The sun., 1889-12-13
DR.. LoriDg Amid Deserted Kitchens and
Wlneless Cellars.


In the long line Of American diplomatists
from MEREDITH READ in Greece to SAPo-
DILnA ScRUaas In the heart Of the Andes,
there has been no descriptive pen moro truly
eloquent than that Of the Hon. GEORGE b.
LoRINa, recently appointed as the United
States Minister to Portugal. DR.. LoRNa's
Impressions Of that country are communi-
Gated to his fellow citizens through the
columns OF tho Salem Gazette, and we hasten
10 acknowledge the value OF his service to
the cause Of general cheerfulness.
What seems to strike DR.. LoRINa most
forcibly is the fact that Portugal is now prac-
tically almost Prohibition State, as COM
pared with what 1t was In the good old days
when the monastery kitchens were in active
operation, and the monastery cellars repaid
visit. Here is the American Minister'S
picture Of Alcobapa in its glory:
Tho kitchsn Of Aieobaea most attractive in its
day-its traditions most appeEinR. II was broad
and lofty hall furnished and decorated with great ar
chectural sk and artistic tarte through which flowed
clear crystal rvule stocked with the finest river
nsh. Game venison and meats vegetables and fruits
were always heaped up there in great variety Great
furnished most delicious bread In abundance ana
every variety OF pastry and tarN sweeened with rarss
banquet from this kitchen and these stores can easily
beimagned Before 1t Mr. vLNpERBrLT's famous Kitchen
and rebeous cook sink into insiRnncance. II con-
sisted as told, Of not only the most excellent
usual fare but raries and decaces OF past seasons
and distant countries exquisite sausaReA potted lam
preys strange messes from Brasil and others still
stranger China BIRDS and sharks ns dressed
after the mode of Macao by Chinese lay brother"
DR.. LoRINa's tone becomes pathetic as he
contrasts the past with the present:
"A hundred years ago IL took traveller nine days to
get from Lisbon oporto; and II visit were made 70
all the hospitable clote and refectories on the way
It might have taken nine monthS Now It takeB twelve
houra BY rail and few more hours will afford time to
call at Acobaca BatAlha and CoimbrA and Wien on
the way II those deserted halls and empty larderB and
wineess cellars should present any temptation to the
curious and hungry and thirsty traveller"
How personal matter with DR.. LoR1Na
this retrospective view OF the Portuguese
monasteries became he freely confesses In
this somewhat remarkable plaint:
Were the American Minister invited by the Prince
Regent of Portugal during the present administration OF
HARRsoE visit the mouasteries Of Bataha
and Alcobaca he would Join tho royal company at the
station in Lisbon journey eighty ninety miles in
luxurious railway carriage and nish his journey In
comfortable coach, all within few hours and az re-
ward for his easy trip he would ind absorbing tradi
NonA the grnudeot ana most lpbpirlhk hVCnNoctuEO
sublime provisions for the oi tiest worshp, now silent
and comparatively deserted"
No larders, no wine cellars. no kitchens
with trout brooks running through them,
no venison, no sausages, no tarts-nothing
but deserted halls. empty larders, and wine-
less cellars. How different in former
timesw exclaims DR.. LoRING. "The Ameri-
can Minister of a century ago, II invited,
would have found very different enter
tainment proposed for him."
That is SO, and the great mistake OF Dr.
LoR1SG's life was in getting himself ap-
pointed as Minister to Portugal just hun
dred years too late. To diplomat OF his
robust digestion and eppreciative Gsopha-
gus it must be constant torture to roam
through banquet halls where the imagina-
tion Is the only feeder.
No wonder that from such unsubstantial
feasts his yearning fancy turns back to the
" dinners OF salt fish and apple pie Of our old
Club" and even to "the farewell
banquet given me by the Naumkeag Fire
Club last spring" Our Minister to Portugal
ia hundred years behind his times.