d was not ashamed of his descent, from the
second cook of the Connetable de Bourbon, who ennobled him. And from
Lord Bacon, "brightest, greatest, meanest of mankind," who took, it is
said, great interest in cooking, to Talleyrand, the Machiavelli of
France, who spent an hour every day with his cook, we find great men
delighting in the art as a recreation.

It is surprising that such an essentially artistic people as Americans
should so neglect an art which a great French writer calls the "_science
mignonne_ of all distinguished men of the world." Napoleon the Great so
fully recognized the social value of keeping a good table that, although
no gourmet himself, he wished all his chief functionaries to be so.
"Keep a good table," he told them; "if you get into debt for it I will
pay." And later, one of his most devoted adherents, the Marquis de
Cussy, out of favor with Louis XVIII. on account of that very devotion,
found his reputation as a gourmet very serviceable to him. A friend
applied for a place at court for him, which Louis refused, till he heard
that M. de Cussy had invented the mixture of cream, strawberries, and
champagne, when he granted the petition at once. Nor is this a solitary
instance in history where culinary skill has been a passport to fortune
to its possessor. Savarin relates that the Chevalier d'Aubigny, exiled
from France, was in London, in utter poverty, notwithstanding which, by
chance, he was invited to dine at a tavern frequented by the young
bucks of that day.

After he had finished his dinner, a party of young gentlemen, who had
been observing him from their table, sent one of their number with many
apologies and excuses to beg of him, as a son of a nation renowned for
their salads, to be kind enough to mix theirs for them. He complied, and
while occupied in making the salad, told them frankly his story, and did
not hide his poverty. One of the gentlemen, as they parted, slipped a
five-pound note into his hand, and his need of it was so great that he
did not obey the prompting of his pride, but accepted it.

A few days later he was sent for to a great house, and learned on his
arrival that the young gentleman he had obliged at the tavern had spoken
so highly of his salad that they begged him to do the same thing again.
A very handsome sum was tendered him on his departure, and afterwards he
had frequent calls on his skill, until it became the fashion to have
salads prepared by d'Aubigny, who