The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-02-11 00:00:00

A "DOG'S MEAT" DINNER.

A horse dinner, the first cm so large a male es to
bring torrether many tastes and prejedices, ma off
with brilliant Gnomes on Thursday evoming, at the
Laugh= Hotel, London. It was devised by Mr.
F. 8.0.5.; wolfed by the iticalions
ea great an enthusiast as anybody on the sabjr
horeocating ; end presided over by Mr. Forsyth, Q.C.
The tables in the largest hall of the Leagbasa Hotel
were lettered, from A to F, and the pleas. of the iambi
were indicated by numbers--• ohm which, no doubt,
prevented the 411,14101 of mailman, ttemegli it Mel, have
somewhat interfered with the desire et near Pomona to
choose their eompany. Model's of hones' head, the
sing of life, wets touchingly displayed oa the sides of
the room • and a photograph of the three animals from
whose bcdies—Theophile Gautier 'minimum that the
horse when dead is not to be called a carcass, but a
• body—the flesh was out for this banquet, was handed
among the guest/. The two soups led off hopefully,
both being as good asthey could he. The Gamesome
was light, brisk, and invigorating—pale and ease, but
full of excellent flavour. The thick amp, poetically
pretandiug to be made of chargers, or " doetriere,"
was like a perste of leveret., less proisminced in flavour,
but still approaching to the taste of trash gone. Each
kind of fish had a manic indebted to one or other of the
dull-looking screws in the photograph ; hat sad blunders
were made by the attendants in serving the fish and
the sauces, so that if they were in any raw properly
matched it was by the favour of fortune. The sauce
entitled "Arabs" may have been ao named playfully, as
a variation of "Tartare." At all events, it was the
same thing. Into the terrine of " foie mays" we did
not dip; hut the 11100i111100 was about the best we have
over tasted. The substantial dishes of true horsellesh
were satisfactory proofs that the food, socked in ordinary
fashion, is palateable. This was the great thing to
aeeertsin, after all Skill in disguising material might,
we know, turn loathing into appetite and reliefs.
Bet In the roast filet of horseflesh, though served with
• most alluring gravy, there was no possible mistake.
A surprise ushered in the mooed services. While the
company was discussing pails Otis d in ritoEfle
/help/tale, the notes of • trumpet pounded through
the room. After • fanfare, the first hereof "The Rout
Beef of Old England" evoked peals of laughter. The tune
was continued ; and presently, looking towards the
door at the end of the hall, the diners beheld a portly
parsonage, dreamed in a herald's talbard, who, without ,
coming to play the good old air, marched forward in
front of • trophy—no lees than a baron of horse, borne
by four cooks in their white caps, jackets, and aprons.
Up to the farthest end of the MOW Sad down again
as far as the middle, where was plaeed a buffet, went
the herald, and the four woks, and the heron of what
looked like beef, and wasn't. When the mighty dish
was laid down, slice after slim was out till the weight
of the baron must hays been sensibly reduced. Like
beef, with a longer and more open grain, and
without the appearance of any fat in the
tissues, horse partakes likewise, though in a less ,
degree, of the character of venison. Even the
entremets were "homey." the maraschino jelly being
made of the noble animal's hoofs. The oaks with the
veterinary 0.441111 and the unprejudiced sorbet. deserve
the praise whish they received from all who tried them.
We have recorded, in the spirit of fairness and im•
partiality, • dinner to which a numerous party eat
down, whose fathers would as soon have thought of
eating • well-dressed man so • horse however skilfully
cl
sent to table, in hors.atuvres and tit-bita—Tetectreph.
A hundred and fifty hippophagiats paid a guinea and
• half each for a splendid feast of viands which, in the
good time coming, are '4l be retailed at twopence half.
penny • pound. The three animals slaughtered for the
banquet were of the respeetive ages 0ff41,20, and 22 years.
Two had been art-horses ; one had drawn • brougham,
and in his prime had been worth 700 maims. The heron
was carved from the four-year-old,
isearrincirrat, owscrrtowe TO zaturd Rona.

We could not altogether overcome—says a writer in
the Pall Mall Gaume—nor. indeed, have we even now
entirely succeeded in this respect —a sentinital objection
to feeding on an animel for whom, In other ways, we
entertain a certain affection. Another side of this
sentimental difEculty occur, to on in this connection
which we will content Ourselves with glancing at, as we
moat admit that the ground does not feel altogether
firm under our feet. An eminent New England
divine has lately declared with reference to future
possibilities, having looked the matter all round, "that
be would a darned sight goonsr be a good hone than a
bad man." The Indian chief, we are told speculating
oa the WOO mysterious subjectto the beet of his lights—