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diff --git a/old/56285-0.txt b/old/56285-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ca0fa48..0000000 --- a/old/56285-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2945 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Oyster, by Eustace Clare Grenville Murray - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Oyster - Where, How and When to Find, Breed, Cook and Eat It - -Author: Eustace Clare Grenville Murray - -Release Date: January 1, 2018 [EBook #56285] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OYSTER *** - - - - -Produced by Larry B. Harrison and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by the -Library of Congress) - - - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -[Illustration: - - ANCIENT NATIVES OF BRITAIN, ENCAMPED NEAR COLCHESTER. - - (_From a curious Glyptic in possession of the Author._)] - - - - - THE OYSTER; - - WHERE, HOW, AND WHEN - TO - FIND, BREED, COOK, - AND - EAT IT. - -[Illustration] - - LONDON: - TRÜBNER & CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW. - MDCCCLXI. - - - - - LONDON: - WILLIAM STEVENS, PRINTER, 37, BELL YARD, - TEMPLE BAR. - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE OYSTER IN SEASON. - - The R. canon correct; Alimentary Qualities of the - Oyster; Profitable Investment; Billingsgate, and - London Consumption; English Oyster-beds; Jersey - Oysters; French Oyster-beds on the Coast of Brittany 9 - - CHAPTER II. - - ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. - - The Ancients; Oysters a Greek and Roman Luxury; - Sergius Orata, and the Oyster-beds of Baia; Immense - Consumption at Rome; Failure of the Circean and - Lucrinian Oyster-beds under Domitian, and Introduction - of Rutupians from Britain; Agricola, Constantine, and - Helena; Athenian Oysters, and Aristides. 21 - - CHAPTER III. - - MODERN HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. - - Fall of the Rutupian Supremacy; Louis IV. and William - of Normandy; Conquest of England, and Revival of - Oyster-eating in England; The Oyster under Legal - Protection; American Oysters 24 - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE OYSTER AT HOME. - - Its Nature, Colour, and Structure; Natural Food; - Perception of the changes of Light; Uses of the Celia; - Fecundity and Means of Propagation; Age; Fossil - Oysters in Berkshire and in the Pacific; Power of - Locomotion 28 - - CHAPTER V. - - THE OYSTER IN ITS NEW SETTLEMENT. - - Dredging for Oysters; Oyster-beds and their formation; - Sergius Orata; Pliny the Elder; Baia and the Lucrine - Sea; Roman Epicurism and Gluttony; Martial and Horace, - Cicero and Seneca; Masticate Oysters, and do not bolt - them whole; Mediterranean and Atlantic Oysters; - Agricola and the Rutupians; Apicius Cœlius, Trajan, - Pliny, and the Vivarium 37 - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE OYSTER ON ITS TRAVELS. - - The Isle of Sheppey, the Medway, and Whitstable; - Milton, Queenborough, Rochester, and Faversham - Oysters; Colchester and Essex Beds; Edinburgh Pandores - and Aberdours; Dublin Carlingfords and Powldoodies; - Poole and its Oyster-bank; Cornish Oysters and the - Helford Beds; Poor Tyacke, and How he was Done; - Dredgers and their Boats; Auld Reekie's Civic - Ceremonial; Song of the Oyster; its Voyage to Market, - and Journey by Coach and Rail 45 - - CHAPTER VII. - - THE OYSTER AT ITS JOURNEY'S END. - - Oyster Stalls; How to Open the Oyster; an Oyster - Supper; Beer, Wines, and Spirits; Roasted, Fried, - Stewed, and Scolloped Oysters; Oyster Soup, and Oyster - Sauce; Broiled Oysters; Oyster Pie; Oyster Toast; - Oyster Patties; Oyster Powder; Pickled Oysters; Oyster - Loaves; Oyster Omelet; Cabbage, Larks, and Oysters; - and Frogs and Oysters 54 - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE OYSTER AND THE DOCTOR. - - Oyster-eating in Prussia; Disgusting Wagers; Oysters - better than Pills, A Universal Remedy; Professional - Opinions; When Ladies should eat them; Repugnance - overcome; Oysters as an External Application; Chemical - Analysis; How to tell if Dead before Opening 68 - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE OYSTER ABROAD. - - British Oysters in Ostend Quarters; the Whitstable in - a Slow Coach; Holstein, Schleswig, and Heligoland - Natives; Norwegian and Bremer Oysters; American - Oysters; French Oysters; Dutch Oysters; Mediterranean - Oysters and Classical Judges 75 - - CHAPTER X. - - "THE TREASURE OF AN OYSTER." - - Sweet names given to Pearls; Barry Cornwall Proctor's - lines; Component parts of Pearls; Mother-of-pearl; How - Pearls are formed, Sorrows into Gems; Their nucleus; - Sir Everard Home and Sir David Brewster; Curious - shapes and fancy Jewellery; Pearl Fisheries; Bahrein - Island and Bay of Candalchy; Miseries of the Divers; - Pearls as Physic; Immense value of recorded Pearls; A - Perle for a Prince; Most precious Pearls 82 - - - - - THE OYSTER - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE OYSTER IN SEASON. - -The R. canon correct; Alimentary Qualities of the Oyster; Profitable -Investment; Billingsgate, and London Consumption; English Oyster-beds; -Jersey Oysters; French Oyster-beds on the Coast of Brittany. - - -Of the Millions who live to eat and eat to live in this wide world of -ours, how few are there who do not, at proper times and seasons, enjoy a -good oyster. It may not be an ungrateful task, therefore, if I endeavour -to inform them what species of animal the little succulent shell-fish -is, that affords to man so much gastronomical enjoyment—how born and -bred and nurtured; when, and where; and, lastly, how best it may be -eaten, whether in its living and natural state, or having undergone the -ordeal of cooking by the skill of a superior artist. - -I have oftentimes been told that it is a mere question of -fastidiousness, or fashion, that oysters should be served for human food -only at a certain fixed period of the year—those months possessing the -letter _r_ being proverbially the only months when the oyster is fit for -human food. Why not, such reasoners have said, eat oysters all the year -round? Life is short. Why not obtain the first of gastronomical -enjoyments every month of the year and every day of the month? I can in -no manner go with these opinions, either from my practical knowledge of -the oyster, or from any just reasoning. - -I am aware that there are many good men and true, and others calling -themselves, somewhat erroneously, sportsmen, beyond the white cliffs of -Britain, who would eat an oyster on the hottest day of June and July as -they would a partridge, a pheasant, or a salmon at any season of the -year. Sufficient the names oyster, partridge, pheasant—all gastronomical -delights—all to be eaten, and by them eaten whensoever and wheresoever -served, what matters it? I am also aware that in our good City of -London, in the hottest and earliest days of August,[1] oysters are -gulped down by the thousand: it is, nevertheless, an error—a revolting, -unhealthy, unclean error—which ought to be denied, both at home and -abroad, by the strong hand of the law. - -I, for my part, utterly and entirely ignore fish or fowl of the game -species, as fit for human food during the seasons of breeding; and -although an oyster may be eatable in August, if the month be hot it is -rarely fresh; and what is more disgusting or more likely to be injurious -to man than a stale oyster? That which I have said, however, on the -oyster in this little book which I offer to the million—for the million -are interested in the subject—will, I hope, induce those who have -hitherto broken through a rule strictly adhered to by all gastronomes, -to abstain in future; and those who have hitherto enjoyed oyster-eating, -fearlessly to eat on and secure the first and foremost of all -gastronomical indulgences provided for man—only in due season. - -On the 25th of July, says Brand, the antiquary, being St. James the -Apostle's Day, the priests of old were wont to bless apples; and a -popular belief too, in 1588, though generally ignored in the more -enlightened days in which we live, was, that whoever ate oysters on that -day would not be without money for the remainder of the year. This is -very probable, for without they were selected with great care, disease -and even death might follow. This conjunction of apples and oysters on -St. James's Day may have suggested Bianca's remark in the "Taming of the -Shrew," when comparing the resemblance of the old Pedant to that of -Vincentio, which she remarks was as complete as that of an oyster to an -apple. - -One must, therefore, take care not to eat oysters during the months of -June and July, because they are unwholesome on account of the -spawning-time; and also be careful in their selection in August. There -are instances when persons, after having eaten oysters during these -months, have become ill, and have even died. Last summer, at Ostend, -thirty persons were taken ill in consequence of having eaten oysters in -the month of July. They are, during these months, very thin, and without -taste; in the month of September they become again fat and eatable, -which may be accounted for by the fact of their being self-generated. -The strength of the poor oysters is entirely spent in fattening -themselves, in order the more to tickle the palate of the epicure in the -proper season. - -Now let us proceed to open the oyster. - -The Oyster! The mere writing of the word creates sensations of -succulence—gastronomical pleasures, nutritive food, easy digestion, -palatable indulgence—then go sleep in peace! - -Lobster salads, beef and veal, truffles and chestnuts, all good in their -way, are, nevertheless, attended with evil consequences to the human -frame. - -But oysters—ye pleasant companions of the midnight hours, or the mid-day -feast; is there a man, woman or child in all Europe—ay, or in Asia, -Africa, or America—who does not owe you a debt of gratitude which they -repay to the full by the enjoyment of your society _tête-à-tête_? You -are eaten raw and alive, cooked and scolloped, in sauce and without -sauce. True, true, oh oyster! thou art the best beloved of the loved! - -The oyster, when eaten moderately, is, without contradiction, a -wholesome food, and one of the greatest delicacies in the world. It -contains much nutritive substance, which is very digestive, and produces -a peculiar charm and an inexplicable pleasure. After having eaten -oysters we feel joyous, light, and agreeable—yes, one might say, -fabulously well. He who has eaten for the first time oysters is best -enabled to judge of this; for, soon after having eaten them, he will -experience a sensation he never felt before, and never had an idea of. -This sensation scarcely remains with people who eat oysters every day; -it is more practically felt when oysters are eaten for breakfast or -before dinner, although they are also very wholesome in the evening, -when taken moderately. Gourmets and epicures eat the oyster in its -natural state, except that the beard is taken away. In England it is -eaten with pepper, in Holland with vinegar, in Germany frequently with -lemon-juice; but I am of the opinion, and am convinced, that when taken -with the liquor they still contain, they are more digestible and more -tasty. The opinion that this fluid is salt water, is an error; it is the -white blood of the oyster itself, which it emits when injured in having -its upper shell broken off. If it were sea-water, it would have a -disagreeable bitter taste, and cause sickness; but as this does not take -place, but on the contrary gives a fine taste to the oyster, the error -is evident. The error appears to arise from the fact that -unconscientious oyster dealers wash the oysters with salt and water in -order to give them a better appearance, as they say. - -"The oyster," says a writer in No. 824 of the "Family Herald"—that most -agreeable of all window-seat books—"is a species of food combining the -most precious alimentary qualities. Its meat is soft, firm, and -delicate. It has sufficient flavour to please the taste, but not enough -to excite to surfeit. Through a quality peculiar to itself, it favours -the intestinal and gastric absorption, mixing easily with other food; -and, assimilating with the juices of the stomach, it aids and favours -the digestive functions. There is no other alimentary substance, not -even excepting bread, which does not produce indigestion under certain -given circumstances, but oysters never. This is a homage due to them. -They may be eaten to-day, to-morrow, for ever, in profusion; indigestion -is not to be feared, and we may be certain that no doctor was ever -called in through their fault. Of course we except cooked oysters. -Besides their valuable digestive qualities, oysters supply a recipe not -to be despised in the liquor they contain. It is produced by the -sea-water they have swallowed, but which, having been digested, has lost -the peculiar bitterness of salt water. This oyster-water is limpid, and -slightly saline in taste. Far from being purgative, like sea-water, it -promotes digestion. It keeps the oysters themselves fresh, prolongs -their life for some time until it is destroyed in our stomachs, or until -the oyster has been transformed into a portion of ourselves." - -The degree of importance which different persons attach to matters -connected with the world in which we live, depends, of course, in a -great measure, on the manner in which they view them. - -One person considers a loving wife, and four hundred a year, wealth and -happiness; another would be miserable without four thousand, and could -dispense with the wife. Some consider a post with five thousand a year a -tolerable means of existence; others a commissionership with twelve -hundred. Some seek a good consulship; others, till they have travelled -from St. Petersburg and back in a telega, or sledge, half a dozen times -during mid-winter, use the interest, which in other days would have -secured a snug governorship, even in the Island of Barataria, to obtain -a queen's messenger's place. At least so it used to be. Whether -competitive examinations will lead to our having the right man in the -right place, the round pegs in round holes, and the square pegs in -square ones, still remains to be seen. And so is it with most things in -life, whether personal or gastronomical. Different men are of different -opinions; some like apples, and some like—onions; but I have scarcely -ever yet met with the man who has refused a thoroughly good oyster. - -There is not a man, however unobservant, but knows that oysters are a -great source of profit to some of that multitude which rises every -morning without knowing exactly how, when, and where it shall dine. -Billingsgate in the oyster season is a sight and a caution. Boats coming -in loaded; porters struggling with baskets and sacks; early loungers -looking on—it is so pleasant to see other people work—buyers and -cheapeners, the fish salesman in his rostrum, the wealthy purchaser who -can lay out his hundreds and buy his thousands—all to be met with, -together with that noise and bustle, and, far beyond it, all that -incredible earnestness which always distinguishes an English market. - -Oysters, says Dryasdust, in his very useful commercial work—in which, -however, he makes alarming mis-statements—oysters are consumed in London -in incredible quantities, "and notwithstanding their high price, are -largely eaten by the middle and lower classes!" - -Thanking Dryasdust for his information, and being one of the great -middle class ourselves, we can safely assert that oysters are _not_ high -in price. Fancy being able to purchase twelve succulent dainties for one -six-pence at Ling's or Quin's, at Proctor's or Pim's, or any other -celebrated shell-fish shop! Twelve "lumps of delight," as the -Mussulman—not mussel man—calls his sweetmeats! and then fancy Dryasdust -saying that they are high in price! Oh shame, where is thy blush! - -A farm of four acres, if well handled, may give occupation, and even -bring pecuniary gain, to the possessor. A garden, for those who -thoroughly understand and enjoy it, may secure untold pleasures, and -perhaps help to pay the rent of the cottage. But an "oyster-bed" is a -pleasure—an _el dorado_—a mine of wealth, in fact, which fills the -owners' pockets with gold, and affords to the million untold -gastronomical enjoyment and healthy food. On the money part of the -question, the Scientific and Useful column of Number 825 of the "Family -Herald" furnishes the following information: "A very interesting report -has been recently made to the French Government on the results of -experiments made for the improvement of oyster-beds. The locality chosen -was the Bay of St. Brieux, on the coast of Brittany. Between March and -May, 1859, about 3,000,000 oysters, taken from different parts of the -sea, were distributed in ten longitudinal beds in the above bay. The -bottom was previously covered with old oyster shells and boughs of trees -arranged like fascines. To these the young oysters attach themselves, -and so fruitful are the results that one of the fascines was found at -the end of six months to have no less than 20,000 young oysters on it. -The report further states that 12,000 hectares may be brought into full -bearing in three years at an annual expense not exceeding 10,000 -francs." - -M. Laviciare, Commissary of the Maritime Inscription, in his 1860 report -to M. Coste, of the success of these operations in the Bay of St. -Brieux, states that "a recent examination has fully and satisfactorily -proved the advantageous results obtained on the five banks which have -been laid down, and which have exceeded the most sanguine expectations. -Three fascines, which were taken up indiscriminately from one of the -banks formed in June, 1859, contained about 20,000 oysters each, of from -one