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Follows here the strict receipt For that sauce to faint…

“Follows here the strict receipt For that sauce to faint meat, Named idleness, which many eat By preference, and call it sweet: First watch for morsels, like a hound Mix well with buffets, stir them round With good thick oil of flattered, And froth with mean self-lauding lies. Serve warm: the…” quote by George Eliot
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““Follows here the strict receipt For that sauce to faint meat, Named idleness, which many eat By preference, and call it sweet: First watch for morsels, like a hound Mix well with buffets, stir them round With good thick oil of flattered, And froth with mean self-lauding lies. Serve warm: the vessels you must choose To keep it in are dead men's shoes.””

George Eliot

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A passage satirizes indulgent, self‑congratulatory behavior, comparing it to a sauce made from idle meat and served in dead men’s shoes.

In simple terms: Critique of lazy self‑praise and empty rituals.

Key Takeaway

Avoid empty rituals that mask laziness.

Themes

satire social critique literature

Mood

reflective wry

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • social gatherings
  • corporate culture
  • political ceremonies

Key Concepts

vanity emptiness ritualism

Questions to Reflect On

  • What modern rituals hide emptiness?
  • How to recognize genuine effort?
A Different Perspective

Satire may overlook systemic causes of laziness.

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