DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70266#0342
302 kirby’s wonderful museum.
ed at his being so unusually generous, expressed her appre-
hensions about the expence of the wine; but he told her,
he would suck as much of the brains, (his usual phrase), of
some of the fools, as would amply repay him.
This was the only sumptuous dinner Mr. Cooke ever gave,
and which no doubt answered his purpose, not only by the
discoveries thus obtained, but by being asked to several din-
ners in return, and having additional presents. When in-
duced to keep an ordinary bird, as he was not fond of cold
meat, he wrould quarter a goose, or a lean turkey into four,
and roast a joint every day while it lasted; this and a dish
of cabbage, formed the whole of each day’s entertainment.
He was so particularly fond of cabbage, that he was always,
known by the nickname of Cabbage Cooke. Rather than
make any presents, he often kept hares, partridges, phea-
sants, &c. until they stunk; their feathers he then pre-
served in a bag, to be sold ; if a hare, he would carry it to
a dogs’ meat-seller, and haggle for half a sheep’s head or
a pig’s face, always reminding the purchaser, that the skin
would fetch a groat. A fine goose, a pair of prime fowls,
a fat turkey, or a salmon, though received as presents, wrere a
treat too delicate for him to feast on, unless at the table of
another. These therefore he would carry himself, (for he would
trust to no servant), to Leadenhall or Whitechapel market,
and go from stall to stall, to get the utmost penny. He al-
ways kept the vegetables that were sent to him as presents,
and when he had a quantity of potatoes in the house, he
wrnuld allow no bread to be purchased.
Soon after Mr. Cooke had established himself in the su-
<rar-house, he was visited by a man of the name of Thomas
Sidney, who had been a play-fellow and a favourite, and
who had rendered Cooke many services in his puerile days,
when he lived with his grandmother. At a subsequent pe-
riod, Sidney came to London, and worked as a sawyer,
and his wife kept a chandler’s shop, near the Gardens,
ed at his being so unusually generous, expressed her appre-
hensions about the expence of the wine; but he told her,
he would suck as much of the brains, (his usual phrase), of
some of the fools, as would amply repay him.
This was the only sumptuous dinner Mr. Cooke ever gave,
and which no doubt answered his purpose, not only by the
discoveries thus obtained, but by being asked to several din-
ners in return, and having additional presents. When in-
duced to keep an ordinary bird, as he was not fond of cold
meat, he wrould quarter a goose, or a lean turkey into four,
and roast a joint every day while it lasted; this and a dish
of cabbage, formed the whole of each day’s entertainment.
He was so particularly fond of cabbage, that he was always,
known by the nickname of Cabbage Cooke. Rather than
make any presents, he often kept hares, partridges, phea-
sants, &c. until they stunk; their feathers he then pre-
served in a bag, to be sold ; if a hare, he would carry it to
a dogs’ meat-seller, and haggle for half a sheep’s head or
a pig’s face, always reminding the purchaser, that the skin
would fetch a groat. A fine goose, a pair of prime fowls,
a fat turkey, or a salmon, though received as presents, wrere a
treat too delicate for him to feast on, unless at the table of
another. These therefore he would carry himself, (for he would
trust to no servant), to Leadenhall or Whitechapel market,
and go from stall to stall, to get the utmost penny. He al-
ways kept the vegetables that were sent to him as presents,
and when he had a quantity of potatoes in the house, he
wrnuld allow no bread to be purchased.
Soon after Mr. Cooke had established himself in the su-
<rar-house, he was visited by a man of the name of Thomas
Sidney, who had been a play-fellow and a favourite, and
who had rendered Cooke many services in his puerile days,
when he lived with his grandmother. At a subsequent pe-
riod, Sidney came to London, and worked as a sawyer,
and his wife kept a chandler’s shop, near the Gardens,