inch to two inches in diameter. The total expense for forming the -above bank was 221f.; and if the 300 fascines laid down on it be -multiplied by 20,000, 600,000 oysters will be obtained, which, if sold -at 20f. a thousand, will produce 120,000f. If, however, the number of -oysters on each fascine were to be reckoned at only 10,000, the sum of -60,000f. would be received, which, for an expenditure of only 221f. -would give a larger profit than any other known branch of industry." - -But the breeding and fattening of the London oyster has long been a -lucrative branch of trade, of which Cockaine may well be proud. It is -carried on "contagious" to London, as Mrs. Malaprop would -say—principally in Essex and Kent. The rivers Crouch, Blackwater, and -Colne are the chief breeding places in the former, and the channel of -the Swale and the Medway in the latter. These are contiguous to Milton; -hence Dibdin's song, and hence also the corruption of "melting -hoysters;" melting they are too. The corruption is classical, so let it -stand. - -Exclusive of oysters bred in Essex and Kent, vast numbers are brought -from Jersey, Poole, and other places along the coast, and are fattened -in beds. The export of oysters from Jersey alone is very considerable, -having amounted on an average of the four years ending with 1832[2] to -208,032 bushels a year. The Jersey fishing then employed, during the -season, about 1500 men, 1000 women and children, and 250 boats. Think of -this, ye oyster-eaters! Think that ye are doing—such is the wise -ordination of an overruling Providence—some good when you are swallowing -your ante-prandial oyster, and are giving employment to some portion of -those 3000 people who work for you at Jersey, besides helping to feed -the cold-fingered fishmonger, who, with blue apron and skilful knife, -tempts you to "Hanother dazzen, sir?" - -Of the quantity of oysters consumed in London we cannot give even an -approximate guess. It must amount to millions of bushels. Fancy, if you -can, also, that curiously courteous exchange which goes on every -Christmas between our oyster-eating country cousins and our turkey and -goose-loving Londoners. To the man - - "Who hath been long in city pent, - 'Tis very sweet to gaze upon the fair - And open brow of heaven;—to breathe a prayer - Full in the face of the blue firmament"— - -sings John Keats. Oh, if he had been but an oyster-eater, that article -from the "Quarterly," savage and slaughterly, would not have killed him; -but it is also very sweet to gaze upon a turkey, a leash of birds, a -brace of pheasants, and, as Mrs. Tibbetts hath it, "a real country -hare." Such a present is promptly repaid by a fine cod packed in ice, -and two barrels of oysters. How sweet are these when eaten at a country -home, and opened by yourselves, the barrel being paraded on the table -with its top knocked out, and with the whitest of napkins round it, as -we shall presently have occasion to show. How sweet it is, too, to open -some of the dear natives for your pretty cousin, and to see her open her -sweet little mouth about as wide as Lesbia's sparrow did for his lump -of—not sugar, it was not then invented—but lump of honey! How sweet it -is, after the young lady has swallowed her half dozen, to help yourself! -The oyster never tastes sweeter than when thus operated on by yourself, -so that you do not "job" the knife into your hand! True labour has a -dignity about it. The only time when I, who have seen most people, from -Tom Thumb to the Benicia Boy, from Madame Doche to the Empress Eugenie, -and from manly, sea-going Prince Alfred to the Staleybridge Infant and -Jemmy Shaw's "Spider"—the only time, I say, that I have ever seen a -nobleman look like a nobleman, was when a noble duke, a peer not only of -England and Scotland, but of _la belle France_ also, owned that he could -do two things better than most people, and that was, open oysters and -polish his own boots. I, like Othello, when he upbraided Iago for the -last time, "looked down to his feet," but found that it was no fable. - -So important is our illustrious bivalve as an article of trade, that it -is protected by law. It is said that the only two things that George the -Fourth ever did—the great Georgius, whom Mr. Thackeray envies and -satirises—were to invent a shoe-buckle and an exquisite hair-dye. The -brains of the black Brunswicker could do no more. But there is one act -also—an Act of Parliament[3]—which was passed in his reign, for which he -is to be thanked. The man who was at once the Lucullus and Apicius of -his times must have had some hand in the framing of that Act. - ------ - -Footnote 1: - - The common Colchester and Faversham oysters are brought to market on - the 5th of August. They are called _Common oysters_, and are picked up - on the French coast, and then transferred to those beds; the Milton, - or, as they are commonly called, the _melting Natives_, the true - Rutupians, do not come in till the beginning of October, continue in - season till the 12th of May, and approach the meridian of their - perfection about Christmas. The denizens from France are not to be - compared to British _Native_ oysters, which are so called because they - are born, bred, and fed in this country. These do not come to - perfection till they are four years old. - -Footnote 2: - - The exportation has by this time nearly doubled, but these are the - latest statistics we can arrive at. - -Footnote 3: - - See page 25. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. - -The Ancients; Oysters a Greek and Roman Luxury; Sergius Orata and the -Oyster-beds of Baia; Immense Consumption at Rome; Failure of the Circean -and Lucrinian Oyster-beds under Domitian, and Introduction of Rutupians -from Britain; Agricola, Constantine, and Helena; Athenian Oysters and -Aristides. - - -Horace, Martial, and Juvenal, Cicero and Seneca, Pliny, Ætius, and the -old Greek doctor Oribasius, whom Julian the Apostate delighted to -honour, and other men of taste amongst the ancients, have enlarged upon -the various qualities of the oyster; and was it not to Sergius Orata -that we owe our present oyster-beds; for he it was who introduced layers -or stews for oysters at Baia, the Brighton of ancient Rome, as we have -them at present. That was in the days when luxury was rampant, and when -men of great wealth, like Licinius Crassus, the leviathan slave -merchant, rose to the highest honours; for this dealer in human flesh in -the boasted land of liberty, served the office of consul along with -Pompey the Great, and on one occasion required no less than 10,000 -tables to accommodate all his guests. How many barrels of oysters were -eaten at that celebrated dinner, the "Ephemerides"—as Plutarch calls -"The Times" and "Morning Post" of that day—have omitted to state; but as -oysters then took the place that turtle-soup now does at our great City -feeds, imagination may busy itself if it likes with the calculation. All -we know is, that oysters then fetched very long prices at Rome, as the -author of the "Tabella Cibaria" has not failed to tell us; and then, as -now, the high price of any luxury of the table was sure to make a -liberal supply of it necessary, when a man like Crassus entertained half -the city as his guests, to rivet his popularity. - -But the Romans had a weakness for the "breedy creatures," as our dear -old friend Christopher North calls them in his inimitable "Noctes." In -the time of Nero, some sixty years later, the consumption of oysters in -the "Imperial City" was nearly as great as it now is in the "World's -Metropolis;" and there is a statement, which I recollect to have read -somewhere, that during the reign of Domitian, the last of the twelve -Cæsars, a greater number of millions of bushels were annually consumed -at Rome than I should care to swear to. These oysters, however, were but -Mediterranean produce—the small fry of Circe, and the smaller -Lucrinians; and this unreasonable demand upon them quite exhausted the -beds in that great fly-catcher's reign; and it was not till under the -wise administration of Agricola in Britain, when the Romans got their -far-famed Rutupians from the shores of Kent, from Richborough and the -Reculvers—the _Rutupi Portus_ of the "Itinerary," of which the latter, -the _Regulbium_, near Whitstable, in the mouth of the Thames, was the -northern boundary—that Juvenal praised them as he does; and he was -right: for in the whole world there are no oysters like them; and of all -the "breedy creatures" that glide, or have ever glided down the throats -of the human race, our "Natives" are probably the most delectable. Can -we wonder, then, when Macrobius tells us that the Roman pontiffs in the -fourth century never failed to have these Rutupians at table, -particularly, feeling sure that Constantine the Great, and his mother, -the pious Helena, must have carried their British tastes with them to -Rome at that period. - -The Greeks have not said much in praise of oysters; but then they knew -nothing of Britain beyond its name, and looked upon it very much in the -same light as we now regard the regions of the Esquimaux; and as to the -little dabs of watery pulps found in the Mediterranean, what are they -but oysters in name? Indeed, the best use the Athenians could make of -them was to use their shells to ostracise any good citizen who, like -Aristides, was too virtuous for a "Greek." However, on the plea that -oysters are oysters, we presume—for it could not be on account of their -flavour—"oysters," says the author of the "Tabella Cibaria," "were held -in great esteem by the Athenians." No doubt when Constantine moved the -seat of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople, he did not forget to -have his Rutupians regularly forwarded; so, perhaps, after all it was -our "Natives," which thus found their way into Greece, that they -delighted in; and if so, the good taste of the Athenians need not be -called into question; but, as in literature and the arts, in -oyster-eating too, it deserves to be held up to commendation. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - MODERN HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. - -Fall of the Rutupian Supremacy; Louis IV. and William of Normandy; -Conquest of England, and Revival of Oyster-eating in England; The Oyster -under Legal Protection; American Oysters. - - -With the fall of the Empire came also the fall of the Rutupian -supremacy; and even the Roman Britons, driven into Brittany and the -mountains of Wales by their truculent Saxon persecutors, had to forego -these luxuries of the table, unless, perhaps, Prince Arthur and his -knights may now and then have opened a bushel when they were seated over -their wine in that free and easy circle, which has become so celebrated -as to have formed a literature of its own. From the fourth century, to -which Macrobius brought us, to the reign of Louis IV. of France, the -history of the oyster is a blank; but that king revived the taste for -our favourite, and during his captivity in Normandy brought it again -into request with his conqueror, Duke William; so, when the Normans -invaded England under William the Conqueror—the descendant of that Duke -William, little more than a century later—they were not long in finding -out how much Kentish and Essex oysters were preferable to those of -France. - -Since then the Oyster has held its own against all comers, as one of the -most welcome accessories to the table of rich and poor, and has been -protected in his rights and immunities by various Acts of Parliament. -"In the month of May oysters cast their spawn," says an old writer in -the "Transactions of the Royal Society," "which the dredgers call spat, -and this spawn cleaves to stones, old oyster-shells, pieces of wood, and -other substances at the bottom of the sea, which is called cultch. -During that month, by the law of the Admiralty Court, the dredgers have -liberty to take every kind of oyster, whatsoever be its size. When they -have taken them they gently raise with a knife the small brood from the -cultch, and then they throw the cultch in again, to preserve the ground -for the future, unless they are so newly spat, that they cannot be -safely severed from the cultch, in which case they are permitted to take -the stone or shell, which the spat is upon, one shell having often -twenty spats. After the month of May, it is felony to carry away the -cultch, and punishable to take any other oysters except those of the -size of a half-crown piece, or such as when the two shells are shut will -admit of a shilling to rattle between them." These brood and other -oysters are carried to creeks of the sea, and thrown into the channel, -which are called their beds or layers, where they grow and fatten, and -in two or three years oysters of the smallest brood reach the standard -size. - -The property in oyster beds is defined by the 7 & 8 George IV., c. 29, -s. 36, which makes it larceny for any person to steal any oyster or -oyster brood from any oyster bed belonging to another person, if such -bed is sufficiently marked out and known as such; and even the attempt -to take either oysters or oyster brood from such an oyster bed, though -none be actually disturbed, is a misdemeanor, punishable by fine or -imprisonment, or both, though nothing is to prevent the fishing for -floating fish within the limits of any oyster fishery. - -The Admiralty Court also imposes great penalties upon those who do not -destroy a fish, which they call Fivefingers (the crossfish, or common -starfish of our coasts), because it is supposed that that fish gets into -the oysters when they gape, and sucks them out. That it is injurious to -oyster beds may be true; for its food, in part, consists of mollusks. It -does not, however, walk into the oyster bodily, as the Admiralty Court -suggests, but rather appears to overpower its prey by applying some -poisonous secretion, and pouting out the lobes of the stomach, so as to -convert them into a kind of proboscis, and thus suck the mollusks from -their shells. - -The reason of the penalty for destroying the cultch is that the ouse -then will increase, and mussels and cockles will breed there and destroy -the oysters, because they have no convenience for depositing their spat. -Hence, mud and sea-weeds are extremely injurious to the "breedy -creatures'" propagation and increase; for no less than starfish, -cockles, and mussels, other enemies amongst shellfish and crustaceous -animals, particularly crabs and scollops, eagerly devour the oyster, -when they can capture it. - -In America, where the quality of the native oyster, though little -inferior to the larger species of Britain, is greatly over-rated, the -legislature is now called upon to make a similar provision for its -protection against its greatest enemy, man. "It has been estimated," -says a correspondent in No. 769 of the "Family Herald," "that the State -of Virginia possesses an area of about 1,680,000 acres of oyster beds, -containing about 784,000,000 bushels of oysters. It is also stated that -the mother oyster spawns annually at least 3,000,000; yet, -notwithstanding this enormous productive power, and the vast extent of -oyster beds, there is danger of the oyster being exterminated unless -measures are adopted to prevent fishermen from taking them at improper -seasons of the year. It is therefore proposed to have either a flotilla -of four steamboats employed to protect the oyster beds from piratical -intruders, or to farm out the oyster beds to private contractors to do -with them as they please." - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE OYSTER AT HOME. - -Its Nature, Colour, and Structure; Natural Food; Perception of the -changes of Light; Uses of the Cilia; Fecundity and Means of Propagation; -Age; Fossil Oysters in Berkshire and in the Pacific; Power of -Locomotion. - - -The Oyster belongs to those Mollusks which are headless, having -their gills in the form of membranous plates, and are named -_Lamellibranchiata_, from the Latin word _Lamella_, a plate; or -_Conchæ_, the Latin name for the whole family of oyster, scollop, -cockle, mussel, and other well-known bivalves. Properly speaking, -only six kinds are fit to take part in the gastromal treat, to say -nothing of the sanitary advantages the family are good enough to -provide for the world at large. These six peculiar and most -agreeable aristocrats all belong to the family of the common oyster, -_Ostrea edulis_, by far the most important tribe, and in fact, that -in behalf of whose meritorious qualities I have more particularly -taken up my pen. - -The oyster bears different names in accordance to the localities in -which it is found, whether on rocky ground, mud, or sand, and has -different colours in different places. In Spain, oysters are found of a -red and russet colour; in Illyria they are brown, but the fish is black, -and in the Red Sea, of the colours of the rainbow. The green oyster, the -Parisian delicacy, is brought from Brittany; but the same flavour and -colour can be produced by putting oysters into pits where the water is -about three feet deep in the salt marshes, and where the sun has great -power. In these they become green in three or four days; for these -colours are derived from the elementary substance on which they feed; -not, however, that it produces any peculiar difference as to flavour. I -may, however, as well decide at once that the green oyster is, to my -taste, the oyster _par excellence_, in which decision I shall doubtless -be borne out by most _gourmets_ whose knowledge extends to a choice of -the good things of this life. - -I know, in this, some of my friends north of the Tweed may differ, and, -if still living, amongst them I should have had to include Professor -Wilson, so long the very life and soul of oyster-suppers and -whisky-toddy. But nobody can judge of the true