Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-09-20
History OF ropneeo smoking in England.

in the Preface to an edition Of King James
..Counterblast to Tobacco" published BY Charles
Beckington. Newcastle upon Tyne. l943, (wlth
which we have been kindly favored by triend,)
it is stated that this literary curiosity was lfst
prnted in auarto, without name or date, by Bar
ker and Bill Londun, 1916. 1t was again pub
| lished with the name of the author, King James,
on the title page, in 1872 In the frontlsplece OF
the first publication "Was engraved the Tobacco
smokers coat of arms, consisting of blackalnoors
head, cross pipes, cross leg bones, deaif heaaS'
&c. curiously and scientifically disposed, as
warning to 1obaccUnists."
In the introductory Remarks to the "Couhler-
blasl'' u very interesting sketch is given oi lie
primitive use of Tobacco in England, and the
Iurms in which the usage appeared when the hlns
discharged his ''Counerbast against It,. n CON
densed view of sume of the principal facts IN this
sketch NAV amuse our tobacco loving as well aS
tobaccu- u-ha,ing readers.
Smoking was the first mode of using looacco
| in England. and Sir Walter Raleigh, as IS wen
known, was the first man WIN introduced me fasn-
ion. Raleigh had his arms enbazoned III MS
dwelling at islington, afterwards an Inn known
as the Pied Bull y with Tobacco plant upon the
TOP. Ii was the first house in England ~ whlch
| Tobacco was smoked. The celebrated Tobacco
bux of Sir Waller. used in entertaining his guests
,.was of cylindrical form, about seven inches 10
diameter and g inches high; the outsite was of
gilded leather, and within was receiver OF glaSs
Or metal, which would hold about pound oi o.
bacco kind of COLLAR Connected the receiver WIN
the case. and On every side The box was Pielceu
with holes for the pipes"
| The honor of being the first female smoker In
| ~, Elt1ahoth yphn puOIpd
the had habit from Raleigh, and was in her turn
initiated by ladies Of her court. There was an
otber claimant for this honor in the person OF one
Molly Cutpnrse, low woman famous tor her irol,
les and crimes, but upon examination twas found
that the distinction belonged to the royal hussy.
Mul never laid aside her pipe till her death IN
| 1862. She was an original genius, as was shown
by direction in her will, that her nephew, to
whom she left the bulk of her property, ''should
not lay it ont foolishly, but get drunk with 1t
while il lasted"
Raleigh stuck by his pipe till the day OF his
death. He smoked his pipe On the morning OF his
execution. which, said cotemporary wriler,
..some formal persons were scandallzed at; but
think" he adds, ''lwas we'll and properly done
to settle his spirits" On being asked II Il pleas
ed him, Aye" said Raleigh, "'tls good ii man
might tarry by it,"
Smoking soon spread through all ranks and be-
came universal. The spectators at the theatres
in Shakspeare's time, were permitted to sli on lie
stage during the performances. and pun away Wig
orousy al their pipes and tobacco. Smoking was
also ne, mitted in all other parts OF the house,
The pgactice reached It's climax about lolO. A
common mode of smoking was to swallow the
smoke partially, and afterwards blow 1t out through
the nostrils. This was called Tobacco drinking.
! I'm 1914 there were said to be upwards OF iouu
tobacco selling houses in London. The virginia
tobacco was usually i'm ported in the leaf tied up
in su,all Iaose bundles the Spanish tobacco most
| " in balls about the size OF mans head, coarse
y spun into kind Of thick twine. The medical
profession of that periud ascrbed to tobacco extra
ordinary medicinal effects. The "humors" OF the
BODY could only be .'purged' by tobacco. These
humors were purged by '.salivatiun." point
which King James disputes with great gravity.
Such was the prevalence of this practice when
Kinr James wruie his .'COunterblast," which.
however. does not seem to have produced much
effect He denounces smoking as barbarous ana
beastly imitation Of gndless aud saylsh Indians !;
conbats the idea of It's benefits as medicine. but
an the contrary contends that it is poison mall-
tains that it will render Britons etiemlnate. SO
that the land will produce no more great warriors !;
diaies upun its extravaganza, 'some oi the gentry
bestowipg f3OO. some f400 year upon this pre-
c,ous stink: - AYERS that smoking ''makes kitch-
on oftentimes in the inward paris Of man. solng
and injecting them with an unctuous and oily
kind Of soot. as hath 5eeh s.nnd in SOME great Ic-
bacco.takers that after their deaths were opened :
and winds up by pronouncing it ''a custom loath-
some To the eye-ha,eiul to the nose-harmful to
the brain-dangerous 10 the lungs-and, In the
black sinking fumes thereof, nearest resembling
the horrid Stygian fumes Of the pit that is bot
tomless. ."-RichmOnd Dispatch