But yet I think nobody, could he be sure that the soul of Heliogabalus were in one of his hogs, would yet say that hog were a man or Heliogabalus.
1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […][Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London:[…]Benj[amin] Motte,[…], →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan):
I spent five days in conversing with many others of the ancient learned. I saw most of the first Roman emperors. I prevailed on the governor to call up Heliogabalus's cooks to dress us a dinner, but they could not show us much of their skill, for want of materials.
How pleaſed therefore will the Reader be to find, that we have, in the following Work, adhered cloſely to one of the higheſt Principles of the beſt Cook which the preſent Age, or perhaps that of Heliogabalus, hath produced. This great Man, as is well known to all polite Lovers of eating, begins at firſt by ſetting plain Things before his hungry Gueſts, riſing afterwards by Degrees, as their Stomachs may be ſuppoſed to decreaſe, to the very Quinteſſence of Sauce and Spices.