flavour of an oyster -without well _masticating_ his delicious food; and, by his own showing, -both he and the "Shepherd" bolted their "Pandores." These same -"Pandores," by the way, are large fat oysters, much relished in modern -Athens, which are said to owe their superior excellence to the brackish -contents of the pans of the adjacent salt-works of Prestonpans flowing -out upon the beds. Taken away young and transferred to the Ostend beds, -these Pandores furnish the very best oysters to be met with on the -Continent, surpassing even the far-famed ones of Flensburg, in Holstein. -Had "Christopher North" tickled the fish first to death with his -incisors before he swallowed it, I might have submitted my judgment to -his; but how can a man who bolted his food be quoted as an authority in -matters of taste? At best, his must have been but an after-taste, a mere -bilious reminder of what the repast had been, in which the whisky played -as prominent a part as the "breedy creatures" themselves. - -[Illustration] - -But let us return. The lower shell (*) of the oyster is concave, the -upper flat. These shells are opened and closed by the medium of a strong -muscle acting upon a hinge (+), far more complete in its structure than -ever locksmith could produce, even at the forthcoming Exhibition of all -Nations. - -On the outside of the shell, when placed in a dark place, we may often -observe a shining matter of blueish light, like a flame of brimstone, -which sticks to the fingers when touched, and continues shining and -giving light for a considerable time, though without any sensible heat. -This light is produced by three varieties of minute animalcules, most -interesting when examined under the microscope. - -The oyster possesses an organ of respiration similar to that of a -fish—branchiæ or gills, in fact (_br_), which are fringed by a mantle or -beard divided into two lobes (_m_), filled up by small membranous fibres -which terminate in the mouth (_b_), in the form of rays, serving the -animal also with power to catch and eat. Unlike other shelled mussels -the oyster has no feet; thus it is unable to make any other voluntary -movement, save that of opening and closing its shell, as already named, -in order to receive its food, which consists principally of small -microscopical spores and young shoots of marine plants, made soft and -thin by the action of the waves; whence arise the green beards or -mantles. With some difficulty I have been enabled to separate a small -portion of this vegetation from the mantle of an oyster, and having -placed it under a strong microscope, discovered sea weed, of precisely -the same species as that in which oysters are packed. They also feed on -an infusion of sea worms called oyster animalcules. These are very -accurately described in the "Journal des Savans," by M. Auzout. Some are -irridescent, but others are not, and good specimens of all may be -secured immediately the oyster has been taken from the sea. - -By means of the beard or mantle described (_m_), the oyster secures his -food, bringing it gradually, by means of little hooks bent inwards, to -its mouth (_b_), wherein it is crushed and slowly consumed. - -The stomach (_i_) is situated near the mouth, and all the organs are -very simple. The mantle (_m_ and _m'_) above-named replaces the lungs. -The liver (_f_) is small; the gall, comparatively speaking, large; the -larger blood vessels little rarefied. The heart (_h_) consists of two -cameras at a tolerable distance from one another, resembling small round -bladders. The pulse beats rather slowly (caused by, perhaps, the want of -food and sea water). From the stomach the rectum (_a_) leads directly to -the anus. How digestion is effected in this short and simple way, I can -scarce venture to assert. But it is a fact well known, that, after the -spawning season, the oyster becomes thin, but a very short time enables -it to recover its fat and succulence. - -On examining the oyster the mantle (_m_), divided into two lobes (_m_ -and _m'_), the edges of which are fringed, will be perceived filling the -greater part of the shell; also four membranous leaves crossed with -stripes, which at their hinder extremities have as many capillary tubes. -These leaves, or veins, unequally divided around the edges of the body -perform the functions of the lungs, and separate from the water the -necessary air for the maintenance of the animal. - -The mouth (_b_) is a kind of trunk, or long aperture surrounded by four -lips nearly resembling those of a gill, but far shorter. - -Behind the muscles is to be seen a large fleshy white and cylindrical -substance moving on a central muscle, and containing the stomach and -intestines (_i_). This part resembles the trunk of other conchæ, but it -has no power of opening or contracting. The canal of the intestines is -situated on the top of the muscle (_a_). - -The oyster has circular vessels, on the bottom of which are to be seen -deep muscular cavities, occupying the place of the heart (_h_), and -sending their moisture to the small skin through which they come in -contact with the water or the air. - -In his "Outline of the Animal Kingdom," Professor Rymer Jones most -happily describes all these peculiarities. "Wonderful indeed is the -elaborate mechanism," are his words, "employed to effect the double -purpose of renewing the respired fluid and feeding the helpless -inhabitants of these shells! Every filament of the branchial fringe, -examined under a powerful microscope, is found to be covered with -countless cilia in constant vibration, causing, by their united efforts, -powerful and rapid currents, which, sweeping over the surface of the -gills, hurry towards the mouth whatever floating animalcules, or -nutritious particles, may be brought within the limits of their action, -and thus bring streams of nutritive molecules to the very aperture -through which they are conveyed to the stomach, the lips and labial -fringes acting as sentinels to admit or refuse entrance, as the matter -may be of a wholesome or pernicious character." - -Nature, too, has given the oyster a sensitive perception of the changes -of light as the means of its protection from the many enemies it has to -contend with; for if the shadow of an approaching boat is thrown forward -so as to cover it, it closes the valves of its shell before any -undulation of the water can have reached it. This sensitiveness is -easily studied in the marine vivary, where the oyster, with its -beautiful cilia, more beautiful by far than the richest lace of a -bride's wedding dress, is always an object of great interest. - -The oyster is an hermaphrodite animal, and hence its propagation is -effected by self-produced eggs, which it bears within in the form of a -greenish milky juice which it casts as spat in May, and which, as has -already been stated, in this country is protected by wise and prudent -acts of the Legislature. "The liquor in the lower shell of the oyster," -says a writer in No. 587 of the "Family Herald," "if viewed through a -microscope, will be found to contain multitudes of small oysters, -covered with shells and swimming nimbly about—120 of which extend about -an inch! Besides these young oysters, the liquor contains a variety of -animalcules." Indeed, with the aid of a microscope one million of young -have been discovered in a single oyster. Guarded by their two tender -shells, these swim freely in the sea when ejected by the parent oyster, -until, by means of a glutinous substance, they fix themselves so fast to -some object that they can be separated only by force. These young are -very soon able to produce others, many say at four months after their -birth. When the oyster attains the size of a crown the shell is still -very tender and thin; it is only after the second, third, or fourth year -that it becomes fit for human food. - -If we cannot answer the Fool's question in Lear, and "tell how an oyster -makes his shell," we can, nevertheless, tell by his shell what is his -age. - -"A London oysterman," says a correspondent of No. 623 of the "Family -Herald," "can tell the ages of his flock to a nicety. The age of an -oyster is not to be found out by looking into its mouth. It bears its -years upon its back. Everybody who has handled an oyster-shell must have -observed that it seemed as if composed of successive layers or plates -overlapping each other. These are technically termed 'shoots' and each -of them marks a year's growth; so that, by counting them, we can -determine at a glance the year when the creature came into the world. Up -to the time of its maturity, the shoots are regular and successive; but -after that time they become irregular, and are piled one over the other, -so that the shell becomes more and more thickened and bulky. Judging -from the great thickness to which some oyster-shells have attained, this -mollusk is capable, if left to its natural changes unmolested, of -attaining a great age." Indeed, fossil oysters have been seen, of which -each shell was nine inches thick, whence they may be concluded to have -been more than 100 years old. - -For the most part the offspring remains near the mother, which accounts -for the large oyster banks or beds which are found in almost all the -seas of the temperate and torrid zones, and which in some places have -been known to attain such magnitude as to cause ships to be wrecked upon -them. The lower stratum is necessarily lifeless, being pressed upon by -the upper one, so that the oysters beneath are unable to open -themselves, and are consequently deprived of food. - -The immense propagation of the oyster may be understood from the fossil -oyster bed near Reading, in Berkshire. These fossils have the entire -shape, figure, and are of the same substance as our recent -oyster-shells, and yet must have lain there from time immemorial. This -bed occupies about six acres, forming a stratum of about two feet in -thickness. But the largest fossil oyster banks are those raised by -earth-quakes along the western shores of South America, which measure -from sixty to eighty feet in depth, are often forty miles in length, and -in many places stretch above two miles into the interior. - -The Abbé Dicquemare, fond of trying experiments in the spread of -gastronomy, even to the stewing a mess of _Gemmaceæ_, the _Gems_ of our -water-vivaries, till they had something of the flavour of oysters, -asserts that, when in a state of liberty, oysters can move from one -place to another by suddenly admitting sea water into the shell, which -they are able to open and shut with extraordinary power and rapidity, -whereby they produce a strange sound; and this observation has been -confirmed by other naturalists, and is recorded as an ascertained fact -in several books of natural science. In like manner they defend -themselves against smaller animals, especially against the spider crab, -which constantly tries to penetrate into their half open shells. Much -natural instinct or foresight is also attributed to the oyster; in proof -of which I may name that, when in a position which is exposed to the -variations of the tide, oysters seem to be aware that they remain for -some hours without water, and consequently provide it within their -shells. - -This makes such oysters far more fit to be conveyed to a distance, than -those taken nearer to the shore, which evacuate the water, thus exposing -themselves to the heat of the sun, the cold, or an attack from their -enemies; and this, too, is the reason why Colchester or Pyfleet oysters, -packed at the beds, are in such request. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE OYSTER IN ITS NEW SETTLEMENT. - -Dredging for Oysters; Oyster-beds and their formation; Sergius Orata; -Pliny the Elder; Baia and the Lucrine Sea; Roman Epicurism and Gluttony; -Martial and Horace, Cicero and Seneca; Masticate Oysters, and do not -bolt them whole; Mediterranean and Atlantic Oysters; Agricola and the -Rutupians; Apicius Cœlius, Trajan, Pliny, and the Vivarium. - - -The Oyster does not leave his home like the duckling, upon the call of -"come here and be killed." If he is wanted, like Mrs. Glasse's hare, we -must "first catch him." This is done by dredging, and this dredging for -oysters is performed by means of rakes and scrapers, on which is -fastened a bag of sail-cloth, leather, or net-work. These are lowered -into the sea by means of ropes and chains, and are dragged along its -bottom by boats in full sail, or by rowing-boats. When the net or -scraper is drawn to the surface, the oysters are immediately separated -from all else which may be swept up. These oysters are then stowed away -and sent up to market in due course. But it is not of these that are -formed the new settlements or oyster-beds, which I am about to describe. - -These oyster-beds are cavities or reservoirs which communicate with the -sea by means of canals, and are placed in such manner that the level -beds remain dry when the tide is high. These beds are made with -sand-stones or other hewn stones; and the water is kept in or let out at -low tide by means of locks, or traps, as may be most readily effected. - -At some periods, however, the water is kept in for many days, or even -weeks together. In the latter case the oyster becomes, for the most -part, very tender, and green and fat, because the stagnant water -promotes the germination of those microscopical spores of marine plants, -which always abound in natural sea-water, and upon which it delights to -feed. These reservoirs, therefore, are not only the means of preserving -them for sale, but of purifying them from the muddy odour which they -have imbibed at sea, and which indicates them to be hard and devoid of -that luscious and somewhat gastronomic quality so much prized by the -world at large. - -The bottom and sides of these caves or reservoirs are paved with stones -and thick layers of sand, to keep them free from all mud, which is not -only very injurious to the animal, but sure to harbour its enemies; and -great care is also observed not to admit too great a flow of water at -one time, as that might drive particles of sand into the shells. When -the reservoir is properly prepared, the oysters are placed in their -natural position—the flat side being upwards, in a sloping or horizontal -direction. The more care that is taken in keeping their beds clean and -free from mud, by washing the sides of the reservoirs, pouring water -over the oysters, especially those which are dry, and removing the dead -ones, which can be recognised by their shells being open, the better; -for the more valuable will they be as human food, both as to profit and -condition, and the more appreciated by the gastronomic million, who hail -the oyster season as does a sportsman the advent of grouse and -partridges, hares and pheasants. - -The oysters, which are thus preserved, cleaned, nursed, and fattened are -taken from their beds at the low tide when the water is out. - -There are doubts, various and conflicting, as to whether oysters -contained in reservoirs, where the water is changed each successive -tide, are not on that account preferable to those which exist in the -same water for two weeks at a time. I give a decided preference to the -latter, though the water must be kept very clean by constant care and -attention to the removal of the dead, the decomposition of which would -otherwise, but for the frequent change of water, seriously affect the -health of the whole settlement, by an accumulation of sulphuretted -hydrogen, with a smell like that emitted by the Thames and other -drainage rivers in the dog-days. These oysters slip down the human -throat divine with a tenderness and sublime relish which no words can -describe. - -Let me pass over, for the nonce, the mode of packing and sending them to -the interior. Thanks to the railways, the gastronomical delight of -oyster eating is now secured to many who for years scarcely knew what an -oyster meant in its entire freshness and best qualities. - -Sergius Orata, as Pliny the Elder tells us in the eighty-ninth book of -his invaluable Natural History, and, as we have already stated, first -conceived the idea of planting oysters in beds. This epicure had large -reservoirs made at Baia, where he gathered thousands of these mollusks. -Not far from these oyster-beds rose a palace in which the wealthy Roman -used to assemble his choicest friends and feast with them the whole day -and night. Oysters occupied the place of honour on the table of Sergius -Orata; at every feast thousands of them were consumed. Satiated, but not -yet satisfied, these gourmets were in the habit of adjourning into an -adjoining room, where they relieved the stomach of its load by -artificial means, and then returned to indulge again their appetite with -a fresh supply of oysters. - -Strange as it may appear to us in the nineteenth century, this custom -was universal amongst the wealthy of Imperial Rome, Cæsar himself often -indulging in it, when the repast was to his taste; and ladies, the cream -of the cream of that luxurious period, carried about with them peacocks' -feathers and other dainty throat ticklers for the purpose, when they -anticipated a more luxurious feed than usual. - -Who amongst us cares to eat white-bait in the crowded city? When the -mood seizes us, do not we take boat and proceed up or down the river, as -the whim dictates? The old Roman had no white-bait; and the oyster to -him was therefore doubly welcome. To him the journey to his marine -villa, by water or land, as with us, added but a zest to the anticipated -treat. In the Bay of Naples is a smaller bay close to its most -north-western point, bounded on the west by the pretty town of Baia and -its hot wells, and on the north-east by the no less charming town of -Pozzuoli. These little bays on the Italian coasts are dignified by the -name of seas by the writers of classical