Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them.

Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them.

They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet
Quaff immortality and joy.

They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet
Quaff immortality and joy.

Oh, dainty and delicious!
Food for the gods! Ambrosia for Apicius!
Worthy to thrill the soul of read more

Oh, dainty and delicious!
Food for the gods! Ambrosia for Apicius!
Worthy to thrill the soul of sea-born Venus,
Or titillate the palate of Silenus!

A very man--not one of nature's clods--
With human failings, whether saint or sinner:
Endowed perhaps with read more

A very man--not one of nature's clods--
With human failings, whether saint or sinner:
Endowed perhaps with genius from the gods
But apt to take his temper from his dinner.

Yet shall you have to rectify your palate,
An olive, capers, or some better salad
Ushering the read more

Yet shall you have to rectify your palate,
An olive, capers, or some better salad
Ushering the mutton; with a short-legged hen,
If we can get her, full of eggs, and then,
Limons, and wine for sauce: to these a coney
Is not to be despaired of for our money;
And though fowl now be scarce, yet there are clerks,
The sky not falling, think we may have larks.

Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.
[Lat., Esse oportet ut vivas, non vivere ut edas.]

Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.
[Lat., Esse oportet ut vivas, non vivere ut edas.]

Better halfe a loafe than no bread.

Better halfe a loafe than no bread.

Your supper is like the Hidalgo's dinner; very little meat, and a
great deal of tablecloth.

Your supper is like the Hidalgo's dinner; very little meat, and a
great deal of tablecloth.

And solid pudding against empty praise.

And solid pudding against empty praise.