The Sun.
London, England, 1818-12-19 00:00:00

LITERARY REVIBIV.

REDlvlvrs.—'flht. COOK'S ORACLE; contain-
ior, Practical Receipts for Roactilur,, Frying, Broil-
ing, Vegetables, Fish, Flashes, Made Dishes, &c. &c. uu
, the most economical Plan for Private Families; also, the
Art of composing the most simple and most highly finished
Broths, Gravies, Soups, Sauces, and tiairring Essemief
the quantity of each Article being accurately stated by
Weight or Measure; the humblest Novice may work with
the same cei tainty as the experienced Cool:. The result of
actual Experiments made in the kitchen of a Physician,
for the purpose of composing a Culinary Code for the ra-
tional Epicure, and augmenting the alimentary enjoy-
tocnts of Private Families; comhin;tig economy with ele-
gance : and saving expense to Housekeepers, and trouble
• to Servants.

As it is well-known that Poets and Reviewers
generally occupy the highest apartments in the
mansions which they inhabit, and seldom conic
within even the scent of the luxuries of the table,
it must be evident to the Reader that ,the Work
before us places us in the condition of poor Tantalus,
and that, far from being in a state of mental calm-
ness, requisite to a due examination of its merits,
we must feel all the mortification necessarily
arising from the contemplation of those fruits
which we are never likely to taste. The very
title-page, which we insert at full length, for the
gratification of those whose happy fate gives them
au opportunity of carrying into practice the pre•
cepts which the Work so abundantly contains,
presents a tnost alluring invitation to the enjoy-
merits of the table, and must increase the morti-
fication and sorrow of those who are destined
never to approach them. But to turn nom so
trying awl so painful a thought to a set ions con-
sideration of the Work itself. It is, we under-
stand, the production of Dr. KITCHENER, a Gen-
tlemao of fortune, who has no reason for publish-
ing aWork of this nature, except from motives of
philanthropy, and a laudable regard to the health
of mankind. The Work, we are assured, was
written from actual experiment, as an amuse-
meor of the lei Sure of an independant man,
and HS what he liberally considers as a duty
to his fellow-being, in order to increase the
comforts of the middling classes, and to en-
able the economist, the rational. epicure, atal the
invalid, its their respective pursuits, to reap their
full pennyworth of information by a perusal of his
culinary lucubrations.—The Work is diverting as
well as didactic ; the Preface is very facetious,
and die Author has contrived, without deserting
the grave duty of 3 Preceptor, to mingle notch of
pleasant humour with his vast multiplicity of Re-
ceipts. We lately gave a specimeoof his culinary
knowledge, by inserting his recipe for Mushroom
Catsup, which we have reason to believe was
copied by many of the London and most of the
Provincial Journals throughout the Kingdom.--
'We have already noticed the liberal motives which
induced the Author to undertake the Work, and,
as far as we Call venture to judge, from our rare
opportunities of personal proof, and have heard of
the opinions Of those who, from their happier lot,
are better qualified to decide, it is the most com-
Wete, as well as most extensive, production of the
kind that has ever been presented to the Public.
As a proof of its merit, it has already reached a
Second Edition, though published hut a few
months ago ; and it may fairly be presumed, con-
sid, ring the tempting nature of the subject to
all who are blessed with appetite, taste, and a good
digestion, that it will rapidly proceed through
Many future Editions. The Author has, there-
fore, reason to apprehend that if " dead spirits
revisit the glimpses of the moon," he may be
haunted by the Ghost of the celebrated Mrs.
Grosse, the former great authority on the sub-
ject, either to torment him for having deprived
her memory of all earthly honours, or to congra-
tulate him on his success in having so much im-
proved her favourite science.