Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-18
The Philosophy of Dining.

The two dinners which stand out In our men,
DRY as events in our life were of very different
characters. The one consisted of brown bread
and lard, washed down with some rough coun-
try wine, and was eaten in the middle Of Tryo-
lese glacier. The other embraced every delicacy
the heart could wish. Our appreciation of the
first was due to compulsory fasting for some time
previously. Our appreciation of the second was
due to its intrinsic merit In it the dishes seemed
to be so arranged that each one stimulated the
palate for the one that succeeded it, and the
wines given with each course were so selected
as to increase the appetite for, and appreciation
of. the solids. We then, for the first time i'm our
life, began to realize that cookery was fine art
In speaking of the fine arts we generally include
only those which appeal to the speaca senses
OF sight and hearing. such as sculpture. paint
Ing, architecture, music. and we rarely think of
appealing to the special senses of smell and
taste. Yet the latter two are. perhaps. quite as
closely connected with our emotions as the for
mer, and as capable Of exciting keen sensations
OF pain and pleasure. Smell and taste differ
from sight and hearing in being much more easily
fatigued, and this may partly be the cause of
their imperfect cultivation. Another cause is.
probably, the closer connection which smell and
taste have with the process of nutrition, and the
consequent alterations which repeated impress
siOns upon them may have upon the general
well being. A man may pass long hours in a
picture gallery or concert-rOOm, receiving i'm
pressiOnS good. bad or Indifferent, without much
effect upon digestion or upon circulation, but q
bad OdOr would quickly excite nausea or sick
ness. The impressiOnable natures of Southern
Italy object to strong perfumes. even though
pleasant. The sense Of taste differs In one par
ticular from the other three. viz: that while the
agents which excite them may remain outside
the body. the substances which excite taste are
taken into the body, and thus have an action
upon it independently Of their mere effect upon
the sense OF itself. In gratifying this sense,
therefore, we have to consider not merely what
Will give the greatest pleasure at the moment,
but what will be most satisfactory in its after re-
suits Fortunately, pleasure to the palate usu-
ally aids digestion. ii obtained in the proper
way; but comparatively few people know the
art of dining properly themselves, and still fewer
know how to give good dinners to their friends.
The Young Man and His Vest.
From the Philadelphia Times.
There are seemingly large number Of young
men in this day and generation who have moth
ing else to do but cOntrive new things to wear
and hunt up novel ways Of passing time away.
They are constantly visible on the streets, ex
hibiring the results of their labor. They are
known at once. Not even Oscar Wilde, in all
his glory, is arrayed like one of them. Just
now they are unusually plentiful. At least half
a dozen are encountered or avoided on every
block. Their latest device is in the shape of q
vest-a many-cOlOred vest.
So conspicuous is this portion Of their raiment
that the remainder of their makeup is only
given a casual glance. and that which without
the vest would afford unbounded amusement,
with the vest is scarcely noticed. The vest is
blue, green or saffron as best suits the ideas of
the dearly sweet and sweetly dear wearer. 1t
is covered with polka dots, small dots or mix
ttre Of dots and diagOnals. 1t can be seen q
long distance of, which is a matter to be thank
full for as the pedestrian can cross the street In
time or look in store window until 1t has
passed by. The vest is probably expensive II
1t isn't 1t ought to be, for the thought Of their
becoming common is enough to drive decent
folk crazy. No free trade in them should be al
lowed. They should be protected and very
largely protected, or else taxed out Of existence
How long this Yesture will last Ii more than
even Vennor can predict. It may survive the
summer, but it is to be hoped that the first warm
wave will sweep the vests away. II it Is other
wise decreed, however, and the country must
needs bear the burden and endure the sight,
there Is but one expedient left for sensible
people and those troubled with weak eyes,
They must remain In the city. for it is certain
that the wearers Of these combinations will
seek the resorts The resorts are to be pitied.
for only the cOlor-blnd can meet with fortitude
the young man and his vest.