The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-12
sFTAKEsPEARE's SILENCE ABOUT
TOBACCO.

In ''Notes and Queries" for January 6, there
is a paper on "Shakespeare's Silence about
Smoking" by Mr.. Walter Thornbury, to which
office has been drawn by the Round Table, the
Express and, we believe, some other journals.
The writer in Notes and Queries" asks "How
is 1t that our great dramatlst never once makes
even the slightest allusion to smoking? Who can
suggest reason 2" He attempts to answer the
query, and suggests two reasons:-
81. Our great poet may have aimed at GER
tain idealism and have Choueht the new fashion
too trivial and ephemeral TO deserve notice.
''2. As prudent manager and courtier Qor
did he not eulogze Elizabeth eXtravagantly IN
Henry III, and almost fulsomely in Midsummer
Nights Dream and James lin Maobeth?) he
may have thought 1t unwise to praise custom
detested by the King, etc."
For the first reason he has no ground, as, by
his own showing, matters OF vastly minor i'm
portance were not too trivial for Shakespeare's
notice: and, In the second, Mr.. Thornbury has
been anticipated, in America, by Mr.. John Saw
age, on a broader basis than mere obsequious-
ness to the king, however prudential that might
have been.
In the Merchants Magazine" for June and
August 1862, the leading place is gived to a con-
tlnuous article, entitled Tobacco: Historical
Statistical, Diplomatic and Literary" written
by Mr.. Savage, in which the subject is reviewed
in the various relations indicated by the title.
In that article, Mr.. Savage suggested that
Shakespeare's silence on the subject of tobacco
and smoking was strong evidence of the party
spirit manifested for and against the use or to.
bacco; and above which his business foresight
and equally-poised brain rose superior; in the
same degree that Spenser, Johnson and others,
less wellbalanced ntellects, took sides on the
exciting question.
If Mr.. Thornbury's remarks are worthy of
notice on this side of the Atlantic, Mr.. SaVage's
are especially in the same connection; as there
is a very remarkable coincidence of illustration
between them. Having given Mr.. Thornbury's
suggested reasons for Shakspeares silence, we
give that portion of Mr.. Savage's article touching
on the subject
Notwithstanding that the use of tobacco was
fashionable with the wits and gallants, it was
made the subject OF satire by even those who
were not averse to quiet pipe and bottle OF
sack. That there were two parties to the
tobacco question, even when Raleigh and the
court circle gave to smoking that character
which, in historical chronicles, takes the place
of popularity, is very evident from one especial
fact. That is, that Shakespeare does not men,
tion tobacco, or smoking, in any way tending
either to advocate or abuse the weed. Shake
speare was a famous man OF business, had a dis
Greet we'll poised brain, which could devote itself
to all things-giVe grace TO the lowest, or honor
TO the highest walk. In our day he could sue
cessiully pursue any calling-from the monoto-
nous routine OF a city railroad conductor TO
the iarreaching emergencies of a cabinet minis
ter Discretion he regarded as a solid basis for
success In business matters he clearly deemed
decent respect for the opinion of mankind not
the least important attraction to amuss those by
whom he was TO live. This feeling would make
him not less courter to the sovereign peoole
than to the peoples sovereign. Though friendly
with Raleigh, he had sufficient. discretion to
deny himself the exaltation of his friends to.
bacco weakness, lest he might offend a rival
party; and, per contra, declined to abuse to-
bacco, lest he might exalt the opponents of the
new custom at the expense of his friend. So,
with his usual business tact, he concluded to
say nothing about 1t. Pipes and smoke are
mentioned by Shakespeare; but the former are
not those through which the latter is drawn;
1nN4, Oh, asra Id
mouths, or snorted from human nostrlls, though
both may have suggested the metaphor of
'Romeo:-
Glove is q smoke, made with the fume of sighs;
Beng puff d. fire sparkling in lovers eyes
''The greatest of Shakespeare's poetical and
dramatic contemporaries, Spenser and Ben jon
son, were less discreet, and entered, in various
degrees, into the feelings of the era on the mat
ter. The former, whose turmoils with, show
him to have been equally eXcitable as, the Irish,
was devoted friend of Raleigh by whom he
was visited at his Irish home OF Kilcolman, and
through whom he received the laureateship
from Elizabeth. No wonder he conld see yir.
tue in the American plant, and call 1t divine
tobacco Jonson, notorious for his brawls. his
passions, and emphatic nature, was not likely to
be neutral. He has given us the temper of the
times. After his fashion, Captain Bobadiln thus
enlarges on the great qualities of tobacco:-
"'Sr, believe me upon my relaton-for what
tell you the world shall not reprove. l have
been in the Indies, where this herb grows
WhClC uelJu6T SELL lOI uOLCn RbullSlueu
more of my knowledge, have received the taste
of any other nutrment in the world, for the
space OF one.and-Jwenty weeks, but the fume OF
this simple herb only. Therefore it cannot be
but tits most divine. Further, take ii in the true
kind, so, it makes an antidote that had you
taken the most deadly poisonous plant in all
Italy, it should eXpel it and clarity you with as
much ease as l speak, And for your green
wound-your balsamum and your st. Johns
wort, are all mere gulleres and trash TO it. espe
cially your Trinidado. Your Nicotlan is good
too. / could say wlat know OF it for the expul
sion OF rheums raw humors crudities, obstruc
tions, wiCh thousand of this kind; bat | profess
myself no quack.salyer; only thus much by
Hercules, do hold it, and viii affirm it before
any prince in Europe, 10 be the most SOVEREIGN
and precious weed that ever the earth rendered
to the use Of man.
"'Ths speech quoth Young Kno'we aside
would have done decently in tobacco-trader'
mouth
'In the same play-E1ery Man in has Hu
qnOq"-hTst performed in $685. the other side o
the question comes from the mouth of Cob thu
water-bearer at whose house the boastful 'Boba
dip resides and who is thus described by HI
host in contrast to Master Mathews, who
though his father, Is "a worshipful hshmonger
and 30 FORTH does creep and wriggle into ac
quaintance with all the gallants.' oh! m
guest quoth Cob is a fine mani He doe
swear the legiblest of any man chrsten ed