Daily globe., 1881-03-20
Tea Tales.

The Russian gentlemen drink their
tea out of glasses; the ladies out Of
china. There is an amusing legend at
tached to this custom. The first tea
cups for Russia) we're made at Cron-
stadt, with a view of that city at the
bottom of the cup. It often happened
that the proprietors of the cafes did not
make the tea so black as was desirable,
from motives Of economy, and trans
parent liquor was the result. Where
upon waggish customer summoned the
proprietor, and, pointing to his cup,
exclaimed, 81 see Cronstadt." The say
ing passed into proverb, and so, to
prevent customers seeing Cronstadt"
any more, glasses were introduced, at
the bottom of which they could see
nothing.
No article on tea could omit mention
Of Dr.. johnson and his great partiality
for that beverage. In his review of
Hanway's I" Tea and Its Pernicious Con-
sequences" he proclaims himself as ''a
hardened and shameless tea-drinker,
who has for many years diluted his
meals with only the infusion of this fas-
cinating plant; whose kettle has scarce
ly time to cool who with tea amuses
the evening, with tea solaces the mid
Xights, and with tea welcomes the morn
ing" "Bozzy' says that he supposes
no one ever enjoyed with more relish
the fragrant leaf than johnson. The
quantities he drank of it at all hours
were so great that his nerves must have
been uncommonly strong not to have
been extremely relaxed by such an in
temperate use of it. It is related, but
not by Boswell, that while on his Scotch
tour the Dowager Lady Macleod, hay
ing repeatedly helped him, until she had
poured out sixteen cups, then asked him
if small basin would not be more agree
able and save him trouble. "I wonder,
madam, % he answered, roughly, "why
all the ladies should ask me such ques-
tions. It is to save themselves trouble,
not me-" On another occasion he said:
"What delightful beverage that must
be that pleases all palates at time when
they can take nothing else at breakfast"
Croker mentions that the doctors teapot
held two quarts.
Five-o'clock tea is by no means a mod
ern invention. It is of Swiss origin,
and is mentioned in the "Almanch des
Gourmands." "About o'clock in the
evening the lady of the house makes
herself in the middle of the drawing
room some very strong tea, softened by
q few drops of rich cream !; slices of
bread and butter are served with it.
Such is the Swiss tea in all its simplici-
ty; but in rich houses are added cakes,
preserved fruits, and even ices. It is
served every day, and it is the only meal
to which strangers are invited" The
well-llnown stinginess of the Swiss rem
ders this extremely probable. 1t is to
be hoped that the tea was better in those
days than it is now, or short time ago.
One shudders on recalling to mind the
appalling mixture contained in the ho-
tel teapots.
Let us end with statement of Bal
zac's. We cannot pretend to krow
whence he derived it. The English
Government (date not mentioned) al
lowed three criminals condemned to
death to choose between being hung or
to live exclusively on tea, coffee or
chocolate, without adding any other
nourishment whatever, or being permit
ted to drink any other liquid. They ac-
cepted. and drew lots for the drink.
The one who lived on chocolate died In
eight months. The one who lived on
coffee lasted two years. But the man of
tea enjoyed existence for three years.
Balzac adds details of the particular way
in which each died; but they would
hardly be welcome at the dinner or
breakfast table. e.-Loadon Globe.