Smyrna times., 1868-09-09
TASTES OF FAMOUS MEN.


casions, writes Capetigne, there were but four
plates on his dinner table, besides a piece of
game, which 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 Caesar was fond Of brown bread,
little fish, cheese made of new COW milk, and
fresh figs. Suetonius relates that he drank
habitually but three glasses at each meal,
which shows him to have been of much more
sober and similar tastes than most Of his sue
ceSsOrs.
Apcius, the celebrated Roman gourmand, |
whose name has been handed down by literary |
celebrities, was passionately fond of Holsters,
having heard that the coast of Africa yielded
HOLSTERS larger and more delicate than the ltal-
ian. ApiciuS Immediately chartered a vessel
and set sail to ascertain the fact, and bear home
the prizes across the Mediterranean. He spent
on his table hundred million sesterccs (about
$4,O0O,000 of our money! and one fine day,
having cast up his accounts and found that if
his debts were paid he should have left but
ten million sesterces $500, ,0OO,) he quietly
swallowed poison through fear Of dying Of hun
ger;
The Latin poet, Martial, who died in the
year l05 of our era, had special taste for the
thrush and the hare, preference which he
Inter bankruptcies gloria prma lepus."
The Emperor Alexander Severus was so fond
of rabbits that, according to his biographer,
LampridiuS, he ate one at every meal.
Frederick, Emperor ct Germany, who died
in 1S43, was madly in love with melons, and
his immoderate passion for them finally carried
him to the tomb as consequence Of an indI-
gestion. The same accident, and from precise
! ly the same cause, put an end to the career Of
the Emperor Maximilian H., of Germany.
Tssso, the Italian poet, had marked pre-
dilection for sugared dishes, well baked in the
oven, and for all kinds of fruits and coniection-
ary 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
mmodcrately of both, but it would appear that
! the wine of ArbOis, of which he made q great
use, saved him from the indigestion to which
the great indulgence in such ailments exposed
! him.
The French Marshal Hocquincourt, who
died in 1908, had a particular penchsnt for
Sleeps tails, and kept all his life cook who
knew how to prepare a savory dish of this
to his officers to put them in good stomach for
battle
Charles XII, King of Sweden, was certain
ly not difficult eater since Voltaire records
that slice Of bread and butter was his supreme
choice in matters of diet.
Creblll0n, ills, the French nc velist, who died
in I'LL, was an Unsuitable devourer Of oysters
A certain English gentleman, named Roger
son, gave great preference to ortoanS-at least
the final act of his life seems to prove this
We are assured that this disciple Of Apicius
j expended, in the space of nine months, the al
most incredible sum of one hundred and fifty
thousand pounds sterling upon his table and
culinary experiments. In fact, his whole for
tune had been thus swallowed up; and, seeing
himself reduced to want he employed guinea,
the last that remained to him out of his large
fortune, to the preparation Of an ortOlan, his
favOrlte meat Then, having tasted with all
the delectltion of a consummate epicure this
ultimate dish, he quietly fell back and blew his
brains out.
Voltaire was extravagabtly fond of coffee,
which he drank to excess, as Dr. johnson did
tea. The same characteristic was exhibited by
the naturalist Button, who almost lived upon
coffee.
Schiller, the great German poet, who died
in 1905, was so extremely fond of ham that he
ate it nearly every day, and, Notwithstanding
this remarkable taste, he drank but sparingly.
Frederick the Great of Prussia, had nOta
BILE prediction for dish called poienta. This
was species of harley-cake reduced to powder
and roasted. On this, and cup of coffee lin
his passion for which this prince fairly rivaled
his friend Voltaire he used to regale himself
with much gusto. Not very great debauch
tor king or philosopher.
Napoleon was another great coffee drinker
3 and would take sometimes twenty cups per day
without apparent injury. 1t was his only
marked taste in dietary matters, the Other
pleasures of the table having been, in meas
ure, Indifferent to him. This caused his cham
berlain, Mr.. Cussy, renowned gourmand, tC
lament that ''the sentiment Of the cuisine
, was Who'll y wanting to the Emperor; and ht
cited this defect as an evidence that even the
l greatest men cannot be perfect.