When Thackeray, the great English novelist, visited this country, his
literary friends in Boston gave a banquet in his honor. The committee of
arrangements, learning that Mr. Thackeray had made some comments on the
general tendency of Americans to magnify things, thought they would give
their distinguished guest a demonstration of the greatness of the
American oyster, at least, the more so as the oyster does not attain a
great size in the British Isles. They accordingly ransacked the market
for the very largest bivalves that could be found, and a half dozen of
these were placed at Thackeray's plate. The gentleman next to him
apologized for the small size of the oysters, but Thackeray looked at
them in amazement, and asked, "What am I to do with them?" "Swallow
them, of course," was the answer. "Well," said he, taking a huge one on
his fork, "here goes." He gave a gulp and down it went. "How do you feel
on it?" asked his friend. "Feel?" said he--"I feel as if I had swallowed
a baby!"