THE OYSTER FAMINE IN ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 1239, 28 August 1875, Page 11

THE OYSTER FAMINE IN ENGLAND.

On the middle-aged Briton few hankhijw bye premed «o severely as the oyster famine. Before the famine people ate oysters on the slightest provocation— became they met in the street, became they were not "hungry and f^^ntcd an appetite, because they had no time luncheon, became they had been to the atre, became it was too late to get anything —finally, because they liked them. The Value of oyster eating as a mere pastime was fully recognised by the late Earl of Carlisle, -Who, After a lengthened sojourn in the United 'State*, found himself one fine day on the point of departure homeward 'With about a quarter. of jui hour to spare, None of his friends could suggest any practical application of these 15 minutes, but Lord Carlisle was equal to the occasion, rushed ashore and ate oyster* up to the very last moment. Another »«y great admirer of the oyster was the late Profejjsor Wilson. In bis grand Homeric rtyle Chriatoper Xorth disdained to. apeak of dozens, but dealt boldy -with hundreds ana' scores, peckd and bushels, and prescribed a vast consumption of oysters to those anxious to write for Maga. If not in Intellect, at least in oyster eating, the leonine Professor was not without rivals amongst the Southrons, Most curious of all oyster eaten jras the irrepressible Dando, one iv whom the lore of oyster* was so grandly developed as to •tin's all sense of moral responsibility. This great but impecunious man became the terror of oyster vendor* Presenting himself at newly opened oyster shops anxiously await* ing custom, he would proceed to set the whole . oyster opening power of the establishment in operation. Dozeu after dozen of delicious natives disappeared down his capacious throat, until he had consumed some twenty or thirty dozen, when, fatigued but not yet satisfied, he confounded the oyaterman with the terrible confession, " I am Dando," whereupon he was at once consigned to the care of the i police, and while undergoing life allotted term of punishment had leisure to sharpen his death- | lens appetite— to be shortly wreaked remorselessly on a fresh victim. Few occupations are [ more painful to the gourmand of only moderate I mean* than the perusal of the cooKery books of ! happier days. Profuse notions once prevailed I m Io the employment of oysters. " Take a [couple of hundred oysters," saith the Gamaliel lof tae cuisine, " blanch them, beard them," kc [Imagine the aardanapalua, theßelshazzar, who ■would now devote a couple of hundred oysters Ito the preparation °f a tureen of smip, or to the ■•tuffing of ft mighty turkey! The days of Kbew oysters are over. The friend of our •youth has become tho rare companion of ■middle age, and when met with at all serves as wh« fitting hcruld to ft costly banquet, and is ■ecompanled not by humble porter, but by KfctJbus and Hock, Sauterne or fitiil Moselle— IW, u ■.luncheon, ejntvrs are row yiibappify