after his own
favourite recipe; he fell, in fact, from his appetite, and was
reduced to a shadow, till, unable longer to endure the torments
of memory he hourly suffered, he rose one night and secretly set
fire to his hut, and once more was restored to flesh and
manhood. Finding it impossible to live in future without
roast-pig, he set fire to his house every time his larder became
empty; till at last his neighbours, scandalized by the frequency
of these incendiary acts, brought his conduct before the supreme
council of the nation. To avert the penalty that awaited him, he
brought his judges to the smouldering ruins, and discovering the
secret, invited them to eat; which having done, with tears of
gratitude, the august synod embraced him, and, with an
overflowing feeling of ecstasy, dedicated a statue to the memory
of the man who first _instituted roast pork_.

PORK CARVING.

SUCKING-PIG.

[Illustration: SUCKING-PIG.]

842. A sucking-pig seems, at first sight, rather an elaborate dish, or
rather animal, to carve; but by carefully mastering the details of the
business, every difficulty will vanish; and if a partial failure be at
first made, yet all embarrassment will quickly disappear on a second
trial. A sucking-pig is usually sent to table in the manner shown in the
engraving (and also in coloured plate S), and the first point to be
attended to is to separate the shoulder from the carcase, by carrying
the knife quickly and neatly round the circular line, as shown by the
figures 1, 2, 3;--the shoulder will then easily come away. The next step
is to take off the leg; and this is done in the same way, by cutting
round this joint in the direction shown by the figures 1, 2, 3, in the
same way as the shoulder. The ribs then stand fairly open to the knife,
which should be carried down in the direction of the line 4 to 5; and
two or three helpings will dispose of these. The other half of the pig
is served, of course, in the same manner. Different parts of the pig are
variously esteemed; some preferring the flesh of the neck; others, the
ribs; and others, again, the shoulders. The truth is, the whole of a
sucking-pig is delicious, delicate eating; but, in carving it, the host
should consult the various tastes and fancies of his guests, keeping the
larger joints, generally, for the gentlemen of the party.

HAM.

[Illustration: HAM.]

843. In cutting a ham,