GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

There are very few persons, unless tliey have made vege- tarian cookery a study, who are aware what a great variety of soups can be made without the use of meat or fish. As a rule ordinary cookery-books have the one exception of what is called soup maigre. In England it seems to be the im- pressioa that the goodness of the soup depends upon the amount of nourishment that can be compressed into a small space It is, however, a great mistake to think that because we take a large amount of nourishment we are necessarily nourished. There is a limit, though what that limit is no one can say, beyond which soup becomes absolutely injurious Aquarter of a pound of Liebig's Extract of Meat dissolved in half a pint of water is obviously an over-dose of what is considered nourishment. In France, as a rule, soup is pre- pared on an altogether different idea. It is a light, thin broth, taken at the commencement of the meal to strengthen the stomach, in order to render it capable of receiving more substantial food to follow. Vegetarian soups are, of course, to be considered from this latter point of view. _

We think these few preliminary observations necessary we have to overcome a very strong English prejudice, wnich is too apt to despise everything of which the remark can be made-" Ah! but there is very little nourishment in it." Vegetarian soups, as a rule, and especially the thin ones, must be regarded as a light and pleasant flavouring which, with a small piece of white bread, enables the most obstmately