The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-08-30

yer sometimes came in dressed as hunter, TO
operate on the wild boar. if it were, served as
the piece de resistance.
Alter this as q surprise In the nature OF pleas.
ant practical joke. would be borne IN. say Pig
stuffed with live thrushes that few out when the
cook opened their prison with his knife. ,
Men like Apicius, Of insane appettes, would
construct new dishes of singing birds, or OF the
brains of ostriches and nightingales; but these
were exceptional cases, TO be matched only Dy
the crazy prodigsty Of tyrannicai voluptuaries
like Heliogabulus who would strew his noors
with gold dust-ordinary people sreWng tneir
mosaic pavemeDts merely with sanron, ana col
cred and perfumed sawdust.
Itvss not uncommon at the close Of Roman
dinner for the ceiling TO open and presents 10 oe
sceud fastened to silver hoop. In TINS way SILL
yer and alabsster bottles Of ointment and silver
garlands were often given to the guests; mnen
handed round by the slaves. In the dessert Tray
a statue often occupied the center, Flora or Yer.
tumnus lsden with fruits, sometimes artlncial snd
fu Of saffron colored juices, that spirited forth on
those who first pressed them. Among the sweet
meats made by the Romans were fish aud BIRDS
moulded in pastry and filed with almonds aud raj
sins; they were also fond of melons cut into
shapes and of ounces stuck with almonds.
When rich people gave an entertainment and
wished TO make up by displays Of wealth for witty
and amusing conversation. IL was usual TO nav
rope dancers and posture makers TO exhibit be.
tween the courses; while more refined people
WOul0 een0 1Or 0ute- plhycTb VI HOutu nave Opeu
ish dancing girls from Cadiz to perform their semi
Oriental dances.
the party would then take baths OF saunter along
the colonDades, while new room was ntted up
for them. Roman furniture was more portable
thsn ours, and the change would give the numer'
GUS slaves Of rich man bat very little trouble.
We must imagine the new room paneled win mar.
BILE, the ceiling inlaid with gold aad ivoryj the
chairs tables and couches, ia the pure Greek
taste simple and severely beautiful in shape. The
| lamps would be like the Pompeiian lamps, hung
| by bronze and silver chains from the ceiling, or
suspe nded from the cross boughs OF bronze pillars
| Greek taste had shaped every cup and moulded
| even the simplest ornaments Of the table. The
| Qoblets of all shapes were ranged on silver OF
| marble sideboards. The slaves prepared the yes
sells full Of snow, and the urns for the mule vine
The chsirmsn or king Of the feast was then chosen
| by throw Of dice, after the rose and ivy wresth
| aud perfumes and ointments had been distributed
He who threw Venus, or the six, became king
TIE lowest cast was called the dog. II was usual
as each one threw for him TO invoke the name o
the woman he loved. The leader of the feast de
cided what quantity Of water should be nike.
with the wine, as only svowed drunkards t9ol
pure wine. This chairman also fixed what numos
of eysth or lsdlesiul, each person should hsv
poured into bis glass at a time. when CUES
proposed toast he mentioned the name OF III
| love and companions and himself then drank q
msny sdlesfu Of negus as there were letters 10 IN
lady's name.
But after all, IL must he allowed tnat tnere
some Justice In Smollett's extraordinary humoI
Gus caricature ESQ much in the style OF Gilray
of dinner after the manner of the sncient
The Romans were in some respects barbaric .
their tastes. They crsyed for unnatural thing
rather than real dsiBties.
We certainly should prefer salmon Ia Bechi
mel to thuuDy seasoned with (ughD assfeud
and cheese. They perfumed their wines, whic
must have destroyed all refinement OF bouquet
they mingled their courses ia sssvsge manner, an
without respect TO the conUenGnces or to commo
sense; they were fond of vulgar tricks an
theatrical surprises, which must have irritsted Il
temper and vexed the digestion; they neglecte
soups. They were ignorant of liqueurs, snd d
not know the glory of a chase, or the proprisJ
gloria" They frested that poor weak vess
Ihe stomach with rsspng music and pompr
trumpetipgs, and interrupted the serious attentic
requisite for the pure enjoyment OF an exquisl
dish by the unwise Introduction OF ballet gir
and aorobats. And above all-and here we no
them guilty Of the highest tresson-they, as
rule, excluded ladies from their bsnquss. !
wonder that leerlng Debauchery, crimson fact
Drunkenness and other OF Circes chosen servant
forced their way in at the barred Roman doc
and that where the chaste Venus was forbidd'
Cotytto and her train were welcomed.-lEngli
Ionrual.