The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-10
TEA.

This famous beverage was severely abused
for long after its first appearance in this coun-
Try. Its use is described, in 1878, as "base,
unworthy Indian CUSTOM" In l746 a physician
wrote that as Hippocrates spared no pains TO
root out the Athenian plague, so he had him.
self used bis utmost endeavors ito destroy
the raging epidemical madness of importing
tea into Europe from China" And few years
earlier the GRUB street journal attacked 1t with
considerable violence, declaring that even
were It entirely wholesome as balsam or
mint, II were ye5 mischief enough to have
whole popuation used to sip warm water in
IN eteminale, mncmg manner, once or twice
every 0ay." Under the influence OF this abom-
nable liquor, the same writer declares that
"women become barren; OF, ii they breed, tnelr
blood is made so poor tnat they have not
strength to suckle. Jonas Hanway wrote a
treatise against tea, in DR.. Johnson's time, and
that vast consumer took up the cudgeis or that
elegant and popular beverage (BosWelD, even
going so lar, Tor the first and only time in his
life, his biographer believes, as to answer the
r"ioinder Hanway mace.
johnson was an utterly Unsuitable tea drnker,
"hardened and shameless" he called himself,
"With tea amusing the evening, with tea So
lacing the midnight, with tea welcoming the
morning." 1t is he who is responsible Tor the
late date, 1866 of the introduction of its use in
England, aud for the noble patronage under
which it is said to have made its first appear
ance. Boswell wrote OF his powers as con-
sumer in words which would infallibly nave eX-
aspelated him INTO calling has toady iool, had
they been published in his itetme:--"Hhe guam
titles of it which he drank at all hours we're
so great that his nerves must have been un-
commonly strong not 10 have been extremely
relaxed by sucn ntemperate use of itp But
OF all detIactors of this excellent soother and
stimulaDt. no one has more thoroughly essayed
hip-and-thlgh slaughter than Cobbett-Ooo,,
belt and Beer. On every ground he objected
TO 1t as food for the labOrng classes, and tine
Edinburgh ReUIel6 indOTsed most OF his argu-
ments, stating its firm belief that "prohi-
bition, absolute and uncompromising,D OF the
noxious beverage is the first step to wards
insuriDg health and strength 10 the poor, and
asserting that "when q laborer tancies himself
refreshed with mess OF this. stuff, sWee'ened
by the coarsest black sugar and by azure blue
milk, il is only the warmth OF the water that
soothes him Tor the moment, unless perhaps the
sweetness may be palatable also"
Cobbett proved, IN a manner conclusive 10 MS
mind, that the use of tea en- alled very unne-
cessary waste OF time and money, in which view
he might have found support from the femie
Spectator OF l745, when writer declared that
the tea.table cost more to support than would
maintain two children at nurse" though eight
yeaTsIafter that date the country rector with a
London wife stated that less than pound lasted
them twelvemonth, as they seldom offered lt
hut to the best company. The Quarterly hau
taken different tone about tea, as might have
been expected, allowing indeed that 1t relieves
! the pains of hunger "rather by mechanical as
tensions than by supply ing the waste OF nature
! by adequate susteDance,' but claiming for II lhe
| poWer of "calm, placid, and benlgnant exhilara-
| tion gently stimulating the stomach when
fatieued by digestive exertions, and serving as
an appropriate diluent OF the chyle."
-Tbe oueen of Prussia has arrived in Eng
land On a visit to Queen Victoria. IL will be
! revoaynbared that the eldest son OF the Queen