href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@15517@[email protected]#note-21" class="noteref pginternal" id="noteref-21" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">²¹Tacitus (ſpending almoſt nothing at his frugal Table in other Dainties) was yet ſo great a Friend to Lettuce, that he was us'd to ſay of his Prodigality, Somnum ſe mercari illa ſumptus effuſione. How it was celebrated by Galen we have heard; how he us'd it he tells himſelf; namely, beginning with Lettuce in his younger Days, and concluding with it when he grew old, and that to his great advantage. In a word, we meet with nothing among all our crude Materials and Sallet ſtore, ſo proper to mingle with any of the reſt, nor ſo wholſome to be eaten alone, or in Compoſition, moderately, and with the uſual Oxelœum of Vinegar, Pepper, and Oyl, &c. which laſt does not ſo perfectly agree with the Alphange, to which the Juice of Orange, or Limon and Sugar is more deſirable: Ariſtoxenus is reported to have irrigated his Lettuce-Beds with an Oinomelite, or mixture of Wine and Honey: And certainly 'tis not for nothing that our Garden-Lovers, and Brothers of the Sallet, have been ſo exceedingly Induſtrious to cultivate this Noble Plant, and multiply its Species; for to name a few in preſent uſe: We have the Alphange of Montpelier, criſp and delicate; the Arabic; Ambervelleres; Belgrade, Cabbage, Capuchin, Coſs-Lettuce, Curl'd; the Genoa (laſting all the Winter) the Imperial, Lambs, or Agnine, and Lobbs or Lop-Lettuces. The French Minion a dwarf kind: The Oak-Leaf, Paſſion, Roman, Shell, and Sileſian, hard and crimp (eſteemed of the beſt and rareſt) with divers more: And here let it be noted, that beſides three or four ſorts of this Plant, and ſome few of the reſt, there was within our remembrance, rarely any other Salleting ſerv'd up to the beſt Tables; with unblanch'd Endive, Succory, Purſelan, (and indeed little other variety) Sugar and Vinegar being the conſtant Vehicles (without Oyl) but now Sugar is almoſt wholly baniſh'd from all, except the more effeminate Palates, as too much palling, and taking from the grateful Acid now in uſe, tho' otherwiſe not totally to be reproved: Lettuce boil'd and Condited is ſometimes ſpoken of.

35. Limon, Limonia, citrea mala; exceedingly refreſhing, Cordial, &c. The Pulp being blended with the Juice, ſecluding the over-ſweet or bitter. See Orange.

36. Mallow, Malva; the curl'd, emollient, and friendly to the Ventricle, and ſo rather Medicinal; yet may the Tops, well boil'd, be admitted, and the reſt (tho' out of uſe at preſent) was taken by the Poets for all Sallets in general. Pythagoras held Malvæ folium Sanctiſimum; and we find Epimenides in ²²Plato at his Mallows and Aſphodel; and indeed it was of old the firſt Diſh at Table: The Romans had it alſo in deliciis, ²³Malvæ ſalubres corpori, approved by ²⁴Galen and ²⁵Dioſcorides; namely the Garden-Mallow, by others the Wild; but I think both proper rather for the Pot, than Sallet. Nonius ſuppoſes the tall Roſea, Arboreſcent Holi-hocks, that bears the broad Flower, for the beſt, and very ²⁶Laxative; but by reaſon of their clammineſs and Lentor, baniſhed from our Sallet, tho' by ſome commended and eaten with Oyl and Vinegar, and ſome with Butter.