The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby, knight, opened / newly edited with introduction, notes, and glossary, by Anne Macdonell.

  • Digby, Kenelm, 1603-1665.
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby, knight, opened / newly edited with introduction, notes, and glossary, by Anne Macdonell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    Kenelm had many serious rivals among his own sex. In such an embarras de choix as given by all these drink receipts, we may be in doubt whether to try “ My Lord Gorge’s Meath,” or “ The Countess of Newport’s ” cherry wine, or “ The sweet drink of my Lady Stuart,” or of Lady Windebanke, or “ Sir Paul Neile’s way of making cider,” or “my Lord Carlisle’s Sack posset” ; but one is strongly influenced by such a note as “ Sir Edward Bainton’s Receipt which my Lord of Portland (who gave it me) saith, was the best he ever drank.” I had thought of Saint-Evremond as warrior and wit, delightful satirist and letter-writer. But here is a streak of new light upon him : “ Monsieur St. Euvremont makes thus his potage de sante of boiled meat for dinner being very valetudinary. . . . When he is in pretty good health, that he may venture upon more savoury hotter things, &c.” The most rigorous Protestants will relax to hear how “ To make a Pan Cotto as the Cardinals use in Rome.” And if “ My Lord Lumley’s Pease Pottage ” sounds homely, be it known, on the word of the eloquent Robert May, that his lordship “ wanted no knowledge in the discerning this mys- tery.” What fastidious simplicity in the taste of the great is suggested by “ My Lord d’Aubigny eats Red-herrings thus boiled ” ! But if Sir Kenelm consorted only with the great, it was with the great of all social ranks. It was not merely on high questions of science he discoursed with the discoverer of the circulation of the blood d