Author.  Indeed!

Friend.  The learned will read your book to ascertain what you have to tell.

Author.  Perhaps.

Friend.  Women will read your book because they will see—–­

Author.  My dear friend, I am old, I am attacked by a fit of wisdom.  Miserere mei.

Friend.  Gourmands will read you because you do them justice, and assign them their suitable rank in society.

Author.  Well, that is true.  It is strange that they have so long been misunderstood; I look on the dear Gourmands with paternal affection.  They are so kind and their eyes are so bright.

Friend.  Besides, did you not tell me such a book was needed in every library.

Author.  I did.  It is the truth—­and I would die sooner than deny it.

Friend:  Ah! you are convinced!  You will come home with me?

Author.  Not so.  If there be flowers in the author’s path, there are also thorns.  The latter I leave to my heirs.

Friend.  But then you disinherit your friends, acquaintances and cotemporaries.  Dare you do so?

Author.  My heirs! my heirs!  I have heard that shades of the departed are always flattered by the praise of the living; this is a state of beatitude I wish to reserve myself for the other world.

Friend.  But are you sure that the praise you love so, will come to the right address?  Are you sure of the exactness of your heirs?

Author.  I have no reason to think they will neglect a duty, in consideration of which I have excused them the neglect of so many others.

Friend.  Will they—­can they have for your book the paternal love, the author’s attention without which every work always comes awkwardly before the public?

Author.  My manuscript will be corrected, written out distinctly, and in all respects prepared; they will only have to print it.

Friend.  And the chapter of events?  Alas! such circumstances have caused the loss of many precious books,—­among which was that of the famous Lecat, on the state of the body during sleep, the work of his whole life.

Author.  This doubtless was a great loss; but I anticipate no such regrets for my book.

Friend.  Believe me, your friends will have enough to do-to arrange matters with the church, with the law, and with the medical faculty, so that if they had the will, they would not have the time to devote them-selves to the various cares which precede, accompany, and follow the publication of a book,—­however small the volume may be.

Author.  But, my friend, what a title!  Think of the ridicule!

Friend.  The word Gastronomy makes every ear attentive; the subject is a la mode, and those who laugh are as great votaries of the science as any others are.  This should satisfy you.  Do you remember too, that the greatest men have sometimes written books on very trivial subjects,-Montesquieu, for example. [Footnote:  M. de Monjucla, known as the author of an excellent history of mathematics, made a Dictionary of Gourmand Geography; he showed me portions of it during my residence at Versailles.  It is said that M. Berryat-Professor of legal practice, has written a romance in several volumes on the subject.]