Feluca. An Arab word to denote a coasting boat, oar or sail
propelled. Nelson and Marryat write felucca. It was large enough
to accommodate a post-chaise (Letter XXV).
Gabelle. Supposed to be derived from the Arabic kabala, the
irksome tax on salt, from which few provinces in France were
altogether free, swept away in 1790. Smollett describes the
exaction in San Remo.
Garum. Used by Smollett for the rich fish sauce of the ancients,
equivalent to a saumure, perhaps, in modern French cookery. In
the Middle Ages the word is used both for a condiment and a
beverage.
Improvisatore. A performer in the Commedia delle Arte, of which
Smollett gives a brief admiring account in his description of
Florence (Letter XXVII). For details of the various elements, the
doti, generici, lazzi, etc., see Carlo Gozzi.
Liqueur. First used by Pope. "An affected, contemptible
expression" (Johnson).
Macaroni. "The paste called macaroni" (Letter XXVI) was seen by
Smollett in the neighbourhood of its origin near Genoa, which
city formed the chief market.
Maestral. An old form of mistral, the very dry wind from the
N.N.W., described by Smollett as the coldest he ever experienced.
Patois. See Letter XXII. ad fin.
Pietre commesse. A sort of inlaying with stones, analogous to the
fineering of cabinets in wood (Letter XXVIII). Used by Evelyn in
1644.
Polenta. A meal ground from maize, which makes a good "pectoral"
(Letter XXII).
Pomi carli.
