Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-02-07

pears 10 Db cuScfVVcd III siVu@"A W."
siderable obscurity. 1t was doubtless
production Of the East and introduced
into Europe from Asia at an early peri
cd, though the precise time is not accu-
sateIy ascertained. In our journal of
the 5lh inst. we gave the opinions of
some of the early English writer's on
the Introduction of the article into
Great Britain, where il was decried by
them and Represented as the cause of the
scurvy, consumption. &c. Modern ex-
perence is so much in contradiction to
these opinions, and the use of sugar is
so great aud extensive at the present
day, that it may not be embarrassing to
give a more particular account of it.
The English word sugar, as well as
most of the modern European names.ap-
pears TO be derived from the Arabic suk-
ker or chukker. The Perslans and Turks
also call il sheker Hence, we have the
names Of the same article, in Italian,
Z1cchero in Spanish. Azucas;in French,
Suere, in German, Fucker. in Dutch,
SUCKER; in English. Sugar.
The Greeks and Romans knew but
little about sugar, or the sugar cane
from which it is derived.--The most an
cient author among the Greeks who
| mentions the sugar zane is Theophras.
tus who lived 50 years before the chris
tian era. lie called sugar mel Eafami
non, the honey Of the reed Dioscori
des who lived Anno Domini Gals the first
writer who mentions the word sackavon
or sugar in his chapter peri sakcharon
snst,tos, concerning the honey Of the
reed From him Piiny derives bis name
| Saccaran, and the Latins afterwards "a
dopted the term Sacclso,am for sugar.
| the Juice of the caue. The Latin poet
Lucan in bis Pharsala (book 81. verse
237) says, when speaking of the indi
ans near the Gauges.
"Qui9ne btbuat scnerq duices 40 arundine smcos..
| "Ehey drink sweet lucesf from the tender reed .
Piny in the 18th book OF his Natural
History (chap g. says that Sugar is
brought from, Arabia. but the best sort
from India 1t is honey collected from
canes, like gum, white, and brittle
between the teeth; the largest is of the
size of an hazle nut: it is used in medi-
cine only
Paulus Egeneta who wrote as late as
A. ID. go, calls sugar al o Indikos, I'm
dian salt, in colour and form like com.
mon salt, but 10 taste and sweetness like
honey."
Several Of the Greek and Roman au-
thors mention that sugar came from A
rabia as well as India; but il is certain
that the sugar described by them TO be
,chite like solt SC. was brought from
lnda into Arabia. That il was not the
produce of Arabia we learn from Avi-
lcenna, who recommends, "when the
tongue is dry and parched in fevers, 20
cleanse il with oil OF almonds and white
|sugar; and that the sick should have in
bis mouth a lump of the salt that is
brought irom India; which in colour is
| ike salt, and IN sweetness like honey"
Tins can be no other preparation than
that We DOW call white sugar candy,
which may be considered (says Mosely)
as the real mel, kataminon; ais Indikos,
| and sacchar0n. OF the ancients.
China boasts and not without reason,
of the antiquity Of her arts and policy
over the rest of the east as well as over
the rest Of the world The sugar cane
is indigenous to China. The climate
and soil in many parts of Bengal and o.
Their districts Of the East Indies, are al
so suitable to the growth and cutiva
ton of the cane; and sugar is, and we
have reason to suppose ever has been
produced there. Nevertheless, China
is the only country in the East even
now where sugar candy is made in per.
lection. The bright transparent sugar
candy, so beautiful in appearance, and
so grateful to the taste. is peculiar
manufacture, and was originally inyen-
ted in China.
But the arts of refining sugar and
making what is called loaf sugar, is
modern European invention, the dis
covery of Veuitian about the end of
the 18th, or beginning efthe 10th cen
fury; and not practised in India until
very lately. (Mosley'streaties on su.
gar
Having thus given some account OF
the history of sugar amOngthe ahcients,
we shall reserve its more modern histo.
ny for another time.