antiquity, and round the -headland of Baia, to the north, in the open Mediterranean—the Tyrrhenian -Sea—just such another bay, the present Lago di Fusaro, was called the -Lucrine Sea, with its far-famed oyster-beds, easy of access from Baia -and Pozzuoli, both situated in a charming country. Here, close to the -Lucrine, under a clear sky, surrounded by a delightful atmosphere, were -situated the country houses of the more wealthy Romans, where, far away -from business and the noise and turmoil of the forum, these accomplished -disciples of Epicurus, without fear or care, used to give themselves up -to the delights of the table. Here they tasted the little-shelled -oysters which Martial liked so much, and which, but a few hours -previously to being served up, had been gathered on the sea-shore. - -Gastronomic annals mention the names of some of these dainty persons who -daily swallowed several hundreds of oysters; but Vitellius in this -respect beat them all. That emperor, it is said, ate oysters four times -a day, and at each meal swallowed neither more nor less than 1200 of -them. Seneca himself, who so admirably praises the charms of poverty, -yet left prodigious wealth behind him; Seneca the wise and moderate, ate -several hundreds of them every week. - -"Oyster, so dear to people of taste!" he exclaims; "thou dost but excite -instead of satisfying the appetite, never causing indisposition, not -even when eaten to excess; for thou art easy of digestion, and the -stomach yields thee back with facility." Cicero did not hesitate to -confess that he had a special predilection for oysters; but he adds, -that he could renounce them without any difficulty; which, by the way, -he might as well have told to the Marines, if they were in existence in -his day, for all the credence this remark of his has gained from -posterity. - -We prefer Horace, who in every passage honestly makes known his love for -oysters, and eats them himself with as much gusto as he extols them to -others. Carefully, too, does he note down from whom he procured them, -and the name of the famous gourmet who at the first bite was able to -tell whether an oyster came from Circe or the Lucrine Sea, or from any -part of Natolia. The ancients, our teachers in all arts, but especially -in æsthetics, did not bolt the oyster, but masticated it. With true -Epicurean tact, they always extracted the full enjoyment out of the good -things set before them. Not so we; most of us now bolt them; but this is -a mistake, for the oyster has a much finer flavour, and is far more -nourishing, when well masticated. - -"Those who wish to enjoy this delicious restorative in its utmost -perfection," says Dr. Kitchener, "must _eat_ it the moment it is opened, -with its own gravy in the under shell; if not _eaten_ absolutely alive, -its flavour and spirit are lost. The true lover of an oyster will have -some regard for the feelings of his little favourite, and contrive to -detach the fish from the shell so dexterously that the oyster is hardly -conscious he has been ejected from his lodging till he _feels the teeth_ -of the piscivorous gourmet tickling him to death." - -The Romans needed not even the use of their teeth to tell from whence -the oyster came; a mere look sufficed to distinguish it, as may be seen -in the following lines ascribed to Lucilius. - - "When I but see the oyster's shell, - I look and recognize the river, marsh or mud, - Where it was raised." - -Nor was this so very difficult a matter, for the shell, no less than the -animal itself, as has already been shown, exhibits the nature of the -food upon which the oyster has fed. - -In Italy and Gaul it was for a long time a matter of dispute, which -country produced the best oysters. At that time the Lucrine Sea -maintained the superiority; but Pliny preferred those from Circe. -"According to my opinion," he says, "the most delicious and most tender -oysters are those from Circe." - -At last, however, the preference was given to those of Britain, which -under the wise administration of Julius Agricola had conformed to the -manners and customs of her conquerors, and there no longer was need of -dispute as to whether the Mediterranean oysters of Italy or Gaul should -have the precedence. The little watery pulpy dabs, which had hitherto -delighted the conquerors of the world, were cast aside in disgust. They -had found a real oyster at last, and the insignificant and flavourless -bivalves of the coasts of Italy ceased to be in demand. From that time, -on the shores of the Atlantic, thousands of slaves were employed in -procuring the oysters, which in Rome were paid for by their weight in -gold. The expenses were so great that the censors felt themselves -obliged to interfere. Not content with getting their oysters from -distant shores, they had means by which to preserve them for some time -in hot weather; for which purpose, as we see in the Pompeian model-house -at the Crystal Palace, their domiciles were furnished with a receptacle -for water; for with those famous epicures the water-vivary was an -essential necessary for the preservation of living fish, and all that -was necessary was to substitute sea-water for fresh. Probably by some -such means, Apicius Cœlius, who must not be confounded with the writer -of a book of cookery which bears his name, sent Trajan, when that -emperor was in the country of the Parthians, oysters, which when -received were as fresh as they ever could be eaten when just taken from -their beds; and Pliny even believed that the journey had proved -beneficial to their flavour. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE OYSTER ON ITS TRAVELS. - -The Isle of Sheppey, the Medway, and Whitstable; Milton, Queenborough, -Rochester, and Faversham Oysters; Colchester and Essex Beds; Edinburgh -Pandores and Aberdours; Dublin Carlingfords and Powldoodies; Poole and -its Oyster-bank; Cornish Oysters and the Helford Beds; Poor Tyacke, and -How he was Done; Dredgers and their Boats; Auld Reekie's Civic -Ceremonials; Song of the Oyster; its Voyage to Market, and Journey by -Coach and Rail. - - -Who that has travelled by water from London Bridge to Herne Bay—and who -among us who live within the sound of Bow bells has not?—should the trip -have been made in the beginning of August, but must have noticed, after -having passed the Isle of Sheppey, a little fishing-town to his right, -in East Swale Bay, raising its head out of the river like a joyous child -dressed in its gayest attire, anticipating a long-looked-for holiday? It -is the 4th of August, and its holiday is at hand, for to-morrow the -oyster season begins; and the town is Whitstable, in Kent, standing out -gaily with its bright flags and pennons in beautiful relief from the low -marshy soil by which it is surrounded. Then, too, the dredgers, in their -picturesque costume, add greatly to the gay appearance of the place, -whilst some seventy or eighty vessels lying in the offing bespeak the -importance of the oyster traffic between it and the Great Metropolis. -What the Lucrine was to the citizen of Rome is the estuary of the Medway -with the Swale to the citizen of London. The "Natives" obtained at -Milton are in the highest repute, and consumed in every part of England; -nor are the Faversham, Queenborough, and Rochester denizens less so; -nor, indeed, any of the "breedy creatures" which are raised in the other -beds of the Swale or the Medway. - -The trade in oysters, as we have seen, has been an object of -consideration in England for many ages, and now ranks in importance with -the herring, pilchard, and other fisheries. The excellence of our -oysters made the formation of artificial beds an object of attention -soon after the Roman conquest; and the Kentish and Essex beds show a -pedigree in consequence much older than that of the noble descendant of -any Norman adventurer who came over with the Conqueror, claiming, on -this head alone, precedence for our "Natives" amongst all the oysters of -the known world. But Britain is the boasted land of liberty, and the -"Natives" of one part of her coast boldly assert their equality with the -"Natives" of any other. If London delights in Milton and Colchester -oysters, Edinburgh has her "whispered Pandores" and Aberdours, and -Dublin her Carlingfords[4] and "Powldoodies of Burran;" whilst all -round our shores each locality boasts of its own "Natives" as the best -oysters in the land. Poole points proudly to her oyster-bank, and tells -miraculous tales of her fishery, and of the number of oysters she sends -to the London market, besides those which are pickled at sea for the -export trade to lands where a fresh oyster is still a luxury unknown. -The Poole fishermen who open oysters in their boats for pickling are -compelled, by an Act of the Legislature, to throw the shells on the -strand, and these, in the course of time, have formed a strong barrier -against the waves of the sea at the flow of the tide, having the -appearance of an island at high-water; and, simple as it is, such is the -sole construction of this celebrated breakwater. - -I cannot be expected to take the reader on a voyage of discovery all -round the coast, nor to the Channel Islands, to taste the oysters which -Providence has spread out for our enjoyment with such a lavish hand. But -there is one little spot on the shores of Cornwall which I cannot pass -over, because from it came one of the colonies on the banks of the -Thames, from which the Whitstable boats still draw their annual supply. -Into Mount's Bay the Helford River, upon which stands the little town of -Helstone, empties itself, opposite Mount St. Michael's, into the sea, -and in the estuary of that little river, a person of the name of Tyacke, -within the memory of the "oldest inhabitant," rented certain -oyster-beds, famous amongst Cornish gourmets for a breed of oysters, -which, it is said, the Phœnicians, "a long time ago," had discovered to -be infinitely preferable to the watery things they got at home. These -Helford oysters are regularly brought to London; but when Tyacke rented -the beds they were unknown to the good citizens who frequented the -oyster taverns, of which the Cock in Fleet Street is but a last -lingering type. Determined to make his venture, Tyacke loaded a fishing -smack with the best produce of his beds, and coasted along the southern -shores, till passing round the Isle of Thanet he found himself in the -Mouth of the Thames. Little did the elated oyster dredger think that -that Mouth would swallow up the whole of his cargo; but so it came to -pass. It had long been evident to those on board that oysters that -travel, no less than men, must have rations allowed on the voyage, if -they are to do credit to the land of their birth. Now the voyage had -been long and tedious, and the oysters had not been fed, so Tyacke got -into his boat, and obtained an interview with the owner of the spot at -which it touched land. He asked permission to lay down his oysters, and -feed them. This was granted, and after a few days the spores of _ulva -latissima_ and _enteromorpha_, and of the host of delicate fibrous -plants which there abound, and all of which are the oyster's great -delight, made the whole green and fat, and in the finest condition for -reshipment. Four days, it is said, will suffice to make a lean oyster, -on such a diet, both green and plump; and Tyacke, joyful at the -improvement which he daily witnessed, let his stock feed on for a week. -It was towards evening that he bethought himself, as the tide was out, -that if he meant to reach Billingsgate by the next morning, it would be -wise to reship his oysters before turning in for the night. The boat was -lowered; but, as he attempted to land, he was warned off by the owner of -the soil, who stood there with several fierce looking fellows, armed -with cutlasses and fowling-pieces, evidently anticipating the -Cornishman's intention, and determined to frustrate it at all hazards. - -"What do you want here?" he asked of Tyacke. - -"The oysters I put down to feed," was the reply. "They were placed there -by your permission, and now I am anxious to reship them, to be in time -for to-morrow's market." - -"True," replied the Kentishman, "I gave you leave to lay down the -oysters and feed them, but not a word was said about reshipping them. -Where they are, there they stay; and if you persist in trespassing, I -shall know what to do." - -Poor Tyacke found himself much in the predicament of many a flat who has -been picked up by a sharp. A century ago law was not justice, nor -justice law. Perhaps it may not even be so now; and the story of the -lawyer who ate the oyster in dispute, and gave each of the disputants a -shell, may hold as good in our day as it did in that when the author of -the "Beggar's Opera" put it into verse. - -The demand for oysters, wherever it exists along our coasts, creates a -profitable source of employment to a class of men who necessarily become -experienced seamen; and dredging for oysters is carried on in fleets, as -the beds mostly lie within a comparatively small space. The boats, which -are about fifteen feet long, usually carry a man and a boy, or two men. -The dredge is about eighteen pounds weight, and is required to be -heavier on a hard than on a soft bottom, and each boat is usually -provided with two dredges. - -In former days the commencement of the dredging season was held -sufficiently important to entitle it to a civic ceremonial, at least -such was the wont of the municipal authorities of "Auld Reekie," who -also paid a particular regard both as to the supply and the price of -the"breedy creatures" furnished to the good citizens of Edinburgh. The -"Feast of Shells" was ushered in by the municipality of the ancient city -making, for provosts and bailiffs, a somewhat perilous voyage to the -oyster-beds in the Frith of Forth; and though the solemnity of wedding -the Frith formed no part of the chief magistrate's office, as wedding -the Adriatic with a gold ring did that of the Doge of Venice, the welkin -was made to ring, as three cheers from all present uprose and announced -the lifting of the first dredge upon the deck of the civic barge. - -There is something poetical and pretty in the idea, which once -prevailed, that the oyster was a lover of music, and as the fishermen -trolled their dredging nets they sang, - - "To charm the spirits of the deep." - -The old ballad in use is still found in the mouth of many a hardy seaman -as he pursues his toil to the melodious words— - - "The herring loves the merry moonlight, - The mackerel loves the wind, - But the oyster loves the dredger's song, - For he comes of a gentle kind." - -Raised out of his native waters, the oyster makes the voyage to the -first station in his destined travels in the company of those to whom -long and kindred ties have bound him, on board the smack upon the deck -of which they were jointly landed from the deep; and during the whole -voyage, if it prove a long one, he is attentively supplied with -refreshing water, so that when the smack lays alongside the wharf at -which he is to part company with his captors, he is still as lively as -when they first took him as a passenger on board. - -Arrived in port, the oyster first truly becomes sensible of the miseries -of slavery. Shovelled into sacks, or cast anyhow into carts and -handbarrows, he may consider himself fortunate if a kindly hand but -extends to him, in his great necessity, a drink of water impregnated -with salt, instead of his own delicious beverage from the sea. Yet this -is a cruelty which should be avoided wherever sea-water can be obtained, -because it is neither the salt nor the water which sustains the oyster's -life, but the spores of vegetation which abound in the sea, and by -mixing salt with fresh water we destroy even the life of the incipient -fresh-water plants which the latter contains. It is as great a mockery -as when Grumio proposes to give the famished Katherine the mustard -without the brawn, and need no longer exist if oyster dealers, who -cannot obtain sea-water, would provide themselves with the prepared -salts for the instantaneous production of artificial sea-water, the -recipe for the preparation of which is thus given in No. 735 of the -"Family Herald:"— - - "For ten gallons it requires, sulphate of magnesia, 7-1/2 ounces; -sulphate of lime, 2-3/4 ounces; chloride of sodium, 43-1/4 ounces; -chloride of magnesia, 6 ounces; chloride of potassium, 1-1/4 ounce; -bromide of magnesium, 21 grains; carbonate of lime, 21 grains." - -This should be allowed to stand exposed to the air in a strong sunlight -for a fortnight before it is used, during which time a few growing -plants of _enteromorpha_, or _ulva_ should be introduced to throw off -spores. These plants cost about one shilling each in London. The water -then, when under the microscope, will be found to contain a confervoid -vegetable growth, which forms as nourishing a food for the oyster as the -spores of sea-weed in its ocean bed. Oysters laid down in a large trough -and covered with this water will continue to live and thrive for months; -and it was to some such method as this that the Romans were indebted for -the preservation of their oysters in inland stews. On no account should -oatmeal, flour, or any such _dead_ stuff, be added, which only serves to -make the water foul and the oyster sick. - -When oysters are to travel by coach or rail, they are usually dispatched -in barrels. Where the barrels are packed at the beds, as the Colchester -or "Pyfleet barrelled oysters" are, they should not be disturbed till -wanted for the table, as they will keep good as they are for a week or -ten days; for being carefully packed so as not to spill the water each -carries in a reservoir of Nature's providing, they need no other -viaticum for the journey. - -The moment an oyster in the barrel opens its mouth it dies, because -there is nothing in the barrel to sustain its life. It is therefore as -well, on the receipt of the little cask, to open it at once by removing -the top and the first hoop, and then to place the top on the upper-most -layer of oysters, keeping it in position by the addition of some heavy -weight, which causes the staves to spread and stand erect; and as the -layers of oysters are required for the table, it is only necessary each -time to replace the top and the weight to a similar position to keep the -remainder fresh for a few days. But the true lover of an oyster will -have some regard for his little favourite. Sea-water may be had in -London and other large towns for sixpence per gallon, and when that -cannot be procured the pound packet of salts, according to the recipe we -have given, will not cost more than eighteen-pence at any chemist's, and -that quantity will produce three gallons of artificial sea-water. Thus -provided, unpack the barrel, and spread out the oysters in a large flat -earthenware dish, just covering them with water, and you may keep them -for many weeks as fresh as when they first left their beds. - ------ - -Footnote 4: - - The Carlingford oyster is the best in Ireland; a black-bearded fellow, - delicate and of fine flavour, to be eaten in Dublin alternately with - the Redbank oyster, at a magnificent establishment in Sackville - Street, and to be washed down with alternate draughts of brown stout. - The Hibernian will tell you that even our Natives are inferior to - these. He is right in his patriotism, but wrong in his assertion. How - often do our prejudices trip up our judgment! - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - THE OYSTER AT ITS JOURNEY'S END. - -Oyster Stalls; How to Open the Oyster; an Oyster Supper; Beer, Wines, -and Spirits; Roasted, Fried, Stewed, and Scolloped Oysters; Oyster Soup, -and Oyster Sauce; Broiled Oysters; Oyster Pie; Oyster Toast; Oyster -Patties; Oyster Powder; Pickled Oysters; Oyster Loaves; Oyster Omelet; -Cabbage, Larks, and Oysters; and Frogs and Oysters. - - "If where Fleet Ditch with muddy current flows - You chance to roam, where oyster-tubs in rows - Are ranged beside the posts, there stay thy haste, - And with the savoury fish indulge thy taste."