Mrs. Merdle Discourseth Of Hygiene And Fish Sauce.

But this is concocted by rules so complete;     Though piquant, is healthy and easy digested;     And if you will note it as slowly we eat,     The contents I'll give for our friends interested.     Imprimus: in fish stock, an onion we stew,     And anchovy essence two spoonfuls we add;     With butter, horse-radish, and lemons a few;     Mushrooms, too, in ketchup is not very bad;     And pickle of walnuts with onions chopped fine,     To which there is added some old sherry wine.     My doctor, so queer, when I suffer distress,     Inquires what I've latterly foolishly eaten,     And swears that to swallow this 'horrible mess,'     Would entitle a dog like a dog to be beaten.     But la! such a doctor knows nothing of women's complaints,     And talks Latin nonsense about 'regular diet;'     And thinks that us mortals--should live more like saints,     On moonshine and nonsense of a heavenly quiet.     He says that a woman of my plaint complaining,     If she was a woman at all half discreet,     Would shudder to think every day she is maiming     Her stomach with trash, and such stuff as we eat!