"Good living is due to that action of the judgment by which things that please our taste are preferable to all others.' - SavaRIN.

In the Bachelor's Cupboard there are many condiments. The epicure has so cultivated his taste that he can tell in the twinkling of an eye just what ones are used in the preparation of a dish, just what it lacks, or, perchance, if there be too much of one seasoning.

By his knowledge and appreciation of condiments is the epicure recognized ; insipidity of taste goes with lack of character, and the greatest of dullards satisfies himself with the simplest of foods. To be an epicure does not necessarily mean that a man must be possessed of means; for, as Savarin tells us, " the pleasures of the table are common to all ranks and ages, to all countries and times; they not only harmonize with other pleasures, but remain to console us for their loss." The discovery of a new dish, he says, does more than the discovery of a planet for the happiness of the human race.

The true epicure has an intuitive knowledge of taste. He can tell immediately as the cover is lifted from a dish, by the aroma, just what the seasonings are. And his knowledge of the condiments of all nations is positively uncanny, and suggests more than one reincarnation. An authority on curries, a dis-serter on culinary arts of the time of Confucius and Pliny, he can tell of the last feast served in Pompeii and what Nero last drank and how Napoleon fared at St. Helena. He can recite a list of the dishes at a feast of Lucullus, and tell precisely how many ortolans were sacrificed for it, the age of a ripe oilve, and the vintage of a claret, by its bouquet. The derivation of each seasoning and the country of its discovery are as simple to him as the rule of three; and there is to him the same delight in dissecting a dish and in reminiscing on its origin as there is to the Egyptologist in deciphering some graven stone found in a long-closed tomb.

The bachelor who is or expects to be an epicure may begin with a few simple facts about condiments, and from this knowledge cull an appreciation for things epicurean that will enable him to become a self-taught Sybarite of the deepest dye. The bourgeoisie of France teach us that it is not the quality of the meat, but its seasoning, that gives it that perfection we recognize. A five-penny soup bone may attain by judicious seasoning at the hand of the French femme de cuisine the dignity of a plat at the Cafe Royale.

In stocking the cupboard, then, do not forget the value that lies in the condiments, for without them no dish is palatable. The simplest of them all, the plebeian salt, is the most necessary, and without it the finest feast would be impossible.

Pepper is another essential, and the varieties that should be included are black pepper and white pepper, each obtained from a plant both wild and cultivated, growing in India. Cayenne pepper is the sharpest variety, and the sweet chile pepper of New Orleans and Mexican cities, which is much milder, is also desirable. The pimientos belong to the pepper family, and no one should fail to include in his condiment cupboard a few cans of the Pimientos Morrones, or sweet peppers put up in oil. Chile pepper occupies the same place in Creole cookery that curry powder holds in that of India and Ceylon. Paprika is the national seasoning of Hungary, and is perhaps a shade stronger than the chile pepper, and vastly better for use in dishes containing cheese. Here is a fact that should be remembered: It is said by a famous physician that if a person eats every day a little red pepper with his food, he will never become a paralytic. But by the same token, there is danger in eating too much, as one's stomach may easily become burned by it.

When Louis XV. at the request of Madame Du Barry conferred the order of "cordon bleu" upon the cook in recognition of her perfect cooking, he was quite overcome at the perfection of each dish and its seasoning. The French as a race are past masters at the art of seasoning food, and devote the same attention to these culinary masterpieces that a poet or painter does to his art. A list of condiments and their uses may aid the bachelor in preparing his feasts, and from it he may select whatever suits the individual taste.