—GAY. - - -I am writing for the Million, and the least the Million can do in return -is every one to buy a copy of my book, and bid everybody to recommend -everybody to do the same. The Fleet Ditch, which was once in the centre -of the old Fleet Market, has disappeared since Gay wrote the lines I -have just quoted, and now forms the great sewer of Farringdon Street; -but with the Ditch have not disappeared the oyster-stalls; they have -only changed their locality, and, like the Wandering Jew, have turned up -in the most out-of-the-way places, where nobody would expect to find -them. I know what stall-oysters are; for when I was a school-boy many -and oft is the time I spent my pennies, on the sly, at a stall behind -the old cathedral that just abutted the ancient Market Cross. The maiden -that opened them had clean white hands—for, boy as I was, I could not -have endured a baronet's hand to open oysters for me; for— - - "The damsel's knife the gaping shell commands, - While the salt liquor streams between her hands." - -Never have I eaten finer oysters than those, fresh almost within a few -hours from the placid Solent, upon which now the palace of Osborne looks -down, and calls forth the heartfelt prayer of "God bless the Queen," as -we pass beneath the grass-covered slopes, reminding every Wykehamist of -the founder's motto, "Manners maketh Men;" for Her Majesty is the tenant -of Wykeham's College, and his arms and motto are carved upon the gates -of the Queen's royal residence of Osborne. - -Yes, "Manners maketh Men" no less than _Honores mutant Mores_, as the -punster told the great Sir Thomas More, when he stood so high in favour -with Henry VIII., and was just appointed Treasurer of the Exchequer. It -is not riches that make man, any more than they need change him; and if -there is any good gift of Providence more than another which teaches -equality, it will not be far from the mark to say it is the Oyster. You -cannot eat the oyster in greater perfection than at a street-stall, -because, as the capital of the owner is small, so, too, is the stock; -and, to be sure of a rapid sale, it must also be well and carefully -selected, and therefore does not need the announcement we read in many a -by-way one passes along, where "the tale of a tub" would seem to -contradict it: "Oysters fresh every day." The poor man has no need to -bid his cook, like his wealthy neighbour, buy real sea-water, or salts -for the preparation of artificial sea-water, for the preservation of his -oysters. There are thousands of hands outstretched to receive his nimble -penny, and to give him in return oysters as fine as any which can grace -the table of the wealthiest in the land. To me it is a treat to stand by -and see how rapidly oyster after oyster disappears down the capacious -throat of some stalwart son of toil, and to think that my favourite -health-giving mollusk, in every one that is swallowed, is adding -strength and muscle to those upon whom we so greatly depend for the -nation's wealth and prosperity. - -People generally, however, are somewhat indifferent about the manner of -opening oysters, and the time of eating them after they are opened; yet -nothing deserves more consideration at the hands of your true -oyster-eater. The oyster should be eaten the moment it is opened, if -eaten raw, with its own liquor in the under shell, as we have already -stated on the very highest of all gastronomical authorities. It is well -worth a little practice to learn to open the oyster oneself, for a -bungling operator injures our little favourite, and baulks the expectant -appetite by his unsightly incisions. I learnt the art years ago in one -of the Midland counties, where Christmas-eve would scarce be -Christmas-eve, without an oyster supper. Let me sketch the scene. In the -centre of the table, covered with a clean white cloth up to the top -hoop, stands the barrel of oysters, a kindly remembrance from a friend, -and the more kind because oysters are not found in fresh-water streams. -Each gentleman at table finds an oyster-knife and a clean coarse towel -by the side of his plate, and he is expected to open oysters for himself -and the lady seated by his side, unless she is wise enough to open them -for herself. By the side of every plate is the _panis ostrearius_, the -oyster-loaf made and baked purposely for the occasion, and all down the -centre of the table, interspersed with vases of bright holly and -evergreens, are plates filled with pats of butter, or lemons cut in -half, and as many vinegar and pepper castors as the establishment can -furnish. As the attendance of servants at such gatherings is usually -dispensed with, bottled Bass or Guinness, or any equally unsophisticated -pale ale or porter, is liberally provided; and where the means allow, -light continental wines, such as Chablis, Sauterne, Mousseux, Marsault -or Medoc, still Champagne, Moselle, or any light Rhenish wine, and -failing any of these, Madeira or Sherry, are placed upon the table. In -this list is contained the names of such wines only as are best suited -to enhance the taste of the oyster, and to assist digestion. Of spirits, -only good English gin, genuine Schiedam, or Irish or Scotch whisky, are -admissible, as rum and brandy, taken upon oysters, will almost always be -sure to make them indigestible; and liqueurs are quite out of place. - -At some of these oyster suppers, oysters roasted in the shell are -brought in "hot and hot," and dishes of fried, stewed, and scolloped -oysters follow each other in quick succession, and even oyster patties -are sometimes introduced; but I hold up both hands against an American -innovation which is creeping in, and introducing crabs and lobsters, and -mixed pickles, and other foreigners into the _carte_ on such an -occasion. - -The mention of these various dishes of dressed oysters, reminds me of my -promise at starting, to give some directions as to the proper mode of -cooking them. So to begin:— - -1. _The Fried Oyster._—It is the most common one, and is fried in its -own shell; but as it frequently takes the taste of lime when just fried, -it is better to make use of another shell, or a porcelain one. The beard -is taken off, the oyster loosened from its shell, and with the liquor it -still contains is put into the vessel prepared for it, with some good -butter, some Parmesan cheese, and pepper, and thus it is put into the -oven, or on the gridiron, and when it has turned a little brown some -lemon-juice is poured on it, after which it may be served up. Having no -Parmesan, good dry Cheshire, or even bread crumbs, are desirable. The -largest and finest oysters should be chosen for this purpose; and many -persons fry oysters by simply allowing them to simmer in their own -shells for a couple of minutes, when they take them out and lay them on -a cloth to drain, beard them, and then flour them, put them into boiling -fat, and fry them to a delicate brown. - -2. _The Oyster roasted in its own shell._—Open the oyster carefully, so -as not to lose any of its own liquor, add a little butter and pepper, -according to taste, place it upon a gridiron over a fierce clear fire, -and serve up "hot and hot" in quick succession. Bachelors may manage to -dress oysters in this way by placing them between the bars of the grate -till done, and adding the butter and pepper as they eat them. - -3. _Stewed Oysters._—Open the oysters, and put their liquor in a -stew-pan with a little beaten mace; thicken it with flour and butter; -boil it three or four minutes; put in a spoonful of cream; put in the -oysters, and shake them round in the pan, but do not let them boil. -Serve them in a small deep dish, or if for one person only in a -soup-plate. - -4. _Scolloped Oysters._—Open the oysters, put them in a basin, with -their own liquor; put them into a small deep dish, or some of them, if -preferred, into scollop shells; strew over them a few crumbs of bread, -and lay a slice of butter on them; then more oysters, bread crumbs, and -a slice of butter on the top; put them into a Dutch-oven to brown, and -serve them up. - -5. _Oyster Soups._—(Each of the following is calculated for one person). - -(_a_). _The English Soup._—Take one pound of good lean beef, half a -pound of raw lean ham, much parsley, and carrot roots, and a few onions; -cut all in very small pieces, and burnish it into a dark-brownish colour -with spices, bay-leaves, whole pepper and butter: after having boiled -this with water for five hours, pour it through a hair sieve, and then -put to it a little brown flour, and two ounces of Sherry or Madeira, and -after having boiled again for an hour, take all the fat clean off, and -put into it the oysters with their beards and liquor, and with cayenne -pepper; all this is to be boiled up again, and then served. This soup is -to be recommended, especially in winter when it is very cold. For -invalids, the wine, spices, and pepper are omitted. This soup is -valuable for convalescents, being very strengthening and nourishing. - -(_b_). _The American Soup._—Take half a pint of good fresh milk, or -cream if possible; three ounces of good butter; boil this together, beat -it up with the yolks of three eggs, and put into it six or twelve -oysters with their beards and liquor; boil this up again, and in serving -it up put into it a little cayenne pepper and a few drops of lemon -juice. This soup is delicate; but no prejudice! Everybody must try it -first. For invalids, butter, eggs, and pepper are omitted. - -(_c_). _The Holstein Soup._—Take good beef-stock, one-eighth of a pound -of Sherry or Madeira, burnt flour, and proceed as with (_a_); and then -beat it up with the yolks of two or three eggs. (The beard and the -liquor must always be made use of, as they impart the strongest flavour -of the oyster.) - -6. _Oyster Sauce._—I cannot do better than copy Dr. Kitchener's valuable -recipe for making oyster sauce, which was one of the great luxuries at -the table of that celebrated gastronome:—"Choose plump and juicy natives -for this purpose; do not take them out of their shells till you put them -into the stew-pan. To make good oyster sauce for half a dozen hearty -fish-eaters, you cannot have less than three or four dozen oysters; save -their liquor, strain it, and put it and them into a stew-pan; as soon as -they boil, and the fish plump, take them off the fire, and pour the -contents of the stew-pan into a sieve over a clean basin; wash the -stew-pan out with hot water, and put into it the strained liquor, with -about an equal quantity of milk, and about two and a half ounces of -butter, with which you have well rubbed a large table-spoonful of flour; -give it a boil up, and pour it through a sieve into a basin, that the -sauce may be quite smooth, and then back again into the saucepan; now -shave the oysters, and (if you have the honour of making sauce for "a -Committee of Taste," take away the gristly part also) put in only the -soft part of the oysters; if they are very large, cut them in half, and -set them by the fire to keep hot; 'if they boil after, they will become -hard.' If you have not liquor enough, add a little melted butter, or -cream, or milk beat up with the yolk of an egg (this must not be put in -till the sauce is done). Some barbarous cooks add pepper, or mace, the -juice or peel of a lemon, horse-radish essence of anchovy, cayenne, -etc.; plain sauces are only to taste of the ingredients from which they -derive their name. It will very much heighten the flavour of this sauce -to pound the soft part of half a dozen unboiled oysters; rub it through -a hair sieve, and then stir it into the sauce. This essence of oyster, -and for some palates a few grains of cayenne, is the only addition we -recommend." - -Notwithstanding Dr. Kitchener's objection to the introduction of -extraneous substances by "_barbarous cooks_," because _de Gustibus_, as -the adage of "the apple and the onion" has already reminded me, is -always a matter not to be disputed, I shall add Alexis Soyer's -"barbarous" method of preparing oyster sauce, which was introduced by -him at the Reform Club in 1852:— - -"Mix three ounces of butter in a stewpan with two ounces of flour, then -blanch and beard three dozen oysters, put the oysters into another -stewpan, add beards and liquor to the flour and butter, with a pint and -a half of milk, a teaspoonful of salt, half a salt-spoonful of cayenne, -two cloves, half a blade of mace, and six peppercorns; place it over the -fire, keep stirring, and boil it ten minutes, then add a tablespoonful -of essence of anchovies, and one of Harvey sauce; pass it through a -hair-sieve over the oysters; make the whole very hot without boiling, -and serve. A less quantity may be made, using less proportions." - -He also gives the following:— - -"Put a pint of white sauce into a stew-pan, with the liquor and beards -of three dozen oysters (as above), six peppercorns, two cloves, and half -a blade of mace; boil it ten minutes, then add a spoonful of essence of -anchovies, a little cayenne and salt if required; pass it through a -tammy, or hair-sieve, over the oysters, as in the last." - -This is somewhat similar to that given in that most useful pennyworth -"The Family Herald Economical Cookery," which is also preferred by many, -and is as follows:— - -"Simmer the oysters in their own liquor till they are plump: strain off -the liquor through a sieve, wash the oysters clean, and beard them; put -them into a saucepan, and pour the liquor over them, taking care you do -not pour in any of the sediment; add a blade of mace, a quarter of a -lemon, a spoonful of anchovy liquor, and a bit of horseradish; boil it -up gently, then take out the horseradish, the mace, and the lemon, the -juice of which must be squeezed into the sauce. Now add some thick -melted butter, toss it together, and boil it up." - -I am bound to admit that my own opinion coincides with that of Dr. -Kitchener, and would only add that no trouble is too great to render the -sauce perfectly smooth, and that no niggard hand should have the -supplying it for the table. - -6. _Large Oysters Broiled._—Take the largest and finest oysters you can -get, such as you find in the West of England and in America; clean the -gridiron as if a fairy had done the work for Cinderella in her sleep; -rub the bars with _fresh_ butter, and set it over a clear fire, quite -free from smoke; then place the oysters upon it, being careful not to -let them burn, and when done on one side, turn them quickly on the other -with a fork. Put some fresh butter in the bottom of a hot dish, and lay -the oysters upon it, sprinkling them slightly with pepper. They must be -served quite hot with fried parsley. - -7. _Oyster Pie._—Having buttered the inside of a deep dish, spread a -rich paste over the sides and round the edge, but not at the bottom. The -oysters should be as large and fine as possible, and when opened drain -off part of the liquor from them. Put them into a pan, and season them -with pepper, salt, and spice, and stir them well with the seasoning. -Pour the oysters with their liquor into the dish, and strew over them -the yolks of eggs chopped fine and grated bread. Roll out the lid of the -pie, and put it on, crimping the edges handsomely. Take a small sheet of -paste, cut it into a square, and roll it up. Cut it with a sharp knife -into the form of a double tulip. Make a slit in the centre of the upper -crust, and stick the tulip in it. Cut out some large leaves of paste, -and lay them on the lid, and bake the pie in a quick oven. - -Another way of preparing this favourite French dish is this, -communicated to me by a lady of some experience