Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-08-01
SNUFF TAKING.
Aud 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held
A pouncet.box, which ever and anon

He gave his nose, and took't away again.
We are not aufftakers, & hitherto have been
disposed to look upon he practice oil taking
snuff as one not al all iaudabie l, has always
appea to US as an useless. unproh'ab!r hab>
it. which when q man once acquires, he hnds as
much difficulty in freeing hlmseffrom again. as
he would il getting rid OF a s"oldlng wife; and
as worse than unpro6 able, inasmuch as GER
tain expense is incurred without any thing that
we conceived valuable in return. Indeed, TO
such pitch had our de,estation ofthe practice
grown, that the dread of the mischief which
would arise to the tobacco trade, from all our
readers dropping the habit at once. has alone
operated in deterring US from devo,ing three or
four columns Of our paper To a deprecafory es-
say upon the subject. DR., Primrose never felt
more convinced Of The inquiry Of second NAL
rags than we did Of The Improperly OF snutt>
taking up 10 last week. when a circums' ance
occurred which has contributed materially to
change our mind on the subject.
Full OF ire against snufftaklng, we last Mon
day, in an essay upon moderate fashions, des'g>
mated the custom as ridiculous; in consequence
of which, in the afternoon OF the same day, we
hau such a lecture read To us as has operated
to change our opinion so far that, it any one
were TO make us a present Of gold snuff. box,
We do believe we should accept OF it, let IL be
ever so massive, and even though it contained
as much as il would hold Of Princes mixture.
S. p. Gillespie, Lundyfoot, or any other sort OF
snuff
We had scarcely got into our office, when we
were followed by a stalwart looking gentleman
of about fifty-eigh,. In his right hand he car.
ried a'walking stick, aud in lis lief, null, OF
large dimensions, with silver lid: His waist
coau, which had once been blat k, and par, OF
which still retained its original colour, had a
stain down the front OF a dark brown, OCCASION
ed by frequen, falls nf snuff upon il, and the
apels Of his coat were Of the same hue. lie
seated himself unceremoniously upon count.
ng-house stool, and having deliberately taken
pinch from his null, closed il and offered 1t TO
US. w. politely declined the profit favour.
"Oh." said he,"I see that you really do not
take snuff then, aud | am, therefore, at liberty
10 understand that, when you ask wha, habit can
BE- more ridio ulous than snufi:iaking, which you
do in This days paper, you speak your candid
sentiments, and actually look upon taking snuff
as one of the most ridiculous customs now ex>
tant?'
We assured him tba, such was precisely the
case.
"Aye," said he, ESQ feared, and have CALI
wrong, and TO assure YOU that there is not a
NOR. lauda5le custom now in practice"
We said that il was a subject which had oc
cupied a good deal Of our attention lately; and
we could not find one commendable trait IN II.
1t appeared 10 us TO be a dirty, disagIeeablp,
disgusting practice; one which was much more
honcred in the breach than in the observance.
"Aye," said he, "it appears TO YOU SO; but do
you practice il, and I'il engage thar in twelve
months, you viii not find any Thing dry o.
disagteeab.c III it,"
We observed, that we were very well sa'ioi-
ed with our present opinion Of the practice, &
should not wish 10 convince ourselves 10 the
contrary, at tht expense Of probably becoming
habituai snuff takers, and rendering ourselves
disagreeab'e to our friends and acquaintance,
by the aroma Of tobacco which must be carried
upon the breath.
"rhere is not more social thing in the
world said he, ethan a snutf-boX," taking
large pinch from his null, and again outing it
towards US; "thrre's not thing hich makes
men sooner acquainted, or SO we'll keeps up
spirit OF conversation
We Observed, that might be the case, but
we were seldom at loss for conversation with
out il.
"That may be-" said he; shut ! tell you, tina,
" IL al dHSiShi IoDOI aO'V, dnu potIlptiI ~ AZ
lioe, and one that ought to be observed by all
good subjects. have taken snuff these forty
years, ard would no, give the practice up for
any consideration Pve often gained friends
by it, Blu, never los, any; and I've sometimes
got as mucn by pinch two of snuff
veral shiliDgs would not pay for"
But how, we asked, do you make it out to be
an ancier,, honorable, and pat Ole practice?
".ls to antiquity" said he, "wc certainly can
not trace it with any certainty 10 the pari-
arohs, although il Is by no means improbable
that they may have used IT,"
We asked pardon for interruping him, but
submitted that tobacco was produce Of A.
merica, and America was no, known as long
ago as the time he spoke Of it seemed to US ra>
Their improbable that the pariarehs should take
snuff
"Not at ALL" said lie, "not at ALL for although
we do not know OF tobacco either having been
grown in or imported into Asia, yet there are
many plants & aromatic woods there Of hich
good snuff might be made; and, as in all pro-
-