The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-12
A CULTIVATED STOMACH.


A great philosopher says that well
taught stomach is a large part OF liberty.
We are inclined to think that that sort OF
thing concerns human freedom almost as
much as a republican form of govern
ment, and that under the cruel punish
ments and tortures that come from that
department most men are ready TO ex-
claim with the great orator: "Give me
liberty. or give me death"' For the bat
tie of life the words OF King Henry are In
fight, let him depart"
One Of these days there will be new
chair established in our University-the
Chair of Gastronomy. It will have two
sides to 1.-THE cooking branch. and the
other, digestive branch. The first will
contemplate the kitchen, and the second
the eaters. There will be a junior class,
which will be purely physical, embracing
the Arts OF cooking and eating-how
to cook and how to eat-from
physical point Of view. Then there will
be the intermediate class, where eating
and thinking will be treated as mutually
related, as bearing upon one another;
how wise eating makes good. honest, nat
ural thinking, leading by ways OF pleasant
ness and peace; and how hard, unnatural,
laborious thinking breaks down the It's
sues and exhausts the brain: and how
an unwise use OF brain and stomach
lTno f1trrtt nd a nh
physical and mental wrecks; snappish
and cranky dyspeptics. that live on pills
and periodical drops and potions and
queer diets; who suffer with perpetual
heartburns. and impart the same to all
they meet.
A practical part OF these two early
classes will be "how to cultivate the
stomach" how TO keep 1t with all dill
gence, as the furnace and laboratory Of
physical and intellectual energy and
brightness and power In our day at
the great Institution. II was said OF one OF
the hotel-keepers. that his rolls would
destroy the digestive organs OF a bear.
Fine hope tney gave to the poor. am
bilious boy. who was trying to make a
man OF himself. and studying, in Latin
and Greek, the art OF living well and
happily! A branch Of practical gastronom-
les would naturally grow out OF our junior
and intermediate classes We would be
glad TO furnish a motto for It: MANY
from the body sharpen the mind; many
stupefy it,
The senior class In gastronomy az we
had the fixing Of iD should be devoted to
intellectual and moral gastronomics. Man
passes among animals as cmniverous.
But II is very certain he cannot eat
ev rything without destroying his diGes
ton. Physical digestion can be cultiva-
ted almost to the point Of eating ten
penny nails, or sour bread. But very few
stomachs can reach that power. though
they be cultivated to the keeping OF their
pctsessors vigorous, courage ous, sensible.
and in a good humor, and capable of
occasionally turning unwholesome things
to advantage, just as BADLY treated they
will play the mischief with Us. In our
senior class we would use all the analo-
gies of the physical stomach. We would
have our professor show that wholesome
food, easily digested and comforting and
inspiring, is absolutely necessary for a
satisfactory state or working of mind
and heart. We would have him demon
strate that trash, which is easily recog-
niZe1, is killing; that much Of the pabu-
lum that is sold in the stalls, not only
what is known as swill, but much that
goes for poetry and fine writing, has not
the dignity of syllabub or terrapin stews,
or the vilest compound OF the French
cook; that It Is worse than those rolls,
that 1t will poison. inebriate. destroy
mind and soul, and make a man see
everything upside down, crosswise and
discolored; that they Will Ill his head
with "Gorgons. hydras and chimoeras
dire" and make fool OF him. On the
other hand, the strong food OF natural
and revealed truth makes clearness OF
judgment. strength OF mind, force Of char
acter and high manhood.
The spread OF knowledge in our day is
large and rich one. The first and
main requirement is to know how to re-
fuse the evil and choose the good. The
promise for our latter day is that the
oxen also and the young asses that eat
the ground shall eat clean provender
that has been winnowed. And It is a
plain law: He that keepeth the fig tree
shall eat OF the fruit thereof. He that
hopes for good heart and a good mind
must cultivate a quiet, faithful honest
stomach. The son OF Sirach says: "A
good man will have a care OF his meal
and diet"
Rats are still steadily deserving the
M