in matters -gastronomical:— - -"Having buttered the inside of a deep dish, line it with puff-paste -rolled out rather thick, and prepare another sheet of paste for the lid. -Put a clean towel into the dish (folded so as to support the lid) and -then put on the lid; set it into the oven, and bake the paste well. When -done, remove the lid, and take out the folded towel. While the paste is -baking, prepare the oysters. Having picked off carefully any bits of -shell that may be found about them, lay them in a sieve and drain off -the liquor into a pan. Put the oysters into a skillet or stew-pan, with -barely enough of the liquor to keep them from burning. Season them with -whole pepper, blades of mace, some grated nutmeg, and some grated -lemon-peel, (the yellow rind only,) and a little finely minced celery. -Then add a large portion of fresh butter, divided into bits, and very -slightly dredged with flour. Let the oysters simmer over the fire, but -do not allow them to come to a boil, as that will shrivel them. Next -beat the yolks only, of three, four, or five eggs, (in proportion to the -size of the pie,) and stir the beaten egg into the stew a few minutes -before you take it from the fire. Keep it warm till the paste is baked. -Then carefully remove the lid of the pie; and replace it, after you have -filled the dish with the oysters and gravy. - -"The lid of the pie may be ornamented with a wreath of leaves cut out of -paste, and put on before baking. In the centre, place a paste-knot or -flower. - -"Oyster pies are generally eaten warm; but they are very good cold." - -8. _Oyster Toast._—Cut four slices of bread, pare off the crusts, and -toast them. Butter the toast on both sides. Then select a dozen of fine -fat and plump oysters, and mince them; place them thickly between the -slices of toast, seasoning them with cayenne pepper. Beat the yolks of -four eggs, and mix them with half-a-pint of cream, adding, if thought -necessary, a few blades of mace. Put the whole into a saucepan, and set -it over the fire to simmer till thick; but do not allow it to boil, and -stir it well, lest it should curdle. When it is _near_ boiling heat, -take it off and pour it over the toast. - -9. _Oyster Patties._—"Roll out puff-paste a quarter of an inch thick," -says Dr. Kitchener, "cut it into squares with a knife, sheet eight or -ten patty pans, put upon each a bit of bread the size of half a walnut; -roll out another layer of paste of the same thickness, cut it as above, -wet the edge of the bottom paste, and put on the top, pare them round to -the pan, and notch them about a dozen times with the back of the knife, -rub them lightly with yolk of egg, bake them in a hot oven about a -quarter of an hour: when done, take a thin slice off the top, then, with -a small knife or spoon, take out the bread and the inside paste, leaving -the outside quite entire: then parboil two dozen of large oysters, -strain them from their liquor, wash, beard, and cut them into four, put -them into a stew-pan with an ounce of butter rolled in flour, half a -gill of good cream, a little grated lemon-peel, the oyster liquor free -from sediment, reduced by boiling to one half, some cayenne pepper, -salt, and a tea-spoonful of lemon-juice; stir it over a fire five -minutes, and fill the patties." - -10. _Oyster Powder._—Open the oysters carefully, so as not to cut them, -except in dividing the gristle which attaches the shells; put them into -a mortar, and when you have got as many as you can conveniently pound at -once, add about two drachms of salt to a dozen oysters; pound them and -rub them through the back of a hair sieve, and put them into the mortar -again, with as much flour (which has been previously thoroughly dried) -as will make them into a paste; roll the paste out several times, and -lastly, flour it, and roll it out the thickness of a half-crown, and -divide it into pieces about one inch square; lay them in a Dutch oven, -where they will dry so gently as not to get burned; turn them every half -hour, and when they begin to dry, crumble them. They will take about -four hours to dry; then pound them fine, sift them, and put them into -dry bottles and seal them. Three dozens of natives require seven ounces -and a half of flour to make them into a paste weighing eleven ounces, or -when dried and powdered, six and a half ounces. To make half a pint of -sauce, put one ounce of butter into a stew-pan with three drachms of -oyster powder, and six table-spoonfuls of milk; set it on a slow fire, -stir it till it boils, and season it with salt. This makes an excellent -sauce for fish, fowls, or rump steaks. Sprinkled on bread and butter, it -makes a good sandwich. But only use plump juicy natives in the -preparation. - -11. _Pickled Oysters_ are mostly used for salads when no fresh oysters -can be got. Take good wine, or Tarragon vinegar, some onions cut in -pieces, some slices of lemon, some spices, whole pepper, bay leaves, and -salt. Boil this together, and whilst boiling put the oysters into it, -and let the whole boil up once more. Put the result into bottles with a -little good oil, and, tied over with bladder, it will keep for a long -time. - -However, pickled oysters also appear as a supper dish, when they are -thus prepared:— - -Take two dozen oysters; strain the liquor; add three blades of mace, six -peppercorns, a little grated lemon peel, and one or two bay leaves; boil -the liquor, and, when boiling, add the oysters for two minutes. When -cold, strain off the liquor; place the oysters in a small dish, and -garnish with parsley. According to this rate of ingredients the dish may -be made to suit the number of guests likely to partake of it. - -12. _Oyster Loaves._—Make an oval hole in the top of some rasped French -rolls, and scrape out all the crumb: then put the oysters into a -stew-pan, with their liquor, and the crumbs that came out of the rolls, -and a good lump of butter; stew them together five or six minutes: then -put in a spoonful of good cream; fill the skeleton rolls with the -compound, and lay the bit of crust carefully on the top again, setting -them in the oven to crisp. Three form a side dish. - -13. _Oyster Omelet._—Having strained the liquor from three dozen plump -native oysters, mince them small; omitting the hard part, or gristle. If -you cannot get large oysters, you should have forty or fifty small ones. -Break into a shallow pan six, seven, or eight eggs, according to the -quantity of minced oysters. Omit half the whites, and (having beaten the -eggs till very light, thick, and smooth,) mix the oysters gradually into -them, adding a little cayenne pepper, and some powdered nutmeg. Put -three ounces or more of the best fresh butter into a small frying-pan, -if you have no pan especially for omelets. Place it over a clear fire, -and when the butter (which should be previously cut up) has come to a -boil, put in the omelet-mixture; stir it till it begins to set; and fry -it a light brown, lifting the edge several times by slipping a knife -under it, and taking care not to cook it too much or it will shrivel and -become tough. When done, clap a large hot plate or dish on the top of -the omelet, and turn it quickly and carefully out of the pan. Fold it -over, and serve it up immediately. This quantity will make one large or -two small omelets. The omelet pan should be smaller than a common -frying-pan, and lined with tin. In a large pan the omelet will spread -too much, and become thin like a pancake. Never turn an omelet while -frying, as that will make it heavy and tough. When done, brown it by -holding a red-hot salamander close above the top. - -Having given a baker's dozen of the most approved receipts for dressing -oysters, I have only to add that the oyster, as an accessory, enters -into many dishes, particularly into fricassees, is served with -sweetbreads, fowl, and veal, and, as we all know from "Tom and Jerry," -"gentlemen" eat oysters as sauce to rump steak; which, by the way, I, -for one, regard as the ruin of both oyster and steak. I cannot refrain -from adding the following, both little known in this country, yet both -equally good:— - -14. _Cabbage with Oysters and Fried Larks._—When the cabbage has been -cooked with a little Rhenish wine, Chablis, or Champagne, some good -butter is melted, in which the oysters are put with their beards and -liquor, and having been fried a little with the butter, they are put -with the cabbage and cooked again together, and then served up with the -larks. - -15.—_Fried Hind Legs of Frogs with Oysters._—The hind legs of frogs are -fried in the usual manner; when they are nearly done, some oysters with -Parmesan cheese and a little pepper are added to them, and when done -they are served up. This dish is undeniable, and is as much relished -abroad as whitebait with us. - -In closing this chapter, let me remind all cooks that the success in -preparing the above-mentioned dishes depends on the goodness and -freshness of the oysters used for this purpose. Very erroneous is the -opinion that oysters which are not fresh are yet good enough to be fried -and to be used for sauces. The greatest delicacy is a fresh oyster, but -a stale one is a source of the greatest disgust, and only fit to regale -the ghost of that Royal George who, when living, never relished a raw -oyster unless the shell was self-opened on the dish. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE OYSTER AND THE DOCTOR. - -Oyster-eating in Prussia; Disgusting Wagers; Oysters better than Pills; -A Universal Remedy; Professional Opinions; When Ladies should eat them; -Repugnance overcome; Oysters as an external application; Chemical -Analysis; How to tell if dead before opening. - - -When in Prussia, I once asked a person who did a large retail business -in oysters, what class of persons he found to be his best customers, and -what was the number of oysters daily consumed by each individual? - -"The morning scarcely begins to dawn," he replied, "ere ladies and -gentlemen, boys and girls, and servants, both male and female, make -their appearance, not only from my immediate neighbourhood, but also -from the most remote parts of the city, when, on an average, every one -buys from half a dozen up to a dozen, in addition to their purchases for -the several families, and in accordance with their requirements." - -And those who do likewise in Great Britain and Ireland will soon find -out the benefit of this nutritive food taken thus early on an empty -stomach. I once heard of an individual who made a bet that he would eat -twelve dozen oysters, washed down by twelve glasses of Champagne, while -the cathedral clock of the city which he inhabited was striking twelve. -He won his bet by placing a dozen fresh oysters in twelve wine glasses, -and having swallowed the oysters, he washed down each dozen with a glass -of Champagne. I should not have mentioned this disgusting feat, but to -add that he felt no evil effects from the oysters, proving incontestably -the digestive and sanitary properties of this mollusk. - -There is a similar tale showing equally the effects of oysters on the -human digestion. Four persons met one Saturday night at an hotel, and -made the following bet: each person was to call for whatever he might -fancy, either to eat or to drink, and he who kept longest awake was to -have no share in the liquidation of the bill. This settled, one of the -party made a private arrangement with one of the waiters, promising him -a reward if, in case of his evincing the slightest drowsiness, he would -bring him forthwith twenty-five oysters. - -This was accordingly done; but the waiters had to be constantly relieved -until 11 o'clock on the following Monday morning, when, observing his -three companions quietly asleep, our oyster-eating friend called for the -landlord, and declared himself triumphantly the winner, attributing his -good fortune entirely to the oyster. - -Wise people eat oysters and eschew pills; take lumps of delight, instead -of lumps of nausea; uphold the Sweetings, Pims, and Lynns, and have -nothing to do with the Holloways, Morisons, and "Old Parrs." - -When suffering from almost incurable indigestion, by taking oysters -daily, they very soon find the most agreeable effects on the human -kitchen and laboratory; its functions become regular, without the use of -strong medicines, always dangerous. Depression of spirits and other -disagreeable feelings consequent on impaired digestion soon cease to -affect them; they become cheerful and happy, and are enabled again to -see clearly through the misty atmosphere which has hitherto enclosed -them in a kind of living shroud; physical powers return, headaches -disappear, and the heretofore dyspeptic, sour, unhappy tempered man -becomes a pleasant and joyous companion, full of life himself, and -inspiriting to those around him. - -I have lived a good deal abroad, and am induced to ascribe much of the -vivacity of the French to their intense love of oysters. During a long -residence in France, I never met with a Frenchman or Frenchwoman who -said nay to a dish of good fresh oysters; in fact, they have a craving -for the "breedy creatures," which in many persons almost amounts to -gluttony, and then, and then only, does this craving lead to mischief. - -Physicians of old recommended the oyster as a general remedy, and -employed it on all occasions with success. It has been proved beyond -dispute that it possesses a remarkable vivifying influence in all cases -where the nervous organs are affected, more than any other food. Oysters -taken before mid-day with a glass of wine produce a most salutary -effect. The nerves and muscles regain their strength, and the body its -mental and physical powers, bringing cheerfulness and energy to compete -with the duties of the day. If not a cure, at all events, an oyster -diet, under medical supervision, brings unquestionable relief to those -who are suffering from pulmonary complaints, indigestion, or nervous -affections. - -Dr. Leroy was in the habit of swallowing, every morning before -breakfast, two dozen oysters, and used always to say to his friends, -presenting them with the shells: "There, behold the fountain of my -youthful strength!" - -Percy relates having seen a large number of wounded persons, exhausted -by the loss of blood and bad treatment, who were entirely kept up by -eating oysters; and Dr. Lenac considered them the most nourishing food -in existence. - -Oysters are strongly recommended to all persons suffering from weak -digestion; and Dr. Pasquier adds, that "they may be given with great -advantage to persons of intemperate habits, who, by inefficacious -medical treatment have fallen into debility and lowness of spirits." He -also recommends oysters to all who are suffering from the gout. I myself -knew a person last winter, who was suffering from influenza, which, from -his being an aged man, threatened the most serious consequences, who was -entirely cured by eating oysters. - -Oysters increase the blood without heating the system, and hence when a -wound has caused much loss of blood, the eating of oysters not only -prevents fever, but replaces the loss which no other remedy can effect. -The great Boerhaave affirms to have known a tall, strong man, who had -fallen into a decline, and who, after all other remedies had proved -useless, by the use of oysters rapidly recovered, became strong, and -died ninety-three years old. - -But to ladies, particularly, do I recommend oysters as the best of all -light meals between breakfast and dinner. At the period of a lady's -married life, when nausea is prevalent, a few fresh oysters, taken raw -in their own liquor, with no addition but a little pepper, and a fairy -slice of French roll or other light bread, stops the feeling of -sickness, and keeps up the stamina unimpaired. During the time, too, -when a young child most requires maternal care and attention, the -mother's diet of oysters will impart strength to the infant, and tend -much to alleviate the pains of its first teething. - -I am well aware that some persons have a repugnance to the eating of -oysters, and that it may be difficult to overcome the dislike. However, -as a proof that oysters in general are nice to the taste, let me mention -that children under two years of age eat them with great appetite; and -it is only after having discontinued eating any for some time that they -take a dislike to them. - -I have often had the opportunity of overcoming this dislike, and the -result was always satisfactory. The method is very simple. Take a French -roll (or a piece of milk-bread) thinly buttered, and put on it the -oyster deprived of its beard, squeezing a few drops of lemon and -peppering it. "Well, after all, the taste of the oyster is really fine!" -is the usual exclamation, and after that the person has eaten them in -their natural state with gusto. - -When eaten for health, an oyster is best swallowed in its own liquor the -moment the shell is opened; or if too cold for the stomach, a sprinkling -of pepper will remedy the evil. Vinegar counteracts the effect of the -oyster enriching the blood; so when the oyster is eaten medicinally it -must be excluded. Dr. Evans, in No. 834 of the "Family Herald" says, -that when too many oysters or other shell-fish has been taken, the -unpleasant sensation excited by such excess may be removed by drinking -half a pint of hot milk. Persons of delicate constitutions will do well -always to take hot milk after oysters. - -But the oyster was also formerly used externally as a remedy no less -than taken internally for its medicinal properties. Its very abundance -is a clear proof of the bounty and goodness of Providence, furnishing -us, at one and the same time, with such delicious food, and so universal -a remedy for the ills which man is heir to. Ambrois Paré, physician to -Charles IX., and the only Protestant whom the king sought to save from -the terrible massacre of St. Bartholomew, by shutting him up in his own -closet, recommends oysters smashed in their shells as an excellent -poultice. "This animal, so used," says he, "diminishes pain, and removes -all heat and inflammation in a remarkable manner." As the opinion of -one, of whom the king himself declared that "a man so useful to all the -world ought not to perish like a dog," it may be admitted to a place in -my little book, more particularly as it is borne out by Paul Egona, who -also recommends oysters being smashed and saturated with their own -liquor as the very best of all poultices for sores or boils. - -Let me, as a close to this chapter, add a few words on the chemical -analysis of the oyster. The animal itself contains a great proportion of -phosphate of iron and lime, a considerable quantity of osmozone, and a -certain amount of gluten and isinglass, being of a peculiar nature, -which phosphorus penetrates like an element. It also contains a great -quantity of particles of salt, the same as that of the sea-water in -which it lives. - -The oyster-liquor, or, as I have said, more properly speaking, its -life's blood, contains a great amount of hydroidum, kali, sulphur of -lime, sulphur of magnesia, some organic matter, osmazone, and a very -little salt. The shell is composed of a very intimate mixture of salt, -carbonic lime, and animal mucus. It exhibits, also, phosphate of lime -and magnesia in small quantities, as also sulphuretted hydrogen. - -At the moment in which natural death ensues, all animal matter begins to -show its chemical affinities by separating again into the elements of -which it consists; and as at such times it is always more or less of a -poisonous nature, it is well to study the method by which it may be -known whether an oyster was living or dead when its shell is opened. -This can be seen at a glance. If the muscle appears sunk, it is a proof -that the animal was living; but if it appears higher and above the -oyster, it was dead before it was opened, and the animal is, -consequently, unwholesome and unfit for food. