I got disgusted with Of Human Bondage, and am reading Mencken, The American Language. Mention of "popcorn"
having in the past being unknown in UK, it occurred to
me that UK would not likely know what "parched corn" is either. From Internet:
"n the 18th Century Parched Corn was one of the most important trail foods. Parched Corn is listed in many of the sources used here at HistoricalTrekking.com for research. It was made by first hanging the fresh corn cobs in the top of your cabin until they thoroughly dried, and then a small amount put in a skillet or spider with some bacon. The bacon grease would keep the corn from sticking and the heat would make the small kernels of dried corn swell up and turn brown. Parched Corn is the swollen and browned kernels. Parched Corn is a lot easier to digest than dried corn, and it's not as hard on your teeth either."

I can remember many pleasant eventings munching parched corn while reading or having conversation. The site from which I took the quotation mentions its suitability for
trail mix. I don't remember its being mentioned in accounts
of Colonial days, but I'll bet it would have been very welcome on long walks when no inns or taverns were available.

I have always enjoyed Corn Nuts®...
so, here's a couple of sites:
http://www.kurtsaxon.com/foods009.htm and
http://www.candyandstuff.com/cornutvar5fl.html

And when you offer them to a rival, you can say:
"Sweets to the sweet, and nuts to you!"

Gotta look up etymology of "rival".

rival

SYLLABICATION: ri·val
PRONUNCIATION: rvl
NOUN: 1. One who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor. 2. One that equals or almost equals another in a particular respect. 3. Obsolete A companion or an associate in a particular duty.
VERB: Inflected forms: ri·valed or ri·valled, ri·val·ing or ri·val·ling, ri·vals or ri·vals

TRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To attempt to equal or surpass. 2. To be the equal of; match: “They achieved more than they had ever dreamed, lending a magic to their family story that no tale or ordinary life could possibly rival” (Doris Kearns Goodwin).
INTRANSITIVE VERB: To be a competitor or rival; compete.
ETYMOLOGY: Latin rvlis, one using the same stream as another, a rival, from rvus, stream. See rei- in Appendix I.
SYNONYMS: rival, compete, vie These verbs mean to seek to equal or surpass another. Rival is the most general: “His ambition led him to rival the career of Edmund Burke” (Henry Adams). To compete is to contend with another or others to attain a goal, as a victory in a contest: Local hardware stores can't compete with discount outlets. Vie, often interchangeable with compete, sometimes stresses the challenge implicit in rivalry: The top three students vied for the title of valedictorian.

It's been quite a while since I read "Of Human Bondage" but I don't remember anything in it that might induce so strong an emotion as disgust. Would you care to elucidate, Dr. Bill?

Bingley

Philip allegely loves Mildred whose only redeeming feature is a pretty face. But unhealthy skin tint, no pectoral prominences, no figure, disagreeable disposition. She tells him to get lost, goes off to marry a dull deceiver who is already married but impregnates her. Philip meets Norah, who is plain but very lovable, and shacks up with him.
But when Mildred comes back in pitiful condition, Philip
allegedly discovers he still loves her. Tonstand weader frows up.(borrowed from Dorothy Parker).