The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-01

Their names can never taste mortality.
These had their helps. They wrote of gods and
king,
OF temples. battles and such gallant things,
And now we ask what noble meat end drink
Can heip TO make man work, to make him
think
Pray on what meat hath this our Caesar fed?
We should have a higher estimate of the
value OF knowledge of cookery and of
all the arts OF entertaining, did we suffi-
GENTLY realize that the style of CARLYLE
was owing TO dyspepsia. At the age of Is
he entered Edinburgh university, in order
TO mt himself for the pulpit. He studied
for many months to that end, but his voca-
ton refused to be clear. The ministry
grew alien to his mind. Finally he shut
himself up, and, as he himself says, wres-
tied with the Lord and all the imps of dark-
ness Carlyle believed in a personal devil)
not tasting food or sleeping for three days
and nights, then terminated the struggle
by resolving to pursue literature.
What mental revolution he underwent,
he says, he could never understand; all
that he knew was that he came out with
that doomed dyspepsia" (his Scotch way
OF pronounclng stronger word).
Some writer says that this anecdote
solves the problem of Carlyle. The force,
earnestness and eloeuence of his writings
were born OF fine free intellect. Then
dependency, rage and bitterness spring
ing from dyspepsia, which had been his
haunting demon from the first, releasing
HIM at intervals only to assail and torture
him the ''more for each sarcasm"
Most of his works come under the head
of the Literature of Dyspepsia" which
can be as plainly traced to it as the growth
of his understanding, or the sincerity of
his convictions. Who does not recognize in
the oddities Of the trials and spiritual ago.
MES of Herr Teufelsdrock thin disguise
of the author himself? And the promot-
ings and promptings and phenomena of
censuring indigestion. All through the
Sartor Resartus, it is evident that the
gastric juices of the illustrious iconoclast
are insufficient, that he is railing at hu-
manlty, he is suffering from gastritis, that
while he is prophesying that the race will
come to naught by selhshness and stu
pidity. he is undergoing gastrodynia. or, as
it is commonly called, ''stomachic cramp."
do not know who wrote that mastery
criticism, but evidently some man who
had had good dinner:
But he gets better aud writes his noble essay
on Robert Burns, the life of John Sterling,
Oliver Cromwelrs letters and speeches Then
he is at his best, sees man as a brother, handi-
capped with circumstances, riYeted to tempera-
ment perhaps, butt in spite OF all shortcomings
and neglected opportunities, still brother de-
mauding respect, deserv.n g of help. How diff
ferent Carlyle would have been a man and as
n writer, with nutritiye organs capable of con-
tinually and regularly performing their func-
lions. Dyspepsia had been his worst enemy, as
1t has OF many of his readers. Every
mouthfui he ate must have been
gastric Nemesis, for sins OF opinion and
hereaies against humanity; this very style
is the result of Indigestion, an excess OF ill
chosen, il-prepared German fare in British
stomach. afiording strange sustenance, which.
like some diseases, kept man alive. but which
panied while it sustained.
What q different genius was Prescott,
who had a good dinner every day of his
life; who was brought up from boyhood in
luxurious old Boston household where
was the perfection of cookery.
Sidney Smith sent word to Prescott
after he wrote Ferdinand and Isa-
BELLA"
Tell Prescott TO come here and we will drown
him in turtle soup.
Say that l can swim in those seas"
was Prescotts witty rejoinder.
Mr.. Prescott was SO years of age when he
visited England. He was extremely hand
some, courteous, very much a man of the
world.
We grow like what we eat Bad food de-
presses. Good food exalts us like an inspira.
tion.
Mr.. Prescott had been inspired by good
food, as anyone can see who reads that
noble work, Ferdinand and Isabella
In England this accomplished man was
received by Lady Lyell, to whom he was
much attached. The account of English
hospitality which he gives throws q rosy
light on the history of the art of entertain
ing:
returned last night from the Horners, Lady
LyelGs parents and sisters; Il very ACCOMPLISHED
and happy family circle. They have small
house, with pretty lawn stretching between it
and the Thames that forms liver ed ging to
the close-shayen green The family gather IN
der the old trees, on the little shady CARPET
which is sweet with the perfume of fowery
shrubs, anu you see sails gliding by and stately
swans, Of which there are hundreds on the
river. Z he next sunday after dinner which We
took AT clock. We strolei through Hampton
courts ana its royal park. The next day we took
our picnic az Box hill On Friday 70 dinner at
Sir Robert Peeps and 10 an evening party at
Lady SIS. / went ~ II and found myself in
a brilliant salon filed with people amongst
whom did not recognize a familiar face. You
NAV go TO ten parties in London, be introduced
to score OF persons in each, ana on going TO
the eleventh not see face that you have ever
seen before, So large Is the society OF the great
metropolis. was soon put at my ease, how
ever. BY the cordial reception Of Lord and Lady
G., who introduced me to a great number OF per
sons.
This alone would prove how great was
Prescott's popularity, for in London peo-
pie, as rule, are not introduced.
In The crowd ! saw an old gentleman nicely
q good
orders and making his way eaSi Ong. a. eli,
young ami old. seemed TO treat him with defer
euce. IL was the Duke OF Wellington, the old
Iron DIXIE He likes the attention he receives
in this NOcis! way. He wore around hls neck
the order Of the Golden Fleece, on his coat the
Order O: the Garter. He is in truth the lion Of
England, not 70 say OF al Europe.
This beautiful little genre picture Of the
Iron Duke was written in the year 1850.
Jumping forty years we shall later on
sneak Of General Grants reception at
Apslev house by the son IF the great Duke
OF Wellington. the second duke, who
opened the famous Waterloo room and
toasted the modest American as the great
est soldier Of modern times. Mr.. Prescott
goes on 10 say:
We had a superb dinner AZ sir Robert Peers
four ant twenty guests. IL was served in the
long picture gallery. The windows OF the gal
le-y look out upon the Thames, its be4uti al
stone bridges with lofty arches, Westminster
Abbey with is towers and the living piano.
rama on the water. The opposite win
dOws look on the green gardens behind
the palace OF whitehall Which were ial1 out by
Ger .iaal Wu0.sey AMI near the spot where
Charles ! lived and lost is lie on the scaHO1.
Tae ga. .ery l. tGl OF masterpieces, especially
Dutch aud Flemish, amongst then the famous
CEapeaa lie Pai..e. which cost 1T Robert over