brought in, filled with choice viands of every kind—­bears from Russia and Germany—­hogs from Ireland—­fowls and geese from France—­turtle from the Mediterranean(?)—­venison from the parks of the nobility—­some in joints, some quite whole, with their limbs and feet entire.  Operations now recommenced, the carvers doling out the same small quantities as before:  but though many of the gentlemen present were anxious to prevail on me to partake, and recommended particular dishes, one as being ’a favourite of the King of the French’—­another as particularly rare and exquisite, I could not be prevailed upon to partake of any.  Thus did innumerable dishes pour and disappear again, the servants constantly changing the plates of the guests:  till I began to form quite a different idea of the appetites of the guests, and the hospitality of the Lord Mayor, on which I had thought that a reflection was thrown by the small portions sent to them.  I now saw that many of them, besides being served pretty often, helped themselves freely to the dishes before them—­indeed, their appetite was wonderfully good:  some, doubtless, thinking that such an opportunity would not often recur.  Nor did they forget the juice of the grape—­the bottles which were opened would have filled a ship, and the noise of the champagne completely drowned the music.  One would have thought that, after all this, no men could eat more:  but now the fruits, sweetmeats ices, and jellies made their appearance, pine-apples, grapes, oranges, apples, pears, mulberries, and confectionaries of such strange shapes that I can give no name to them—­and before each guest were placed small plates, with peculiarly shaped knives of gold and silver.  Of this part of the banquet I had the pleasure of partaking, in common with the selfsame gentlemen who had done such honour to the thousand dishes above mentioned, and who now distinguished themselves in the same manner on the dessert.  The price of some of the fruit was almost incredible; the reason of which is, that in this country it can only be reared in glass-houses artificially heated ... thus the pine-apples, which are by no means fine, cost each twenty rupees, (L.2,) which in India would be bought for two pice—­thus being 640 times dearer than in our country.  Thus in England the poorer classes cannot afford to eat fruit, whereas in all other countries they can get fruit when grain is too dear.

“The guests continued at table till late, during which time several gentlemen rose and spoke:  but, from my imperfect knowledge of the language, I could not comprehend their purports beyond the compliments which they passed on each other, and the evident attacks which they made on their political opponents.  I at last retired with some others to another room, where many of the guests were dancing—­coffee and tea were here taken about, just as sherbets are with us in the Mohurrum.  I must remark that the servants were gorgeously dressed, being covered with