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE OYSTER ABROAD. - -British Oysters in Ostend Quarters; the Whitstable in a Slow Coach; -Holstein, Schleswig, and Heligoland Natives; Norwegian and Bremer -Oysters; American Oysters; French Oysters; Dutch Oysters; Mediterranean -Oysters, and Classical Judges. - - -I am not writing a book for the man of science. I could not if I would. -It is for those who love oysters for the eating that I have turned -author; and all the facts which are strung together in the last chapters -were put there for their delectation, and not for the sake of raising -the smile which I saw just now pass over the face of my friend Sawbones -when I mentioned oyster-poultices. Just because I am not scientific, but -only practical, I shall not trouble myself to notice any of the many -species of oysters, both at home and abroad, which, though pretty in -themselves, never find their way to the table, which is the sole field -of my discoveries. - -I shall therefore begin my list of foreign oysters with the best of them -all, the next of kin to our Native, and next to it the best oyster in -the world. - -1. _The Ostend Oyster_ is nothing more than the real British oyster, -cleaned and fattened in the Ostend oyster-beds. It has a fine, thin, -transparent but deep shell, the upper shell being quite flat; it is very -full, white, and fat, has a very small beard, and is very digestible. -During a south-west wind, which brings to these beds the microscopic -spores of sea vegetation and animalcules upon which it delights to feed, -from the channel, its beard is of a green colour. The Ostend oyster is -much prized in Berlin, which it reaches the quickest of any from the -sea, (in thirty-six to forty hours,) and consequently lives there -several days, remains the longest fresh, and can be sent farthest. Last -winter Ostend oysters were sent to Moscow and Odessa, where they arrived -still good and tasty. The former were seventeen days, and the latter -eleven days on their way. Scarcely any other kind of oysters could be -sent to such a distance. In the autumn of 1847, after the opening of the -Cologne-Minden Railway, the first trial was made of sending these -oysters to Berlin, via Cologne. The result was most satisfactory; they -sold for 1-1/2 thalers the hundred. This caused no little sensation, -especially among the old oyster dealers, who were accustomed to receive -from five to six, even from eight to nine thalers per hundred. The good -folks of Berlin are now supplied with abundant fresh and fine oysters. -The Ostend natives may be obtained from the owner of the oyster beds in -Ostend. I speak of Berlin, as the Germans are great oyster-eaters, and -the North, in a great measure, is supplied from thence. - -In Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, and Lille, Ostend oysters are eaten -with slices of home-baked bread, and butter. They are served up in their -shells, open, and not broken apart. They have a tender, fragrant, and -melting flesh, and are only half the size of ordinary oysters; but they -gain in thickness what they lose in size. In Flanders and the -Netherlands they are known under the name of "English oysters," but are -called in Paris after the name of the beds where they are reared. They -are in reality Edinburgh "Natives," cleaned and fattened in the Ostend -oyster-beds, and hence called Belgian or Ostend oysters. - -The oyster of Ostend cannot be too much recommended to gourmets. It is -to the common oyster what a chicken is to an old hen. It is a draught of -bitter ale to a thirsty palate. It is a known fact, that after having -abstained from food for a long time, the first oyster one eats produces -a kind of unusual rictus (or opening of the mouth), the reason of which -physiologists have never been able to explain. This same sensation is -produced in eating an Ostend oyster, but it is much sweeter, more -lasting, and much more delightful. If the Romans had ever known them -they would have sung their praises both in verse and prose, and would by -far have preferred them to their sadly over-praised oysters from the -Lucrine Sea. - -The only oysters which can be brought into competition with those of -Ostend in the same markets are the Whitstable oysters, which have only -recently become an article of trade on the Continent. These are also -"natives" from the Channel, generally larger than the former, but -unequal, not being sorted, very fat and full, but much more tender, and -do not keep fresh so long. The cause of this may be that they are first -taken from Whitstable to London, where they are packed up and sent by -sea and rail to Hamburgh and Berlin, which takes always from six to -seven days. They have a fine flavour, and are by some people preferred -to the Ostend oysters: although the latter, generally speaking, occupy -the first rank. These two species, and that of Holstein, are the best -oysters to be met with in the north of Europe. - -2. _Channel Oysters._—The oysters which, more particularly in the north -of Germany, are an article of trade, come from the Bay of St. Brieux and -the Rock of Cancale, on the British Channel, between the castle of that -name, Mount St. Michael, and St. Malo, and from the Channel between -Calais and its extreme point near Falmouth. The bottom of this sea is -flat and firm, and its stream near the bottom not very strong, both -favourable circumstances for the propagation of oysters. This -propagation must be very considerable, and the banks where the oysters -breed very extensive, since, in spite of the continual dredging, they -produce a sufficient quantity without any apparent decrease, to guard -against which, the new beds of St. Brieux, mentioned in the first -chapter, are carefully supplied. The dredging lasts generally from the -middle of September till the end of May; during the other months the -fishing should properly be discontinued, because the spawning, which -then takes place, would be disturbed, and because during that time the -oyster is generally not fit for food. - -3. _Holstein Oysters_ are very good and fine, but the sea-banks do not -afford enough for the present consumption, so that it is necessary to -have good connexions in order to obtain real and good Holstein oysters. -They are easily distinguished from all the other oysters by their size, -the thin, greenish-blue shells, especially the lower shell. The upper -shell is always concave, by which they are the more easily distinguished -from the Heligolanders, which have always a strong convex upper shell. -As to the little animal itself, it is very fat, white, thick, and -tender, and therefore very digestible. It has only a small beard, by -which it is distinguished from the Norwegian and Scottish oyster, which, -by the appearance of the shell, might be mistaken for the Holstein -oyster by novices in gastronomy. These delicate favourites are to be -obtained from the lessees of the Royal Oyster-banks on the western coast -of Holstein in Flensburg, in the kingdom of Denmark. - -4. _The Schleswick Oyster of Husum and Silt_ is very like the -former—almost undistinguishable. It is very excellent, but seldom -exported, and consumed for the most part in Kiel. The two last-named -oysters are often taken to St. Petersburg by sailors, when making the -passage to and fro. - -5. _The Heligolanders_ are very large; have thick shells, which renders -the duty and carriage very high, but are not at all fine, and generally -sold in all the innocence of ignorance by dealers as Holstein oysters. - -Have nothing to do with _Norwegian oysters_; I only mention them here as -things to be shunned. _Bremer oysters_, the _Neuwerkers_, and the -_Wangerogers_, however, deserve a better fate. - -6. _The Oyster of the Bay of Biscay_ is of the same size as that of -Holstein, with a very large beard, like those caught in the south of -England. The beard, like the oyster itself, is quite grass green—a -quality which is to be found generally only with oysters from Dieppe, -Cancale, and the Marennes. Its flavour is very fine and good, but great -care must be taken, in opening the shell and detaching the oyster, not -to break the double shell, which they mostly possess, for this contains -sulphuretted hydrogen, which gives a bad smell and flavour to the -oyster, and poisons the stomach of the consumer. - -7. _American Oysters_, though, to my taste, by no means so delicate as -others I have mentioned, are nevertheless superior for cooking. For my -own part, although I have stated that pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, and -other stimulating ingredients, are commonly made use of when eating the -oyster, I offer, in all courtesy, the decided opinion, that the taste -must be vitiated that can swallow such in preference to the delicate, -fresh, luscious, charming little morsel, saturated merely, or perhaps -the word ought to be merely bedewed, like the rose on a summer morning, -by its own liquid life's blood. Americans, themselves, generally prefer -their large oysters even to our British Natives. - -8. _French Oysters._—The French oysters are chiefly taken from beds in -the Bays of Cancale and St. Brieux, from Marennes, from Havre and -Dieppe, from Dunkirk, and from the Bay of Biscay. The three first are -very fine, but the distance to Paris is too great; they are therefore -dear in that capital. Those from Dunkirk are similar to those of Ostend, -but not quite so fine; and those from the Bay of Biscay are quite green, -and highly esteemed in the south of France, especially at Bordeaux. - -9. _Dutch Oysters_ are both good and dear. The four sorts I recommend -are Seelanders, Vliessingers, Middleburgers, and Vieringers. The latter -are almost the finest and best, but uncommonly dear, and are mostly -consumed in Holland. - -10. _Mediterranean Oysters._—I have already referred to classical -authorities for the character the ancients gave those of Circe and the -Lucrine Sea; and the old rule, "_de mortius nil_," forbids me to say in -what rank I place Horace the inimitable, Seneca the wise, and Pliny the -naturalist, as judges of what an oyster should be. Where ignorance is -bliss, people can be very happy. Till the Turk, by an accidental fire, -had become acquainted with the taste of roast pork, there were many less -fires in Stamboul than now. Till the Romans found the Rutupians, the -Lucrine flourished; so did Circe. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - "THE TREASURE OF AN OYSTER." - -Sweet names given to Pearls; Barry Cornwall Proctor's lines; Component -parts of Pearls; Mother-of-pearl; How Pearls are formed, Sorrows into -Gems; Their nucleus; Sir Everard Home and Sir David Brewster; Curious -shapes and fancy Jewellery; Pearl Fisheries: Bahrein Island and Bay of -Candalchy; Miseries of the Divers; Pearls as Physic; Immense value of -recorded Pearls. - - -Of all beautiful things in the world the pearl is the rarest and most -beautiful. Nothing can exceed it, nothing can equal it, although they -try very hard in "French" and "Roman" ways, in glassy globules which -continually crack, or in round spots of wax, which, instead of adorning, -adhere to the neck of beauty, and when old age comes upon it, turn -yellow and wrinkled like the skin of a dowager. Nay, nothing can well -imitate it, although art has gone somewhat near it. But to a knowing eye -one might as well seek to imitate truth, or palm away upon the unwary a -copy of true virgin innocence as to imitate a pearl. We know all the -answers that the dowagers can make; we know that the imitations are "so -cheap," so pretty; we know that certain dowagers—witness Margaret, -Duchess Dowager of Lancaster—sell their real pearls and wear cunning -imitations; we know that they in vain try to persuade themselves that -the false are as good as the true ones; but only look hard at the -ornaments, and the duchess is abashed. To test false pearls, one has -only to put a true one by them, and the "difference," as advertisers -say, "will be at once perceived." - -Let us devote this last portion of our book to the history of the pearl. -Its very names are pretty. _Looloo_, _Mootoo_, _Mootie_, _Margaritæ_, -_Perles_, _Perlii_, _Perlas_, _Pearls_, all sweet, pretty, -mouth-rounding names, but worthy to be applied to the lustrous and -beautiful spheres which we call pearls. _Principium culmenque omnium, -rerum pretii tenent_: "Of all things, pearls," said Pliny, two thousand -years ago, "kept the very top, highest, best, and first price." What was -true then is true now. There are few things so immortal as good taste. -Let us pay something "on account" of our debt to the oyster. Having -regarded that placid creditor as an article of food, I now propose to -treat him as an assistant to the toilet. And, looking at him in that -point of view, here is not a bad instalment of the aforesaid debt, -contributed by Barry Cornwall. - - "Within the midnight of her hair, - Half-hidden in its deepest deeps, - A single peerless, priceless pearl - (All filmy-eyed) for ever sleeps. - Without the diamond's sparkling eyes, - The ruby's blushes—there it lies, - Modest as the tender dawn, - When her purple veil's withdrawn— - The flower of gems, a lily cold and pale. - Yet, what doth all avail?