Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-22
Prom Bcutley's Miscellany.
DEATH OF the CILgssArED FRENCH COOK

Il otAfu w Ahr ~>~'>
| In France by the way, the memory of that noble
| martyr is still kept holy. lie Grand TaeF is o..
f,miiiary talked Of as 's grand Ssy, or Leafs is
Grand and Franeateile may perhaps survive in
| the calendar of astronomy rs Saint Franeatele,
who suffered msr,yr6om in the 6llh year Of the
reign OF Queen Victoria, in the nineteenth century.
The story OF the said great Vatel is pretty well
| known among MS. Nevertheless, the last English
| translation Of Madame de Sevisne's letters gives
80 fgnoraaiissins version OF the matter as 10 de
serve comment. Vatel was cook to the Prince de
Condo; and on the intimation Of Louis the Four.
teenth that the Court would spend few days with
| his trusty and well beloved cousin at his palace at
Chsn,illy twenty miles from Paris, the great man
read in the announcement Of this royal visit his
brevet Of immortality.
To Cnantilly, accordingly, repaired the Court;
and though his Majesty observed to cat, drink.
and sleep there during the first four and-;wenty
hours entirely his royal satisfaction, the tender
honor Of Vatel was wounded to the quick on per
ceving that, at the FIRST days dinner the first course
second ate; and that at the table Of the ladies
Of honour two roasts were deficient.
The unfortunate chef slept not that fatal night
II was in vain that the chamberlain of the Prince
de Condo, as well rs comptroller OF the Kings
house, assured him nothing could be more admira-
bic than his arrangements-nothing more exquisite
than his sntyees;-that the King had eaten with ap
petite, and praised with dignity. The sensitive
Vatel wrung his hands, and refused 10 be comfort
cd Two roasts had been wanting!
BY daybreak he was at his post,-inspeetns the
progress Of preparations for the royal breakfast;
but with eoun'enance expressive oil bitter an
guish and unsoaeeable remorse. He wes heard to
inquire repeatedly OF the clerk of the kitchen and
his legion OF myrmidons. or mdrmilonS, whether
'the were ariNedP
The marssr quo,h an English translator; what
on earth is the maresr-and turning TO the detiona
ry. finds that bears the Interpretation OF tide
-fux and rsfux Of the sea- and scarcely concev-
ing 1t possible, (even with the full force Of his din
nerhoodl that the hux and reflux Of the sea could
have been expected by the night-coaeh at Chanuly,
he gravely assures US in the name and in behalf Of
Madame de Sevgne, that Va,el was heard inquir-
ing on all sides whether the salt ceisr were arr
vedr His subordinatcs, continues our translator,
answered him in the affirmative, and showed him a
small portion OF salt water forwarded from Dep
pc, without being aware that a similar quantity OF
salt water was TO be forwarded from each OF the
fishing towns OF La Manehe.
The agonzed chef was now reduced TO utter des-
pair; under the influence of which, rs IL is only
too well and widely known, he retired to his cham
Der, exelaimng that his honour was irrclrleyably
furnished, fell upon his sword EXPIRED
And all this, according to our English translation,
for the sake OF little salt water ,-Ei poiid CONNIE
on eerii PhisiOrs !!
II need no., Of course, be suggested to our ee
conplishcd readers, that marte is the general de
sisnation of fish, according TO the idiom OF the
kitchen. IL was fast.day; and Vate, conceivng
himself condemned 10 a wreiched brill aud a few
Writings, instead OF the miraculous draught oil
turbots and mullets on which he had ioreseen the
occasion OF exercising his art, and unwilling TO
survive his humiliation, precptated himself out of
the frying pan into the fire. and became immortal
as Enceladus
This was fault; this was dying like Coresio.-
dying like Keats. IL may have been great for
great cook TO die at the nStigaon OF wOunded hon.
our; but il would have been greater TO have lived
and extended the bucker sauce pan-eover Of
genius over his scars. Careme Ude, nay, even
Franca,ele, would have rushed to the piSeinium Of
chanty; and, sna,ching forth its grey carp, vora
cious pike, or speekled trout, converted them into
,urb bots and lobster sauce Nay, We are by no
means certain that one at least Of the three would
not have made a sweelbread figure to perfection as
dish OF mullets papillOts; or caused a turkey
poult to assume the form Of a Gods head and
shoulders, But in the time OF Louis lie Grand the
science was in its infancy. Substitutes and ambi
gus were not and Vatel los, his life for iurbo.,
as Franeatee his place for 4 lobster.