Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-14
COnvfyfaI Customs OF the English
Two Centuries Ago.

An English author writes: Our grand
fathers, or perhaps it would be better to
say our great grand-fathers, were rollick
ing boys in their times They were good
at hunting, good at fighting, and more
than good at drinking They lived much
in the open air, did not smoke to excess,
and were rough, ready, honest people,
who despised effeminacy, scorned the
milksops, or as they sometimes called
them, the Jenny Jessemies, for prefer
ring the ladies chamber TO the fields Of
Diana or Mars, or the festivals of Bae-
chus. Even so recently as fifty years
ago hard drinking was the rule, and alb
stinence the exception. Not that our
grand-fathers got very drunk; it was a
point of honor with them to drink great
deal without becoming intoxicated, and
to carry their wine like gentlemen,
none the worse for the extra bottle.
But our great-grandfathers, a hundred
years ago, drank harder than their sons
who followed after them, and thought it
the test Of good fellow to be what is
called three bottle man., to leave
no heeltaps,' never to shirk the liquor;
or to be the first to propose joining the
lduitb. ia WOids VI ilODtlt JhAhnf
he was considered a coward loon who set
the example of breaking up the party;
and he who would imbibe the most liz
quor, and remain on bis chair after all
the rest had fallen helpless under the
table, was king among them a" In
those days, in default of conversation,
which was too apt to degenerate in quar-
relsomeness and unpleasant personali-
ties, song was found extremely useful
to keep the company in good humor,
He who could sing and would not con-
tribute in this way to the conviviality of
the company had to drink a glass of salt
ard water as penalty for contumacy or
was expected to give toast or senti-
mani.
This ultra bacchanalan period of
English social history may be said to
have commenced with the Cavaliers dur
ing the Protectorate-not only because
it was the fashion, but because it was
opposed to the practice and the preach
ing of the Puritans and the Roundheads.
1t remained the fashion of the upper
and middle classes for the whole of-the
eighteenth century, and so late as the
Regency and the close of the reign of
George III, when the first symptoms of
much needed reform became visible.
How long the fashion lasted, and how
hard it was to uproot appears from re-
ferences and illusions in the literature
of the time. Dean Ramsey's amusing
"Reminiscences of Scottish Life and
Character are full of it.
Nothing" says the Dean, can more
.f,ll .1l,.at.ata he .a.AaI
character of Incorporate habits in some
families than an anecdote which was re.
lated to iHe as coming from the late DR..
Mackenzie, author of the Man of Feel
ing" He had been involved in a regular
drinking party. He was keeping as free
from the usual excuses as he was able,
and as he marked companions around |
him falling victims TO the power of drink,
he himself dropped off under the table
among the slain as measure Of pre- !
caution. Lying there, his attention was
called to small pair of hands working
at his throat On asking what it was, a
voice replied: Sir, I'm the lad that's to
loosen the neckcloths.
There was" added the dean, in an
other portion of his little book, "a sort
of fascination in the supposed dignity
and manliness attached to powers of
deep potation, and the fatal effects Of
drinking wore spoken Of 10 q manner
both reckless and unfeeling A we'll
known laird of the old school expressed
himself with great indignation against
the charge that hard drink actually
killed people. :" Ma, nal | never knew
anybody that was killed with drinking,
though | have known seme that have
died in the trainingf