The Sallet, which of old came in at laſt,
Why now with it begin we our Repaſt?
And now ſince we mention'd Fruit, there riſes another Scruple: Whether Apples, Pears, Abricots, Cherries, Plums, and other Tree, and Ort-yard-Fruit, are to be reckon'd among Salleting; and when likewiſe moſt ſeaſonably to be eaten? But as none of theſe do properly belong to our Catalogue of Herbs and Plants, to which this Diſcourſe is confin'd (beſsides what we may occaſionally ſpeak of hereafter) there is a very uſeful [65]Treatiſe on that Subject already publiſh'd. We haſten then in the next place to the Dreſſing, and Compoſing of our Sallet: For by this time, our Scholar may long to ſee the Rules reduc'd to Practice, and Refreſh himſelf with what he finds growing among his own Lactuceta and other Beds of the Kitchin-Garden.
DRESSING
I am not ambitious of being thought an excellent Cook, or of thoſe who ſet up, and value themſelves, for their skill in Sauces; ſuch as was Mithacus a Culinary Philoſopher, and other Eruditæ Gulæ; who read Lectures of Hautgouts, like the Archeſtratus in Athenæus: Tho' after what we find the Heroes did of old, and ſee them chining out the ſlaughter'd Ox, dreſſing the Meat, and do the Offices of both Cook and Butcher, (for ſo [66]Homer repreſents Achilles himſelf, and the reſt of thoſe Illuſtrious Greeks) I ſay, after this, let none reproach our Sallet-Dreſſer, or diſdain ſo clean, innocent, ſweet, and Natural a Quality; compar'd with the Shambles Filth and Nidor, Blood and Cruelty; whilſt all the World were Eaters, and Compoſers of Sallets in its beſt and brighteſt Age.