The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-22
WHAT GREAT MEN EAT
Curiosity OF observation-disclosures
Augustus CJesAr - ApicIus - T~HsO-
Henry Instrumentation hec'

The Cincinnati CORheTc'd presehts lts
readers with pleasing article on the gastatory
passion. telling its readers how some Of the
great men of history have lived. We resd-
The word gastronomy, which possesses all
the attributes of good living in their perfec-
ton, is scarcely half a century old, and is, Of
course, due to the French who compounded
it, with their usual skill in adaptation, from
the Greek. From the indiscrimnats and
vulgar gluttOny Of Vltellus and Hsliogsbalus,
those old heatheps of the Decline and Fall, to
the refined and delicate taste Of the epicurean
Luoullus there is wide interval.
Yet no human being is wholly without in
terest in the science of gsstronomy, since there
is none but must eat to live. Those who
reverse the rule, and only live TO eat, are not
gourmands in the true sense, and lose the test
of pleasure in the overtasking of the palate.
One of the most refined and philosophic of
modern writers laments, with pathetic earnest
ness, the dire necessities that compel us all to
pay tribute TO the cupboard in the declaration,
81 can get rid of everything but this perpetual
stomach he must eat, and cannot make him
respectable"
The most graphic and thoughtful Of modern
historians, far from despising such tribes as
the traits and foibles of great men, dwels
upon all such items with interest, as among
the best revelations of character. When we
read of the reformer Luther, that he was of
foil habits, and hearty eater that he loved
an insight into the life and spirit of the man
that is worth whole volumes in folio of con-
trOversial theology.
Charlemagne, the first Western Emperor,
who died in 1914, although very frugal liver,
was extremely fond of game. On ordinary
occasions, writes Capefgne there were but
four plates on his dinner table, besides piece
of game that the hunters brought to the EN-
peror, ready spitted, since they knew this was
his favorite meat. The historian adds that
this prince used rarely to drink more than
three times at his repast.
Augustus Cesar was fond of brown bread,
little fish, cheese, aud of new cows milk, and
fresh figs. Suetonus relates that he drank
habtually but three glasses at each meal,
which shows him to have been of much more
sober and simple tastes than most of his sue
cessors.
Apicius the celebrated Roman gourmand,
WI ose name has furnished proverbial phrase
to the literature Of dietetcs, WAS passiOnately
fol Of Holsters. Small blame to him for that
siI ce this is the most delicious of shell fish,
rext to the oyster, which must ever bear away
the palm. Having heard that the Coast of
Africa yielded Holsters larger and more deli
cae than the Italian, Apicus Immediately
Chartered vessel and set sail to ascertain the
fact, and bear home the prizes across the
Mediterranean. A rich old fellow was this
Apicius, who spent on his table 100, 900, 900
J,
and one fine day, having cast up his accounts,
and found that if his debts paid he
should have left but 10000 600 sesterces
$500, ,000), he quietly swallowed poison
through fear of dying of hunger.
The Latin poet Martial, who died in the
year los of our era had special taste for the
thrush and the hare, preference which he
himself declared i'll this epigram:-
"Inter aves turdus, 81 quis, me judlce, eertet,
Inter bankruptcies gloIlA prlma lepuB.'
The Emperor Alexander Severus was so
fond of rabbits that, according to his biogra-
pher, Lampridius, he ate one at every meal.
Frederick, Emperor of Germany, who died
in lS43, was madly in love with melons, and
his immoderate passion for them finally car
ried him to the tomb, as the consequence OF
an indig sstion. The same accident, and from
precisely the same cause, put an end to the
career OF the Emperor Maximiian II, of Ger
many.
Tasso the Italian poet, had marked predi-
lection for sugared dishes, well baked in the
oven, and for all kinds of fruit and cOnfeotion-
cry. He was SO fond of sugar, that he always
put it in his salad.
Henry w., of France, had passionate fond
ness for melons and oysters. He used to eat
immoderately of both, but it would appear
that the wine of Arbois, of which he made a
great use, saved him from the indigestion to
which the great indulgence ia such ailments
exposed him.
The French Marshal Hocquincourt, who
died in 1868, had a particular penchant for
Sleeps tails, and kept all his life a cook who
knew how to prepare savory dish of this
caudal mutton, which the Marshal dispensed
to his officers to put them in good stomach fol
battle.
Charles XII, King of Sweden, was certainly
not a difficult eater, since Voltaire records thai
a slice of bread and butter was his supreme
choice in matters OF diet.
Crebllon, fLs the French novelist, who
died in 1777, was an Unsuitable devourer o.
oysters.
A certain English gentleman named Roger
son, gave great preference to ortolans-at Least
the final act of his life seems to prove this
We are assured that this disciple of Apicius
expended, in the space OF nine months, the
almost incredible sum of Gl50, 900 sterling
upon his table and culinary experiments. Ii
fact, his whole fortune had been thus swal
lowed up; and, seeing himself reduced t.
want, he employed a guinea, the last tina
remained to him out of his large fortune, Il
the preparation of an ortolan, his favorit'
meat. Then, having tasted, with all the de
location of a cOnsummste epicure, this ulti
mate dish, he quietly fell back and blew hi
brains OUT.
Voltaire was extravagantly fond of coffee
which he drank TO excess as Dr.. Johnson die
tea. The same characteristic WAS exhibited by
the naturalist, BuifJn, who almost lived upon
coffee.
Schiller, the great German poet, who dice
in 1905, was so extremely fond of ham, tina
he ate it nearly every day, and notwithstand
ing this remarkable taste, he drank but spar
ingy.