Tomorrow I will begin the process of making a confit of squirrel, followed by the construction, and eating of the cassoulet next weekend. To better myself in the meanwhile, I have been rereading William Cobbett. If you are unfamiliar with this man, more is the pity. He could write volumes, and did, about the most common place things (such as raising pigs) and insert the most glorious, opinionated bits throughout. Since I started curing another ham this week, I thought I’d read his Cottage Economy again. This gem of over-the-top, tell me what you really think, digression on Methodists had me laughing. For your enjoyment:

But about this time, it is more than possible that the Methodist parson will pay you a visit. It is remarked in America, that these gentry are attracted by the squeaking of the pigs, as the fox is by the cackling of the hen. This may be called slander; but I will tell you what I did know to happen. A good honest careful fellow had a spare-rib, on which he intended to sup with his family after a long and hard day’s work at coppice-cutting. Home he came at dark with his two little boys, each with a nitch of wood that they had carried four miles, cheered with the thought of the repast that awaited them. In he went, found his wife, the Methodist parson, and a whole troop of the sisterhood, engaged in prayer, and on the table lay scattered the clean-polished bones of the spare-rib! Can any reasonable creature believe, that, to save the soul, God requires us to give up the food necessary to sustain the body? Did Saint Paul preach this? He, who, while he spread the gospel abroad, worked himself, in order to have it to give to those who were unable to work? Upon what, then, do these modern saints; these evangelical gentlemen, found their claim to live on the labour of others.

So, what are you reading this weekend?

…………………………………………………………..

Reading this weekend: Cottage Economy (see above). And just finished up (thank you, Dan), Narrow Boats (L.T.C. Rolt), a lovely slim volume about the English canal system and the machine of industry destroying craft and identity.

Follow