THE BOOK OF NOODLES.

a

CHAPTER I.

ANCIENT GRECIAN NOODLES.

LD as the days of Hierokles!" is theexclamation of the" classical"reader on hearing a well- worn

jest; while, on the like occasion,that of the" general" reader- a comprehen-sive term, which, doubtless, signifies one whoknows" small Latin and less Greek"-is,that it is" a Joe Miller;" both implying thatthe critic is too deeply versed in joke- ology tobe imposed upon, to have an old jest palmedon him as new, or as one made by a livingwit. That the so- called jests of Hieroklesare old there can be no doubt whatever; thatthey were collected by the Alexandrian sageof that name is more than doubtful; while itis certain that several of them are much olderthan the time in which he flourished, namely,the fifth century: it is very possible that some

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