The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-07
THE HOUSEHOLD,


ar in its coming round than dinner" The diff.
srsnos here noted between dinner time and din |
,sr bstokens a philosophio mind aud an acute |
on the part Of "Mr. Trotty Week,
which deserves, and has enlisted, our profound
respest and admiration. Yet without dstrsoting
10 the least from tbs truth and wisdom OF this
observation, We may venture TO remark the i'm
aense proportion Of human life that is spent in
cheering the inner man with meat and drink. Az
h regular thing
THE AVERAGE AMERICAN
s strictly bibuloHs, and provides for his own
creature comforts and thoss OF his family ON ths
ratio OF one loaf Of bread 10 one gslop-or one
loaf. If you prefer it-of whisky. the bread 10 20
10 the family. For tho truth of this observation
we refer 10 statistics, whieh show drinking
house 10 every 2s] American oitizsns.
Iffurther erroborstion is required. we point
with pride TO the grand fnsnoal results attained
by the Moffstt register. IL ia safe, then. TO as
sums thst eating is but secondary considers
lion. ssrt Of necessary evil in this 'lsnd Of the
free and home Of The brave" Yet, with all our
drinking, and we do ss much Of it. il not more.
than almost any other people, there is less con-
vivislity, pleasure or profit in it than with any
other nation. Ours is but an unsatisfactory rest
less, swinish and transformations insbristy,
"This heavy headed rsvel. east and west,
Makes us traduced, and taxed of other nations:
They olspe us drunkards, and with swinisb
phrase
Soil our addition
With any other people in the world an invita-
ton 10 drink necessarily
IMPLIES An INVITATION TO EAT
also; even though it be but bite, still something
is absolutely essential 10 Justify" the bibulous
indulgence and TO protect tho stomach. No re-
spsotable German or Russian ever goes 10 bed
sober, but they reach the eomstose state with
mirtb and social plsassre, over games, pleasant
osronse or music. and by taking food in the
meanwhile which absorbs in measure The spirits
taken, and thus renders their indulgence COM
psrstiyely harmless. What better proof could bs
adduced Of the uuattraotivsness Of our national
habits in this respect than 10 cite the utter bar
renuess
or ORR CoEvtvfAJ LITERATURE
What American ever drew such scenes Of con-
yvial enjoyment ne fill the pages OF the "Gentls
Elia,7 of Hszlitt. Thaekeray, TaIfourd, Wilson,
Shakespeare or Scott. or displayed such gsnisl
eoqusucs AZ that with which Dickens describes
such suppers as bob Bswysr's," such dinners a.
''Bob Cratchst's," such clubhouse gatherings ne
those which mmortalizsd "5ir Humphreys
Clock1 None: and none ever will so long as we
stand mp st bars and swig whisky for wbisky's
sake alone. II was even reserved to Dickens to
come over here and taste and immor.alizs our
American oyster, Injury enjoyed nowhere else
than in this country and which has in itself alone
more inspiration than all the ladies' eyebrows the
world ever knew.
Just think of such paper ne Hszlitt's "Coffee-
house Politicians" or Charles Lamb 3 Origin Of
Rosst Pig or ths following, from TaIfourd's
Wins- Cellar" coming out Of an American bar
room-but make to yourself, gentle reader, this
proposition and you may reach the height OF our
argument.
In our last We stated that I'VE had intended 10
give our readers a treat in the way Of
TAIToURD's DrsqU1srTIon ON wrHKs,
but the "fiendsh compositor" got hold OF that
"take" and made it Gtal instead OF treat. As q
fair, square proposition, We venture the assertion
that, practically. he never would have regarded
by any sort Of accident, a treat for a htat. But
however this may be, here is the promised ex-
tract from Talfourd's swine Cellar" and We
excuse the long quotation with the ASSURANCE
that We could write nothing equal to it either In
interest or elegance:
''What range Here rest, cooling in the
deep.delved cells, the concentrated essences OF
sunny years. In this archway hugh casks Of
mighty wine are scattered in bounteous confusion,
like the heapsd jewels and gold ON the 'rish
strand of Spencer, the least OF which would lay
Sir Walters Fleming low Throughout that long
succession OF yauIts, thousands Of bottles, in
avenues disposed, lie silently waiting their time
to kinde the imagination, TO sharpen the wit, tn
open the soul, and TO unchain the trembling
tongue. There may you feel the grandeur Of
qniscent power. and walk amidst the palpable
elements OF madness Or Of wisdom. What stores
Of sensimsns ,1s.. in that , bats Of rseisss e
thought! What suggestions for delicious
remembrance What aids to reflection = (gen-
uine as those Of Coleridge) in that hook OF CEN
tury old. What sparkling fancies, whirling and
foaming, from stout body OF thought In that
full and ripe champagnel What mild and serene
philosophy in that Burgundy, ready to shed its
sunset glow on society and nature This pale
brandy, softened by age, is the true spirit which
'distufbs us with the joy Of elevated thoughts.'
That Hermitage, stealing gently into the cham
bers OF the brain, shall make US 'babble Of green
fields and that delicate claret, innocently bub-
bling and dancing in the slender glass, shall
bring it's own vince colored hills more vividiy be-
for 1s than even Mr.. Ssanfeld's pencili There,
from ume-cnangeo pobtie, tenoefly oraWn rom
Crypt, protected by huge primeval cobwebs,
you may taste antiquity, and feel the olden time
on your palate As We sip this marvellous port,
to the very color Of which age has been gentle,
methinks we have broken into one Of those rich
vaults in which Sir Thomas Browne, the chief
butler OF the tomb, finds treasures rarer than jew
els. Some, saith he, discover sepulchral ves-
sells containing liquors which time hath incras-
sated into jeliss. For besides Iacrymatories,
notable lamps, with oils and aromatic liquors. at
tended noble ossuaries and some yet retaining
q vinosity and spirit in them, which, il any have
tasted. they fer exceed the pslates OF antiquity