BAKING the art of making bread, by which term is meant loaf-bread, which is white, soft, full of cavities, lias an agreeable taste, and is easily digested.
1. Like most of the arts of primary importance, its origin precedes the period of history, and is involved in the obscurity of the early ages of the world. There is no evidence from Scripture that Abraham was acquainted with the method of making loaf-bread. Cakes and unleavened bread are repeatedly mention ed as made by him, but no notice is taken of loaf bread. We are certain that it was known in the time of Moses, as in the Jewish law there is a prohibition to make use of it during the celebration of the 'pas sover (Exodus, chap. xii. verse 15). Egypt, both from the nature of the country and the early period of its civilization, seems very likely to have been the place where this art was first practised. The Chal deans, however, put in a claim. They were civilized nearly as early as the Egyptians, and they were ce ' lebrated among the ancients for the goodness of their bread. The Greeks assure us that they were taught the art of making bread by the God Pan. This lively and superstitious people ascribed almost all the important arts of common life to their gods ; or rather, perhaps, their gratitude induced them to deify the authors of these most useful inventions. Bakers were unknown in Rome till the year of the city 580, or about 200 years before the commence ment of the Christian era. They settled in that city during the war with Perseus, king of Macedon (Plinii Hut. Nat. xviii. 11). It was then that the Romans became acquainted with the refinements of the Greeks, and that their capital became crowded with adventurers of all kinds, with artists and philoso phers, from the prolific soil of Achaia. Before this period, the Romans were often distinguished or re proached by the appellation of the pulse-eating nation.
Since the introduction of bakers into Rome, the art of making bread has always been practised in the south of Europe. But it made its way into the
north very slowly; and even at present in the northern countries of Europe and Asia, loaf-bread is seldom used except by the higher classes of inhabitants. In Sweden, for example, you see rolls frequently in the towns, but never loaves. Giittenburgh is a town containing about 23,000 inhabitants. In the year 1812 it was crowded with merchants from all parts of Europe, being the great connecting link between Britain and the Continent. Towards the end of that year, the captain of an English packet ordered a Giittenburgh baker to bake for him a quantity of bread, amounting to L.1 Sterling in value. The baker was confounded at so great an order; and re fused to comply, till the captain gave him security that he would carry off and pay for the loaves ; de claring that he could never dispose of so great a quantity of bread in Gottenburgh if it were left upon his hand. In the country part of Sweden, you meet with nothing but rye-cakes, as hard nearly as flint, and which are only baked twice a-year. About thirty years ago, loaf-bread was almost as rare in the coun try places and villages of Scotland, barley bannocks and oaten cakes constituting the universal substitutes almost among all ranks. But the case is wonderfully altered at present. At that time no wheat was rais ed in the fertile valley of Strathearn ; and the vil lage of Crieff, the largest village in that valley, with a population of nearly 8000 persons, contained only two bakers, who could scarcely find employment. At present it contains five or six, and each has a brisk trade.
In many parts of England, it is the custom for private families to bake their own bread. This is particularly the case in Kent, and in some parts of Lancashire. In the year 1804 the. town of Man chester, with a population of about 90,000 persons, did not contain a single public baker. We do not know whether or not it contains any at present.