the organic chemistry of the human body will no more go on than will the
steam-engine without fuel. M. Soyer, supposing each meal of his soup for
the poor to amount to a quart, supplies less than three ounces, or less
than a quarter the required amount, and of that only one solitary half
ounce of animal aliment, diluted, or rather dissolved in a bellyful of
water. Bulk of water, the gastronomic may depend, will not make up for
the deficiency of solid convertible aliment. No culinary digesting, or
stewing, or boiling, can convert four ounces into twelve, unless,
indeed, the laws of animal physiology can be unwritten, and some magical
power be made to reside in the cap and apron of the cook for
substituting fluids in the place of solids, and _aqua pura_ in place of
solids in the animal economy.

"It seems necessary to bring forward these facts, as M. Soyer's soup
has inspired the public mind with much satisfaction--a satisfaction
which, we venture to say, will never reach the public stomach.

"Marquises and lords and ladies may taste the meagre liquid, and
pronounce it agreeable to their gustative inclinations; but something
more than an agreeable titilation of the palate is required to keep up
that manufactory of blood, bone, and muscle which constitutes the
'strong healthy man.'"

During M. Soyer's visit to Ireland, a Dublin chemist read, before the
Royal Dublin Society, a paper upon the nutritive and pecuniary value of
various kinds of cooked food. He had previously put himself in
communication with M. Soyer, who showed him over his model kitchen, and
allowed him to analyze his soups. The result of this analysis was
remarkable, for he found that M. Soyer's dearest soup was the least
nutritive, whilst his cheapest soup was the most so: a proportion which
held through all the soups analyzed; their nutritive qualities being in
an inverse ratio to their prices. In his calculation the chemist takes a
child of four stones weight, as the average of persons who required food
relief, and he found that--

160 gallons of Soyer's soup No. 2 would give sufficient nutriment
to 213 such children for one day. Its price was 2-3/4d. the gallon.

160 gallons of Soyer's soup No. 4 would give sufficient nutriment
to 420 such children for one day. Its price was 2-1/4d. the gallon.

160 gallons of his soup No. 5 would give sufficient nutriment to
385 such children for one day. Its price was 2-1/2d. the gall