— - All its beauty, all its grace? - All the honours of its place? - He who pluck'd it from its bed, - In the far blue Indian Ocean, - Lieth, without life or motion, - In his earthy dwelling—dead! - All his children, one by one, - When they look up to the sun, - Curse the toil by which he drew - The treasure from its bed of blue." - -Costly as pearls are, they are merely the calcareous production of -Mollusks. Diamonds have elsewhere been shown to be merely charcoal; the -pearl is little else but concentric layers of membrane and carbonate of -lime. All Mollusks are instances of that beneficent law of nature, that -the hard parts accommodate themselves to the soft. The common naked -snail, the mussel, cockle, oyster, garden helix, strombus, and nautilus, -elegant or rough, rare or common, each illustrate this grand law. The -body of a soft consistence is enclosed in an elastic skin. From this -skin calcareous matter is continually exuded. This protects the animal, -and forms the shell. Where the waves are rough, and rocks superabundant, -then the shell is rough, hard, stony, fit to weather anything; where -only smooth water and halcyon days are to be looked for, Nature, which -never works in vain, provides but paper sides and an egg-shell boat, -such as the little nautilus navigates and tacks and steers in. - -Besides forming the rough outside, the calcareous exuvium, the mucus of -the oyster, and other mollusks, form that beautiful substance, so smooth -and polished, and dyed with rainbow tints and a glorious opalescence, -which, be it as common as luxury has made it, still charms the eye. This -is the lining of the shell, the mother-of-pearl, nacre. "The inside of -the shell," said old Dampier—that old sailor with a poet's mind—"is more -glorious even than the pearl itself." - -It is glorious; it has the look of the morning, and the tint of the -evening sky; the colours of the prism chastened, softened, retained, and -made perpetual in it: this is mother-o'-pearl. - -To render its bed always soft and cosy, to lie warm, packed as one might -at Malvern in wet sheets, seems to be the oyster's pleasure. This -singular exuvium, this mucus, not only creates pleasure, but alleviates -pain. Some irritating substance, some internal worry and annoyance, it -may be a dead embryo, or a grain of sand insinuates itself, and, lo! the -creature covers it with this substance to ease off its unkind tooth, and -converts it into a pearl. - -That is the way they are made, these wondrous gems! And very beautiful -is the thought that the most highly prized of gems should be but the -effect of a creature to ease off a sorrow. Every one knows Shakspeare's -wondrously fine reflection upon the uses of sorrow and adversity, which, - - "Like the toad, ugly and venomous, - Bears yet a precious jewel in its head." - -The precious jewel of the toad, which some critics and commentators have -endeavoured to prove its glittering eye, has long been exploded. Our old -alchemists believed in the toadstone; we do not. The fable remains in -its pristine beauty; but here is one truth equally beautiful, that the -adversity of the oyster turns to a jewel so costly and glorious, that -monarchs reckon it amongst the records of their houses and conquered -provinces. May we ever turn our sorrows and troubles to as good an -account; may we ever continue to do so, for assuredly some men do. The -best of men are those who are tried by affliction and trouble, or those -who have some deep and secret care, which they hide in their hearts, and -which makes them wiser and better. Shelley has a theory that poets are -made somewhat after the fashion of pearls, or that, at any rate, their -poetry is so produced. He sings— - - "Most wretched men - Are cradled into poetry by wrong; - They learn in suffering, what they teach in song." - -We have very little doubt but that the true poetry from which the world -learns anything worth learning is so produced. - -There have been other theories as to the production of the pearl, some -holding that the interior formation which we state to be a grain of -sand, is a dead ovum which the fish attempts to exude. This theory, too, -has its supporters. - -"If," said Sir Everard Home, "if I can prove that this, the richest -jewel in a monarch's crown, which cannot be imitated by any art of man" -(he is rather wrong there; it can be imitated, and wonderfully imitated -too,) "either in beauty of form or brilliancy of lustre, is the abortive -egg of an oyster enveloped in its own nacre, who will not be struck with -wonder and astonishment?" Wonder and astonishment are words which -scarcely exist now. Science has shown so many wonders that we are hardly -astonished at anything; but Sir Everard's assertion admits of proof. A -pearl cut in two exhibits the concentric layers like an onion, as may be -seen through a strong lens; and in the centre is a round hole, very -minute it may be, but wherein the ovum has been deposited. - -Sometimes the ovum, or sand, or enclosed substance has attached itself -to the shell, and has then been covered with mucus, forming a pearl -which cannot be separated from the shell. There are several specimens of -such pearls in the British Museum. - -The great beauty in pearls is their opalescence, and a lustre which, as -we have before observed, however clever the imitation, has never yet -been given to artificial pearls. Sir Everard Home supposes that this -lustre arises from the highly polished coat of the centre shell, the -pearl itself being diaphanous. Sir David Brewster accounts for it by the -pearl and mother-of-pearl having a grooved substance on its surface -resembling the minute corrugations often seen on substances covered with -oil, paint, or varnish. Philosophers are sometimes not very explanatory. -Sir David means to say that beneath the immediate polish of the pearl -there are certain wavelets and dimples from which the light is -reflected. "The direction of the grooves," again to quote Sir David, "is -in every case at right angles to the line joining the coloured image; -hence, in irregularly formed mother-of-pearl, where the grooves are -often circular, and have every possible direction, the coloured images -appear irregularly scattered round the ordinary image." - -In the regular pearl these are crowded, from its spherical form, into a -small space; hence its marvellous appearance of white unformed light, -and hence its beauty and value. - -To prove the translucency of the pearl, we have only to hold one which -is split to a candle, where, by interposing coloured substance or light, -we shall have the colour transmitted through the pearl. Curious as is -the formation of the pearl, we have yet a cognate substance to it. What -we call _bezoar_, and the Hindoos _faduj_, is a concretion of a deepish -olive-green colour found in the stomach of goats, dogs, cows, or other -animals: the hog bezoar, the bovine bezoar, and the camel bezoar; this -last the Hindoos turn into a yellow paint; but the harder substances the -Hindoo jewellers polish and thread and use as jewels; so that from the -stomach of the lower animals, and from the secretions of a shell-fish, -the still grasping, prying, worrying, proud, vain-glorious, busy man -gets him an ornament for her whom he most loves, for him whom he most -honours. - -The question of obtaining pearls and of slaying divers, of feeding -sharks with human limbs, of the eye-balls starting and the tympanum of -the ear bursting, of the pains, perils, and penalties of the pearl -divers, must be touched incidentally in any true account of this -precious gem. - -Vanity demands the aid of Cruelty, and for her gratification human -sacrifices are still made. - -In the Persian Gulf, at Ceylon, and in the Red Sea, the early sources of -the Greeks and Romans, we yet find our supply. Pearls are also found in -the Indian Ocean along the Coromandel coast and elsewhere; as also in -the Gulf of California; but the two grand headquarters are in Bahrein -Island, in the Persian Gulf, and in the Bay of Condalchy, in the Gulf of -Manaar, off the Island of Ceylon. - -The fishery at Ceylon is a monopoly of the British Government, but, like -many Government monopolies, it is said to cost a great deal more than it -produces. In 1804 Government leased it for £120,000 per annum; in 1828 -it only yielded £28,000.[5] It is a desert and barren spot; no one can -fall in love with it; sands and coral reefs are not picturesque; yet, in -its season, it attracts more to its shores than one of our best -watering-places. Divers, merchants, Arab-hawkers, drillers, jewellers, -and talkers; fish-sellers, butchers, boat-caulkers, and Hindoo Robinsons -and Walkers are all found there. The period is limited to six weeks, or -two months at most, from February to April; and whilst they are making -money these people are rather eager, look you. But the fishers -themselves, victims of cruelty as they are, are also victims to their -own superstition and ignorance. A Hindoo or Parsee blesses the water to -drive away the sharks; a diver may be frightened or ill, and the -holidays are so numerous, that the actual work-days amount only to -thirty in the season. - -The boats assembled sail at ten at night, a signal gun being then let -off. They then set sail, reach the banks before daybreak, and at sunrise -the divers begin to take their "headers." They continue at this work -till noon, when a breeze starting up, they return. The cargoes are taken -out before the night sets in, and the divers are refreshed. - -Each boat carries twenty men—ten rowers and ten divers—besides a chief, -or pilot. The divers work five at a time alternately, leaving the others -time to recruit. To go down quickly they use a large stone of red -granite, which they catch hold of with their foot. Each diver holds a -net-work bag in his right hand, closes his nostrils with his left, or -with a piece of bent horn, and descends to the bottom. There he darts -about him as quickly as he can, picking up with toes and fingers, and -putting the oysters into his net-work bag. When this is full, or he is -exhausted, he pulls the rope, and is drawn, leaving the stone to be -pulled up after him. When the oysters are very plentiful, the diver may -bring up one hundred and fifty at a dip. - -After this violent exertion, blood flows from nose, ears, and eyes. The -divers cannot exceed generally one minute's immersion. One and a half, -and even two, have been reached by extraordinary efforts. Those who can -endure four and five minutes are spoken of. One also we are told of—an -apocryphal fellow, we should think—who coming in 1797 from Arjango, -stayed under water six minutes. - -The divers live not to a great age. Heart diseases, surfeits, sores, -blood-shot eyes, staggering limbs, and bent backs—these are part of -their wages. Sometimes they die on reaching the surface, suddenly, as if -struck by a shot. - -At Bahrein, the annual amount produced by the pearl fishery may be -reckoned at from £200,000 to £240,000; add to this purchases made by the -merchants of Abootabee, and we have £360,000 to include the whole pearl -trade of the Gulf, since, through their agents at Bahrein, merchants -from Constantinople, Bagdad, Alexandria, Timbuctoo, New York, Calcutta, -Paris, St. Petersburg, Holy Moscowa, or London, make their purchases. - -"But," says our credible informant, "I have not put down the sum at -_one-sixth_ of that told me by the native merchants." But even then an -enormous amount is that, to be used in mere ornament, and in one article -only. - -Well, not exactly ornament. "In Eastern lands," says Mr. Thomas Moore, -"they talk in flowers." Very flowery certainly is their talk. They also, -good easy people, take pearls for physic—not for dentifrice—Easterns -always having white teeth, apparently, so far as I have been able to -judge, without the trouble of cleaning them—but as a regular dose. They -call it _majoon_; it is an electuary, and myriads of small seed pearls -are ground to impalpable powder to make it. As for the adulteration in -this article, doubtless to be found, I say nothing. The simple lime from -the inside of the shell would be just as white and just as good. Common -magnesia would have the same effect; but, good sirs, if an old Emir, or -rich Bonze, wishes to pay an enormous price for something to swallow to -comfort his good old inside, why not? Do not let us brag too much: from -the time of old Gower, doctor of physic, to Dr. Cheyne, we have, sir, -swallowed everything, from toads' brains to the filings of a murderer's -irons, as very proper physic. - -The Bahrein fishery-boats amount to 1500, and the trade is in the hands -of merchants who possess much capital. This they lend out at cent. per -cent.; they buy up, and they beat down; they juggle, cheat, rig the -market, rob in a legal way a whole boat's crew, grow enormously rich, -and preach morality. - -Nor do they forget superstition. In the chief boat, when they fish, sits -a jolly old cheat, a magician, called the binder of sharks, who waves -about his skinny hands, jumps, howls, incants, and otherwise exerts his -cabalistic powers, and will not allow the divers, nor are they willing, -to descend till he declares the moment propitious. To add some weight to -their devotions, they debar themselves of food or drink during this -_Mumbo-Jumbo_ play, but afterwards a species of toddy makes them like -"Roger the Monk,"—"excessively drunk." - -The true shape of the pearl should be a perfect sphere. In India, and -elsewhere, those of the largest size find the readiest sale, and realize -immense prices. The very finest pearls are sent to Europe, and of these -the very finest of the fine are sent to London and Paris. Thence the -great people of the land procure their choice specimens. The late -Emperor of Russia used to purchase for his wife—of whom he was -exceedingly fond, and who has lately joined him in that bourne from -which neither traveller, emperor, king, nor beggar ever returns—the very -finest pearl he could procure: a virgin pearl and a perfect sphere was -what he sought, for he would not have any that had been worn by others. -After five-and-twenty years' search, he presented to the Empress such a -necklace as had never been seen before. - -Immense prices have been given and are still given for pearls. Julius -Cæsar, in love with the mother of Marcus Brutus, is said to have -presented her with a pearl worth £48,417 10_s._, which we can believe or -not, according to our natures. Cleopatra, as all the world has read, -drank, dissolved in vinegar, a pearl which cost £80,729 of our money, -and, as we know from Shakspeare, Marc Antony sent to her "a treasure of -an oyster" of wondrous beauty. Clodius, the glutton (surely a gourmet, -not a gourmand), swallowed one worth £8072 18_s._ One of the modern -pearls was bought by Tavernier at Catifa, and sold by him to the Shah of -Persia for £110,000; another was obtained by Philip II. of Spain, off -the Columbian coast, which weighed 250 carats, and was valued at 14,400 -ducats, which is equal to about £13,996. - -Pliny, the naturalist, tells us of a pearl which was valued at £80,000 -sterling. That which Philip II. had was nearly as large as a pigeon's -egg. Pliny's was somewhat smaller. But size is not alone the test of -value. Shape and form must be taken into consideration. Some pearls are -very curiously misshapen, and of so large a size that it would seem a -wonder how the fish could exist with them in the shell. These misshapen -pearls are generally of an uneven surface and lustre, and are prized by -the Eastern jewellers very much, and were also sought after by the -fanciful goldsmiths and enamellers of the _cinque-cento_ period, when -they were set into sword-hilts, or formed into toys or gems, just as the -fancy and shape might suggest. We have seen one large long pearl mounted -by a Spanish jeweller into the order of the golden fleece, the legs and -head of the sheep being of gold, the body formed by the pearl. Amongst -the loot taken at Lucknow was a set of miniature animals and birds, all -formed of large but misshapen pearls, the tails, heads, eyes, &c., of -the creatures being of gold set with diamonds. Any one who has seen much -mediæval work in the precious metals, or the illuminated pages of early -printed books on vellum, of Italian execution, will be able to recall -many curious instances of this quaint kind of _vertu_. - -The largest pearl of which we have heard was one spoken of by Böethius, -the size of a muscadine pear. It was named the _Incomparable_, and -weighed thirty carats or five pennyweights. Tavernier's pearl would, if -engraved, well illustrate the rocky, eccentric, and oft-times triangular -shapes in which these gems are found. They often adhere to the shell, -and cannot be removed without the saw. After such an operation they -would merely rank as half pearls, which, by the way, are those generally -mounted in jewellery and rings. - -Did our scope allow of a description of the manufacture from fish scales -of the substitute for the real pearl, the marvellously clever imitation -which is worn, wittingly, by many a gracious lady, and unwittingly by -many another, we should have another interesting story to tell. But -these imitations may be considered as frauds upon our placid creditor -the oyster—or, shall we say, compositions with him, and beneath the -notice of, debtors who are trying to behave honestly to a bivalve. - -Properly speaking, however, the Pearl oyster (_Avicula margaritacea_), -from which the greater number of pearls, and the largest quantity of -mother-of-pearl is obtained, is not an oyster strictly so called, but -belongs to an allied genus. The pearl oyster is an oval-pointed -recurved-edged mussel; the lower shell with a hood-shaped hollow point, -the upper one like a cover, leafy and pearly, of a rosy purple-white -colour. The common oyster (_Ostrea edulis_), on the contrary, has a -round-oval mussel-shell, thin towards the edges, with tiled leaves -adhering to one another, the upper shell quite flat. Some variety exists -in these, some having elongated edges, owing to the difference of age. - - * * * * * - -Gentle reader! when Queen Mary, whom men call "Bloody Mary," died, and -Queen Elizabeth, Protestant Elizabeth, came to the throne, Osorius, the -good Bishop of Arcoburge, a staunch bishop of the Church of Rome, sent -her a sugared pill, which he hoped would at once convert the queen, and -drive out the "obnoxious heresy" from the land. That all might read it, -he himself wrote it in Latin: "_Epistola ad Clarissimam Principam -Elizabetham_;" had it translated into French, which honest old Strype -says "gave great offence," as "_une bien longue_ _et docte Epistre à -Madame Elizabeth, Royne d' Angleterre_;" and to gild the nasty thing, -called it, in English, "A Perle for a Prince;" but all the ingenuity of -quackery could not disguise the drastic pill, and neither the queen nor -her lieges would swallow it. I have seen all three books in the -Grenville Library in the British Museum, and at once pronounce them -nothing but "mock" pearls. Now, I have extracted for your delectation a -real pearl out of the Oyster, in the shape of this little book. It is -Christmas-tide. Cherish it for those best of pearls, kindly thoughts and -loving remembrances, which the Oyster calls into being when the Holly -and the Mistletoe deck our walls. - ------ - -Footnote 5: - - The pearl fishery at Ceylon, however, has been very profitable during - the present year, the yield being sometimes worth from 10,000 dollars - to 30,000 dollars per day. An attempt is being made to re-establish - the pearl fishery in the Gulf of California. Some very fine pearls - were found there nearly a century ago. - - - LONDON: WILLIAM STEVENS, PRINTER, BELL YARD, TEMPLE BAR. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - FOOTNOTES: - - - - - Transcriber's Note - -The original spelling and punctuation has been retained. - -Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - -Italicized words and phrases in the text version are presented by -surrounding the text with underscores. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Oyster, by Eustace Clare Grenville Murray - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OYSTER *** - -***** This file should be named 56285-0.txt or 56285-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/6/2/8/56285/ - -Produced by Larry B. 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