people, and had at a very remote period passed that state when men are contented with simplicity and primitive habits. * And we shall at least feel disposed to allow the Egyptians as much skill in the culinary art, as was displayed by Rebekah, in the savoury meats she prepared for Isaac, where the disguise was sufficient to prevent his distinguishing the meat of kids from the promised venison.†

It is true, that in the infancy of society the diet is exceedingly plain and simple, consisting principally, if not entirely of roast meats and as Athenæus observes, the heroes of Homer seldom "boil their meat, or dress it with sauces," the few instances, even of the former, which occur in the Iliad +, plainly showing how unusual the custom was at the period he describes.

That the Egyptians were in early times immoderately fond of delicate living, or indeed at any period committed those excesses of which the Romans are known to have been guilty, is highly improbable, especially as the example of the priesthood, who constituted a very great portion of the higher classes, tended so much to induce moderation; but even before the close of the 16th dynasty, or about 1600, B. C., they had already begun to indulge in nearly the same habits, as in the later Pharaonic ages; and it appears from Diodorus and Plutarch

* Bocchoris complained that Menes had taught the Egyptians a luxurious mode of living, even in regard to diet. Vide Vol. I. p. 129. + Gen. xxvii. 3. 9.

Iliad, 4, 362.—

« • Ως δε λέβης ζει ενδον, επειγόμενος πυρι πολλῳ,

that their original simplicity* gave place to luxury, as early as the reign of their first king Menes. Excesses they no doubt committed, especially in the use of wine, both on private† and public occasions ‡, which is not concealed in the sculptures of Thebes and in later times, after the conquest of Egypt by the Persians, and the accession of the Ptolemies, habits of intemperance increased to such an extent, and luxury became so general among all ranks of society, that writers who mention the Egyptians at that period §, describe them as a profligate and luxurious people, given to an immoderate love of the table, and addicted to every excess in drinking. They even used excitants for this purpose, and hors-d'œuvres were provided to stimulate the appetite; crude cabbage, provoking the desire for wine, and promoting the continuation of excess. ||

Beyond the usual joints, which are seen on the altars, and in the hands of the servants, it is impossible to ascertain in what form the meat appeared upon table, or what made dishes and artificial viands the skill of their cooks succeeded in devising; but as a portion of the kitchen is occasionally represented in the tombs, and some details of Egyptian cookery are there given, I shall avail myself of whatever has been preserved, and

* Diod. i. 45. Plut. de Is. s. 8. Vide also suprà, p. 129. Vol. I. + Athenæus quotes Dion on this subject. Deipn. lib. i. 25.

Herod. ii. 60.

§ Josephus says the Egyptians (in his time) were abandoned to pleasures. Antiq. ii. 9.

|| Athen. Deipn. lib. i. 25.

An Egyptian kitchen, from the tomb of Remeses III, at Thebes.

i,j. Ropes passing through rings. and supporting different things, as a sort of safe.

u, v. Tables.

introduce the most interesting part of those sculptures in the accompanying wood-cuts.

The first process, as previously described, was slaughtering the ox, and cutting up the joints; the blood being sometimes caught in a vase, for the purpose of cookery*; and joints selected for the purpose were boiled in a large caldron, placed over the fire on a metal stand or tripod. One servant regulated the heat of the fire, raising it with a poker, or blowing it with bellows, worked by the feett; another superintended the cooking of the meat, skimming the water with a spoon, or stirring it with a large fork‡, while a third pounded salt, pepper, or other ingredients, in a large mortar, which were added from time to time during this process. Liquids of various kinds also stood ready for use. They were sometimes drawn off by means of siphons §, and these appear to be represented upon a ropell, supporting the tray which contained the things they wished to raise beyond the reach of rats or other intruders, and which answered the purposes of a safe.

Other servants took charge of the pastry, which the bakers or confectioners had made for the dinner table; and this department, which may be considered as attached to the kitchen, appears even

*Mentioned in p. 35. Vide wood-cut, No. 276. fig. 2.

I shall have occasion to notice these hereafter.
Wood-cut figs. 4 and 5.

S This part of the picture is very much damaged, but sufficient remains to show them using the siphons, which occur again, perfectly preserved, in a tomb at Thebes. I shall introduce them among the inventions of the Egyptians. At h and f.