Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-04-16
NUMBER l5.
Tea-Table Talk.


In Holland, where tea first found favor in the
West, it was for some time regarded simply as a
remedial agent, Bontckoe, by his dissertation
upon its virtues, contributed not II little to its
popularity among his cOuntrymen--the Dutch
patronage of it being, however, matter of cacu-
lation as well as relish-for Holland enjoyed an
exclusive commerce with Japan at that time, as
regards the favored herb accordingly, the state
rewarded Bontekee handsomely for his treatise
OF him and his adhereuts, Cabans remarks that
they as much overrated the virtues OF ten as
modern authorities have, he thinks, exaggerated
its bad qualities. Assuredly, says Cabanis, tea
does not work the miracles that we're ascribed
to the use of il ut its introduction by admirers
sincere or affected but neither does it produce
all the i'll consequences which have been laid to
! its charge. " Like warm water tea weakens
the stomach, and consequently the nervous sys-
tenn also, which shares so rapidly in the i'm
presSions received by that organ but then
again, the aStrngeut extract matter which is
strongly concentrated in it, considerably modi-
des this effect. In countries where the use of
it is general, we do not find that those who abb
stain from it are, other things being equal,
healthier than the rest 1t would appear that,
in addition to the astringent matter and the
aromatic principle combined III its leaf, tea con-
tans also some narcotic or sedative particles
and it is perhaps on account of this threefold
combination that it acts directly on some per-
sons with trauQulizing effect, while in others
1t produces agltated or anxious feelings precisely
corresponding with those which frequently re-
suit on the Of opium The antagonists of
tea denounced it first as poison and then as an
extravaganza. As one Of its modern apologists
reminds us, Corbett was furious against it aud
an EdjubHrg Repieieer, when George " was
king, was iutoerant Of its inroads among the
poor. "We venture so assert that when II la
borer fancjes himself refreshed with II mess of
this stuff, sweetened by the coarsest black sugar,
with azure blue milk it is only the warmth of
the water that soothes him for the moment; nm
less, perhaps the sweetness may be palatable
also" One, by whom the Edinburg Review is
reviewed, II quarter of century later, points
ont the danger Of even quarterly oracles ''veu-
turing TO assert, ana cites Liebig to the rescue,
which renowned chemist demonstrates " that
coffee and tea have become necessaries of life to
all nations, by the presence of one and tue same
substance in both vegetables, which has Il pc
culiar effect upon the animal system that they
were both originally met with amongst nations
whose diet is chiefly vegetable and by contrib
uting to the formation Of bile, their peculiar
functions have become a substitute for animal
food to large class of the population whose
consumption Of meat is very limited and to an
other large class who ARE unable to take regular
exercise" Whoever the Edinburg Rceiewer who
- ventured to assert, ~ may have been, it could
not have been its prime editor and pretty con-
slant contributor, Sydney Smith, unless, indeed,
his taste underwent radical change for we
overhear him exclaiming, as he Joins the ladies'
in the drawingroom aud sits down to the tea
table, Thank God for tea What would the
world do--how did it exist without tea | am
glad was not born before tea. | can drink any
quantity when | have not tasted wine other
wise am haunted by the blue devils by day,
aud dragons by night"