"Yes. They were very civil and invited me to a grand dinner they gave to
the Belgian Charge d'Affaires. I also met there one or two scions of the
first families of Virginia. The Belgian minister did not seem to be aware
that slavery is a tabooed subject in polite circles, and he was continually
bringing it forward until slaves, slavery, and black people in general
became the principal topic of conversation, relieved by occasional
discussion upon some new book or pictures, and remarks in praise of the
viands before us. A very amusing thing occurred during dinner. A
bright-faced little coloured boy who was assisting at the table, seemed to
take uncommon interest in the conversation. An animated discussion had
arisen as to the antiquity of the use of salad, one party maintaining that
one of the oldest of the English poets had mentioned it in a poem, and the
other as stoutly denying it. At last a reverend gentleman, whose remarks
respecting the intelligence of the children of Ham had been particularly
disparaging, asserted that nowhere in Chaucer, Spencer, nor any of the old
English poets could anything relating to it be found. At this, the little
waiter became so excited that he could no longer contain himself, and,
despite the frowns and nods of our hostess, exclaimed, 'Yes it can, it's in
Chaucer; here,' he continued, taking out a book from the book-case, 'here
is the very volume,'[*] and turning over the leaves he pointed out the
passage, to the great chagrin of the reverend gentleman, and to the
amusement of the guests. The Belgian minister enjoyed it immensely. 'Ah,'
said he, 'the child of Ham know more than the child of Shem, dis time.'
Whereupon Mrs. Morton rejoined that in this case it was not so wonderful,
owing to the frequent and intimate relations into which ham and salad were
brought, and with this joke the subject was dismissed. I can't say I was
particularly sorry when the company broke up."

[Footnote * See Chaucer, "Flower and the Leaf."]