There is scarce any subject on which more books have been written, than that of Cookery; and yet no one has been hitherto managed with less accuracy, care or judgment; some have endeavoured to render their writings as bulky as possible, by collecting all kinds of culinary materials to swell them into several volumes, as if a man's chief business was to live to eat, and not to eat to live; others again have not been contented with plain or even costly English dishes, but have introduced various examples of foreign luxury, the names of which, though perhaps well known at first, are now so corrupted that they cannot be explained or rectified by the most copious dictionaries in any language. These have been continued in all books of this kind, even in those most in vogue; in which likewise the good and the bad dishes have been jumbled together, without order or distinction.

But these objections are of small weight in comparison of those which concern our Health, for whatever affects this is of the highest importance; since, when this is depraved, we are in effect bereaved of every other blessing of life; because every other en-joyment without health, will be rendered altogether insipid and useless; and yet these prove-ditors for the palate have never troubled their heads about it, when they gave directions to prepare their cullises, their crocands and their puptons; it not being an object worth their serious consideration. However, the least attention to those matters will convince us, that such heterogenous mixtures must necessarily vitiate and inflame the blood, and conse-quently disturb and depress the active functions of the body, and all the noble faculties of the mind. I could give various instances to illustrate this assertion, but I shall only mention a pernicious practice, which they all recommend with one voice; I mean the use of brass and copper vessels in pickling, to be-stow a beautiful colour on the vegetables to be preserved: this indeed will produce the intended effect, by the corrosive nature of the vinegar and other acids acting on the copper, and turning it into a kind of verdigrease, which tinges the pickles and heightens their natural verdure into a bluish green. Now as verdigrease is a slow poison, it is no wonder the frequent use of such pickles should produce great alterations in the human body, while the cause remains unsuspected. This method of reasoning is fully confirmed by the late prohibition of the use of copper ves-sels both in Sweden and France.

Few people are very fond of living up to the exact rules of physic, nor is it necessary they mould; but this is no excuse for taking measures that will infallibly ruin their consti-ons; especially as any man may make a delicious repast, without making himself sick with the indigestible gallimawfry of an injudicious caterer, in like manner as he may take a chear-ful glass, without poisoning himfelf with the stum'd wine of an avaricious vintner.

Such considerations as these have prevailed on me to examine some papers that have been put into my hands, and to select such materials out of them, as are most conducive to health and pleasure, without endangering the constitution; this I think should be the chief design of those that write trea-tises of this kind. I have like wise in the account of aliments, and the method of curing diseases, made such corrections and alterations, as I judged would render them of real use to the publick; and indeed there is such a natural connection between the properties and use of aliments and medicine, that I think they are here not unfitly joined together; especially as different constitutions require different aliments to correct the excess of them, so as to render life easy.

Now as to different constitutions, there requires no great fund of knowledge to be able to distinguish one from another; for we can scarce help observing, that some persons are heavy, indolent, timorous and void of vivacity; which shews that such are of a phlegmatic temperament; they have likewise a pale soft skin and flesh, with lank, light coloured hair. Those of a bilious constitution are quick, lively and nimble in all their motions; they are choleric, with strong passions; the habit of body is lean and dry, and they have generally reddish curled hair. The melancholic are spare, strong, robust and laborious, with a dark complexion and black hair; they are apt to be silent, absent, grave, solitary, inflexible and void of compassion; all their actions are unpolite, they are fond of their own opinions, which are generally extravagant; and they are always obsinate in their love and hatred. The sanguine are moderately corpulent, have a fresh florid complexion; and are pleasant, gay, sincere, polite, modest and amorous. But these constitutions are seldom or never met with simple and unmixt, but one of them generally predominates over the rest: hence it appears, that what may be sui-table and salutary to one constitution, may be unfit for, or rather detrimental to another. This renders the study of aliments more ne-cessary than is commonly supposed; and tho' writers of this class have never taken notice of any thing of this kind, it may rather be attributed to ignorance than design; or at least they judged it not to belong to their province.

But though authors of cookery have neglected this useful branch, they generally abound with physical receipts; which it were to be wished they had entirely omitted: much mischief they probably have done, but I am sure they never could do any good. Many a patient has depended upon these for relief, till the disease has gained ground and been rendered incurable; or by the preposte-rous operation of these incongruous medicines he has been hurried out of the world.

It was therefore high time to lay down such rules and directions for the cure of diseases, as will best answer the end for which they are designed; such will not only prevent the use of improper remedies, but also enable ladies and gentlemen in the country to assist their poor neighbours, and often raise them from the jaws of death; for they are generally destitute of any other help. For this reason, the utmost caution has been used that nothing might be recommended that would not probably answer some valuable purpose; I say probably, for there are many diseases that will elude the force of the best contrived remedies, and baffle the skill of the most able physicians.

The directions are every where as plain as the nature of the subject will admit of, and are so particular, as to prevent the unseason-able exhibition of any medicine, if they are attended to with due care. Likewise such things are proposed as may or ought to be kept in every apothecary's shop, that there may be no time lost in the preparation of the drugs upon any emergency; the neglect of which has been of considerable detriment to many an unhappy patient: I mention this with regard to accute diseases, which terminate in life or death in a short time; but as to chronic or tedious maladies, there will be time enough to procure the best of every kind. With regard to acute diseases, it would be well if every family would keep some remedies by them, which are recommended in this book, because they are sure to be had genuine at the places herein mentioned.