Brillat-Savarin (1755–1826), who experienced the French Revolution in mid-life, describes the practice and decline of fasting in mid-eighteenth century France (Gutenberg edition of Physiologie du goût, Méditation XXIV, "Du jeûne").
His most general reflections are as follows: > En y regardant de près, les éléments de nos plaisirs sont la > difficulté, la privation, le désir de la jouissance. Tout cela se > rencontrait dans l'acte qui rompait l'abstinence; j'ai vu deux de mes > grands-oncles, gens sages et braves, se pâmer d'aise au moment où, le > jour de Pâques, ils voyaient entamer un jambon ou éventrer un pâté. > Maintenant, race dégénérée que nous sommes! nous ne suffirions pas à > de si puissantes sensations. [Section 117] > >
[ If we look into the matter closely, our pleasures are made up of the difficulty of enjoyment, deprivation of it, and desire for it. All of these are to be found in the act of fast-breaking. I saw two of my great-uncles — wise, brave men — swoon with delight at the moment when, on Easter Sunday, they saw the first cut into a ham or the evisceration of a block of paté from its mold. Now — degenerate race that we are! — we will never be able to bear such powerful feelings. ]