The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-09-30
ECCENTRICITIES OF EATERS
BYRoM's UNIQUE MEAL
Refused All Courses and Mere ly Ate Mashed Potato
 With Vinegar.

Most of us have met some eccentric diner, whose differences from those of the other guests were noticeable, says the London Globe. And eccen- tricity is an elastic word, which may be applied, as will be shown, in vari- ons directions. Sometimes 1t is gen. uine, whim or characteristic which is inherent. Sometimes it is the re- suit of desire to appear singular and attract notice. To this latter motive probably was due Byron's eccentrici- ty at some dinner tables, when, re- fusing to everybody's astonishment the ordinary dishes of each course, he simply mashed potatoes on his plate and poured vinegar over them, eat ing them in silence, and drinking only soda water with them. The chroni- cler of this episode dryly adds that in the evening Lord Byron went to a club, and there had an excellent sup per, such as commonplace people would enjoy. The great bard's ec- eentricity at dinner led to various minor ones initiating it, under the idea that it conferred distinction, even as for a similar reason they copied his turn down collar and loosely knotted necktie.
 Condiments are among the com honest illustrations of this peculiari- ty. There is a very old story--nearly a century old, in fact-of diner in coffee room who ate no mustard, which so irritated another who held the general opinion about it that, af- ter offering it at intervals to the oth- CT, he jumped up with the cruet and Fsaid, "Confound it, sir, you shall have mustard" Some few people dislike salt, which most deem necessity, In- deed, some years ago a letter appear ed in print. from woman who ex- pressed her opinion that salt was most injurious, and was never used in her household, saying indeed, if we re- member rightly that even her bread and butter were home made, to avoid particle of the mineral being used at her table. Some people eat salt, instead of sugar with buildings, whether from actual preferences or the wish for singularity seems doubt ful. Others repudiate the mere sug- gestion of pepper. On the other hand,
 fenne is sometimes eaten with ev-
 Athing, Edmund Kean in his latest
 lrs used, it is said, to drink brandy
 kl cayenne in 1t, a beverage which
 mentioned as having been liked
 kso by Peter the Great when staying 1t Saye's Count Mint sauce every fbody likes with roast lamb, but some eccentric diners have it served with every joint, which is a peculiar taste indeed, and one which would have been a fine theme for Charles LSmb The eating of raspberry jam with roast veal is another peculiarity-a variant of the general custom of hay. ing red currant jelly with saddle oi mutton, which is indeed an exquisite combination of lamb has made the four-year-old wether rarer than il was.
 Other strange antiquities fol commonplace edibles are recorded Thus, Cardan loathed eggs; neither boiled nor poached had they for hin the agreeable associations they havt for most of us; the mere sight o, them made his gorge rise. Wha would Charles Lamb have said of {
 Ianoverian gentleman who was dis. tinguished for his feats in hunting Herr Vanghuin, who tainted at thC sight of roast pig? M, Chesne, secre i tary to Francis I, detested that gener all favorite the apple, as the sight O. onue made his nose bleed. The learn ed Erasmus could never eat fish; in i deed, it is said that It's odor even wal so injurious to the great Dutchmat that it caused feverish symptoms. Or the other hand Quin, the actor, ev cry year in the latter part of his lift journeyed to the West Country to ca
 John Dory fresh from the sea- Tn, famous scholar Scaliger blancheC even at the sight of watercresses.
 Very often the unfortunate mar who really is the victim of interna whims is not believed to be so, bu privately, if not aloud, is characteriz ed as faddish, not to say impertinent But while such peculiarities as thost are due to the stomach, that import
 ous organ, there are others in diner which are those of prejudice, habit and, occasionally the liking for un