Boarshead
even as a Christmas dish, has gone so completely out of use, that it is needless to give any receipt for its preparation. But one thing about it deserves to be remembered. We all more or less, while the edge of hunger is upon us, look forward to our food with some eagerness. But what approach can we make to the lusty feeling of our forefathers, who when they brought on the boarshead honoured it with a procession from the kitchen, and made merry before and after with a song? Imagine the frankness of the feeling which breathes in the following stanzas; and let us ask ourselves-Are we better than our fathers because we should be rather ashamed to lead a procession of the boarshead and to give utterance to their jolly anticipations of the coming feast? Caput apri defero Reddens laudes Domino.
The boar's head in hand bring I, With garlands gay and rosemary; I pray you all sing merrily Qui estis in convivio.
The boar's head, I understand, Is the chief service in this land; Look wherever it be found, Servite cum cantico.
Be glad, both more and less, For this hath ordained our steward, To cheer you all this Christmas- The boar's head and mustard!
Caput apri defero Reddens laudes Domino.
Do not let us deceive ourselves. There is more gluttony now in the world than ever there was, and none the less because we are quiet over it and pretend to think a great deal more of the ewigkeit. Perhaps our dinners would agree with us better and we should have less of that dyspepsia which distresses modern civilization if we could Boiling go to our food with singing like our ancestors, and if we could render thanks for it to God with a sense of enjoyment as lusty as theirs.