dress, its exaggerated manner became more apparent. Its author was Brillat-Savarin, who in 1826 was a judge (menibre) of the Court of Cassation at Paris, and died in that year, a few months after the publication of the work. Besides the ‘ Physiologie du Gout,’ Savarin wrote only two pamphlets — one on ‘Duelling,’ and another on ‘Judicial Administration.’ In 1793 he had been Maire of Belley, the capital of the Bugey, in the department of the Ain, in the south of Prance, at the foot of the Alps ; became a member of the States-General, but subsequently opposed the Con- stituent Assembly, and followed the banner of the Girondists, but escaping their fate, fled at the time of the Terror, first to Cologne, then to Switzerland, and ultimately to the United States of America, where he resided during three years, partly at Boston, partly at Hartford, Connecticut, and at New York, teaching French and playing the violin in orchestras. After the advent of the Directorate he returned to France, became public prosecutor of the Criminal Tribunal of Versailles, later on one of the judges of the Court of Cassation. His qualities are generally con- structed by biographers out of this book, but were very different according to the testimony of contemporaries. Thus says Careme in his ‘ Memoirs ’ concerning his taste : ‘ Neither M. Cambac4r^s nor M. Brillat-Savarin have ever known how to eat properly. Both liked the strong and vulgar things, and simply filled their stomachs ; this is true to the letter. M. de Savarin was a coarse eater, and spoke little, and without ease, as it seemed to me; he looked heavy, and had the aspect of a curd. At the end of a meal he was absorbed by his digestion; I have seen him sleep.’ To this portrait quoted by Dumas, the latter adds : ‘ Brillat- Savarin was neither a gastronomer nor a gourmet, but simply a vigorous eater. He belonged to the intimates of Madame Eocamier — was tall, moved heavily, had a vulgar aspect, and his dress was always a dozen years behind the 42 THE SPIRIT OF COOKER! fashion; these circumstances produced him the nickname of “the tambour-major” of the Court of Cassation.’ We know from another judge of the same court, a colleague of Savarin, that the latter could no doubt hold forth theo- retically on culinary subjects, but that his dinners were of very inferior quality. ‘ One nowhere heard better talk about dining, and nowhere ate worse dinners, than at Brillat-Savarin’s table,’ said M. Pag6s. These circum- stances have produced an impression that Dr. Eicherand had a share in the spiritual authorship of this work. How- ever interesting it may be as a jm d' esprit, the ‘ Physiologie du Gout ’ has added nothing to the development of culinary art ; the only (four) recipes left by Savarin prove that he was not an inventor.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

dress, its exaggerated manner became more apparent. Its author was Brillat-Savarin, who in 1826 was a judge (membre) of the Court of Cassation at Paris, and died in that year, a few months after the publication of the work. Besides the 'Physiologie du Goût,' Savarin wrote only two pamphlets—one on 'Duelling,' and another on 'Judicial Administration.' In 1793 he had been Maire of Belley, the capital of the Bugey, in the department of the Ain, in the south of France, at the foot of the Alps; became a member of the States-General, but subsequently opposed the Constituent Assembly, and followed the banner of the Girondists, but escaping their fate, fled at the time of the Terror, first to Cologne, then to Switzerland, and ultimately to the United States of America, where he resided during three years, partly at Boston, partly at Hartford, Connecticut, and at New York, teaching French and playing the violin in orchestras. After the advent of the Directorate he returned to France, became public prosecutor of the Criminal Tribunal of Versailles, later on one of the judges of the Court of Cassation. His qualities are generally constructed by biographers out of this book, but were very different according to the testimony of contemporaries. Thus says Carême in his 'Memoirs' concerning his taste: ‘'Neither M. Cambacérès nor M. Brillat-Savarin have ever known how to eat properly. Both liked the strong and vulgar things, and simply filled their stomachs; this is true to the letter. M. de Savarin was a coarse eater, and spoke little, and without ease, as it seemed to me; he looked heavy, and had the aspect of a curd. At the end of a meal he was absorbed by his digestion; I have seen him sleep.' To this portrait quoted by Dumas, the latter adds: 'Brillat-Savarin was neither a gastronomer nor a gourmet, but simply a vigorous eater. He belonged to the intimates of Madame Récamier—was tall, moved heavily, had a vulgar aspect, and his dress was always a dozen years behind the fashion; these circumstances produced him the nickname of "the tambour-major" of the Court of Cassation.' We know from another judge of the same court, a colleague of Savarin, that the latter could no doubt hold forth theoretically on culinary subjects, but that his dinners were of very inferior quality. 'One nowhere heard better talk about dining, and nowhere ate worse dinners, than at Brillat-Savarin's table,' said M. Pagès. These circumstances have produced an impression that Dr. Eicherand had a share in the spiritual authorship of this work. However interesting it may be as a jeu d'esprit, the 'Physiologie du Goût' has added nothing to the development of culinary art; the only (four) recipes left by Savarin prove that he was not an inventor.

The spirit of cookery