the viand。 Happily； the English have never been driven to these expedients。 Be it flesh； fowl； or fish； each es to table so distinctly and eminently itself that by no possibility could it be confused with anything else。 Give your average cook a bit of cod； and tell her to dress it in her own way。 The good creature will carefully boil it； and there an end of the matter； and by no exercise of art could she have so treated the fish as to make more manifest and enjoyable that special savour which heaven has bestowed upon cod。 Think of our array of joints； how royal is each in its own way； and how utterly unlike any of the others。 Picture a boiled leg of mutton。 It is mutton； yes； and mutton of the best； nature has bestowed upon man no sweeter morsel； but the same joint roasted is mutton too； and how divinely different！ The point is that these differences are natural； that； in eliciting them； we obey the eternal law of things； and no human caprice。 Your artificial relish is here not only needless； but offensive。
In the case of veal； we demand 〃stuffing。〃 Yes； for veal is a somewhat insipid meat； and by experience we have discovered the best method of throwing into relief such inherent goodness as it has。 The stuffing does not disguise； nor seek to disguise； it accentuates。 Good veal stuffing……reflect！……is in itself a triumph of culinary instinct； so bland it is； and yet so powerful upon the gastric juices。
Did I call veal insipid？ I must add that it is only so in parison with English beef and mutton。 When I think of the 〃brown〃 on the edge of a really fine cut of veal……！
VIII
As so often when my thought has gone forth in praise of things English； I find myself tormented by an after…thought……the reflection that I have praised a time gone by。 Now；