchies; first, the _Persian_, then the _Grecian_, and afterwards _Rome_ her self: By what Steps, see elegantly describ'd in Old [118]_Gratius_ the _Faliscian_, deploring his own Age compar'd with the former:

_O quantum, & quoties decoris frustrata paterni!_ _At qualis nostris, quam simplex mensa Camillis!_ _Qui tibi cultus erat post tot, serrane, triumphos?_ _Ergo illi ex habitu, virtutisq; indole priscae,_ _Imposuere orbi Romam caput_:----

Neighb'ring Excesses being made thine own, How art thou fall'n from thine old Renown!

But our _Camilli_ did but plainly fare, No Port did oft triumphant _Serran_ bear: Therefore such Hardship, and their Heart so great Gave _Rome_ to be the World's Imperial Seat.

But as these were the Sensual and Voluptuous, who abus'd their Plenty, spent their Fortunes and shortned their Lives by their Debauches; so never did they taste the Delicaces, and true Satisfaction of a sober Repast, and the infinite Conveniences of what a well-stor'd _Garden_ affords; so elegantly describ'd by the [119]_Naturalist_, as costing neither Fuel nor Fire to boil, Pains or time to gather and prepare, _Res expedita & parata semper_: All was so near at hand, readily drest, and of so easie Digestion; as neither to offend the Brain, or dull the Senses; and in the greatest Dearth of Corn, a little Bread suffic'd.

In all Events,

_Panis ematur, Olus, Vini s.e.xtarius adde_ _Queis humana sibi doleat natura negatis_.

Bread, Wine and wholsome Sallets you may buy, What Nature adds besides is Luxury.

They could then make an honest Meal, and dine upon a _Sallet_ without so much as a Grain, of _Exotic Spice_; And the _Potagere_ was in such Reputation, that she who neglected her _Kitchen-Garden_ (for that was still the Good-Woman's Province) was never reputed a tolerable Hus-wife: _Si vespertinus subit te oppresserit hospes_, she was never surpriz'd, had all (as we said) at hand, and could in a Trice set forth an handsome _Sallet_: And if this was Happiness, _Convictus facilis sine arte mensa_ (as the _Poet_ reckons) it was here in Perfection. In a Word, so universal was the _Sallet_, that the [120]Un-b.l.o.o.d.y Shambles (as _Pliny_ calls them) yielded the [121]_Roman_ State a more considerable Custom (when there was little more than honest _Cabbage_ and _Worts_) than almost any thing bessides brought to Market.

They spent not then so much precious time as afterwards they did, gorging themselves with _Flesh_ and _Fish_, so as hardly able to rise, without reeking and reeling from Table.

[122]----_Vides ut pallidus omnis_ _Coena desurgat dubia? quin corpus onustum_ _Hesternis vitiis, animum quoque praegravat una,_ _Atque affigit humo divinae particulam aurae_.

See but how pale they look, how wretchedly, With Yesterday's Surcharge disturb'd they be!

Nor Body only suff'ring, but the Mind, That n.o.bler Part, dull'd and depress'd we find.

Drowsie and unapt for Business, and other n.o.bler Parts of Life.

Time was before Men in those golden Days: Their Spirits were brisk and lively.

----_Ubi dicto citius curata sopori_ _Membra dedit, Vegetus praescripta ad munera surgit_.

With shorter, but much sweeter Sleep content, Vigorous and fresh, about their Business went.

And Men had their Wits about them; their Appet.i.tes were natural, their Sleep _molli sub arbore_, sound, sweet, and kindly: That excellent Emperour _Tacitus_ being us'd to say of _Lettuce_, that he did _somnum se mercari_ when he eat of them, and call'd it a sumptuous Feast, with a _Sallet_ and a single _Pullet_, which was usually all the Flesh-Meat that sober Prince eat of; whilst _Maximinus_ (a profess'd Enemy to _Sallet_) is reported to have scarce been satisfied, with sixty Pounds of Flesh, and Drink proportionable.

There was then also less expensive Grandure, but far more true State; when _Consuls_, great Statesmen (and such as atchiev'd the most renown'd Actions) sup'd in their _Gardens_; not under costly, gilded, and inlaid Roofs, but the spreading _Platan_; and drank of the Chrystal Brook, and by Temperance, and healthy Frugality, maintain'd the Glory of _Sallets_, _Ah, quanta innocentiore victu_! with what Content and Satisfaction!

Nor, as we said, wanted there Variety; for so in the most blissful Place, and innocent State of Nature, See how the first _Empress_ of the World _Regal's_ her _Celestial_ Guest:

[123]_With sav'ry Fruit of Taste to please_ _True Appet.i.te, ---- and brings_ _Whatever Earth's all-bearing Mother yields_ _----Fruit of all kinds, in Coat_ _Rough, or smooth-Rind, or bearded Husk, or Sh.e.l.l_.

_Heaps with unsparing Hand: For Drink the Grape_ _She crushes, inoffensive Moust, and Meaches_ _From many a Berry, and from sweet Kernel prest,_ _She temper'd dulcid Creams_.----

Then for the Board.

----_Rais'd of a gra.s.sy Turf_ _The Table was, and Mossy Seats had round;_ _And on the ample Meaths from Side to Side,_ _All Autumn pil'd: Ah Innocence,_ _Deserving Paradise_!

Thus, the _Hortulan_ Provision of the [124]_Golden Age_ fitted all _Places_, _Times_ and _Persons_; and when Man is restor'd to that State again, it will be as it was in the Beginning.

But now after all (and for Close of all) Let none yet imagine, that whilst we justifie our present Subject through all the _Topics of Panegyric_, we would in Favour of the _Sallet_, drest with all its Pomp and Advantage turn Mankind to _Gra.s.s_ again; which were ungratefully to neglect the Bounty of Heaven, as well as his Health and Comfort: But by these n.o.ble Instances and Examples, to reproach the _Luxury_ of the present Age; and by shewing the infinite Blessing and Effects of Temperance, and the Vertues accompanying it; with how little Nature, and a [125]Civil Appet.i.te may be happy, contented with moderate things, and within a little Compa.s.s, reserving the rest, to the n.o.bler Parts of Life. And thus of old,

_Hoc erat in votis, modus agri non ita magnus, _&a._

He that was possess'd of a little Spot of Ground, and well=cultivated _Garden_, with other moderate Circ.u.mstances, had [126]_Haeredium_. All that a modest Man could well desire. Then,

[127]_Happy the Man, who from Ambition freed,_ _A little Garden, little Field does feed._ _The Field gives frugal Nature what's requird;_ _The Garden what's luxuriously desir'd:_ _The specious Evils of an anxious Life,_ _He leaves to Fools to be their endless Strife_.

O Fortunatos nimium bona si sua norint Horticulos!

_FINIS_

_APPENDIX_