Upon the authority of Hume,
we learn that when Catherine, queen of Henry VIII., was in want of any
salads, carrots, or other edible roots, &c. she was obliged to send a
special messenger to Holland for them. But the mention of water-cresses,
kales, gooseberries, currants, &c., by old writers, appears to
invalidate the pursy historian. The garden must, nevertheless, have
presented a very different appearance to that of our day. Only let the
_gourmand_ take a walk through the avenues of the present Covent
Garden--from the imperial pine, to the emerald leaves sprinkled with
powdered diamonds--_vulgo_, savoys. Then the luscious list of autumnal
fruits, and the peppers, or capsicums, and tomatas, to tickle the
appetite of the veriest epicure of east or western London--not to
mention the exotic fragrance of oranges, which come in just opportunely
to fill up the chasm in the supply of British fruits.
* * * * *
ANCIENT ROMAN FESTIVALS
DECEMBER.
(_For the Mirror._)
The feasts of _Opalia_ were celebrated in honour of the goddess _Ops_;
they were held on the 9th of December. Saturn and Ops were husband and
wife, and to them we owe the introduction of corn and fruits; for which
reason the feast was not held till the harvest and fruit time were over.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25