Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-04-04
A History of Drink.

Mr.. Samuelson's history OF drink is
Just the kind of book to furnish topic
t. temperance people to talk about.
He refutes the very common assertion
that drunkenness is essentially vice
of civilization. The Nubians, like the
ancient Egyptians, make an intoxicating
liquor from barley. DIR. Livingston
relates how the natives of Bango spend
much of their time in drinking GER
tain kind of toddy made from palm
Juice and it is worthy of remark that
the inhabitants of the Malay peninsula
use the same beverage. The native
beer in Natal and other parts of South
Africa is an inebriating drink. In
Madagascar toakd rivals Mauritus rum
in popularity. The Red Indians ac-
quired a taste for fire-water" by pre-
vious indulgence in the fermented juice
of maple; while the annexation of
Fiji has made us acquainted with kara.
The further we recede into the mists of
history the tipsier does the race be-
come, according to Mr.. Samuelson. for
all the sacred literature of the world
abounds in testimony to the prevalence
OF drunkenness in the most remote
times. Even the Jews, SAYS Mr.. Sam
uelson, burst wine upon their affairs,
believing it to be gratifying to Jeho-
yah, and we find in the Old Testament
examples of anthropomorphism almost
as gross as that in the Vedas." Mr..
Samuelson has collected some interest
ing information respecting the use of
intoxicating liquors among the Egyp-
tians, the Romans, and the Germans.
Although the Egyptians had no vines,
they made wines from barley, and were
greatly addicted to intoxication. Wine
was known to the Romans from the
foundation Of their city, but at first it
was very scarce, and women were for
hidden to drink it. It was not gill the
beginning of the Christian era that the
culture was brought to great perfec-
ton.
Mr.. Samuelson divides the history Of
drink in England into three periods.
In the first he describes the customs of
the Anglo-Saxons, whose passion for
drink was said to have been stimulated
by the Danes, and who, in their turn,
debauched the Normans after the Con-
quest. The drinks were chiefly ale and
mead. The monks of those days in
cluded large proportion of heavy
drinkers. The second period extends
from the year 1900 to the Reformation.
All periodical gatherings of the people.
whether for the transaction of lay or
clerical business were called Gales, "
were held in or about churches, and
were made occasions for large con-
sumption of drink. English 50 Church
Ales," as they were called, had been a
scandal for centuries before Elizabeth
tried to suppress them.
The vice continued TO spread after the
time of the Restoration, until, about the
middle of the eighteenth century, when
in London announcements were hung
out before the ginshops, Informing
passers-by that they could get drunk
for penny, and dead drunk for two
pence, and that, when they were in the
desired state, clean straw would be
gratuitously provided for them in con-
venient cellars" The Commonwealth
however, abolished the holding Of
"Ales" within the precincts of churches
and on Sundays. and those gatherings
gradually lost their Importance. The
third period comes down to the present
day /; and it is satisfactory tolearn that,
in Mr.. Samuelson's opinion, England,
ct the present moment, is not so drunk
en- nation as she is sometimes repre-
sented.