The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-02-01
Centaur Liniment.-An alb
solute cure for Rheum at 8 +,
Sprains, Burns, Calls, &C., and an
instantaneous Pain-reliever.
The Spiritual Effects of Drunkenness.

OF the december century says: Inns
loss of self-respect, the lowering of am
bition, and the fading out of hope are
signs of the progress of this disease in
the character. 1t is mournful specta-
cle-that of the brave, ingenious, high
spirited man sinking steadily down
into the degradation of inebriety; but
how many such spectacles are visible
all over the land! And it is not in the
character of those alone who are noto-
rious drunkards that such tendencies
appear. They are often distinctly seen
in the lives of men who are never
drunk. Sir Henry Thompson's testi-
mony Is emphatic to the effect that
the habitual use of fermented liquors,
to an extent far short of what is neces-
sary to produce intoxication, Injuries
the body and diminishes the mental
power If, as he testifies, large
proportion of the most painful and
dangerous maladies of the body are
due to the use of fermented liquors,
taken in the quantity which is conven-
tionally deemed moderate, then it is
certain that such use of them must re-
suit also in serious injuries TO the men
tai and moral nature. Who does not
know reputable gentlemen, physicians,
artists, clergymen even, who were
never drunk in their lives, and never
will be, but who reveal, in conversation
and in conduct, certain melancholy eff
fects of the drinking habit? The brain
is so often inflamed with alcohol that
its functions are imperfectly perform
ed; and there is u pcrceptible loss of
mental power and of moral tone. The
drinker is not conscious of this loss;
but those who know him best are pain
fully aware that his perceptions are
less keen, his judgment less sound,
his temper less serene, his spiritual
vision less clear, because he tarries
every day little too long at the wine.
Even those who refuse to entertain as
celtic theories respecting these bever-
ages may be able to see that there are
uses of them that stop short of drunk
enness, and that are still extremely
hurtful to the mind and heart as well
as the body. That conventional idea
of moderation, to which Sir Henry
Thompson refers, is quite elastic; the
term Is stretched TO cover habits that
are steadily despoiling the life of its
rarest fruits. The drinking habit is
often defended by reputable gentlemen
to whom the very thought of debauch
would be shocking, but to whom, ii it
were only lawful, ia the tender and
just sOlicitude of friendship, such words
as these might be spoken: 1t is true
that you are not drunkards, and may
never be; but if you could know, what
is too evident to those who love YOU
best, how your character Is slowly los
ing the firmness of its texture and the
finencss of its outline; how your art de-
how the atmosphere of your life seems
to grow murky and the sky lowers
gloomily above you,-you would not
think your daily indulgence harmless
in its measure. 1t is in just such lives
as yours that drink exhibits some of its
most mournful tragedies. ;"
Ameriranisms.
The stigmatizing of a word, or q
phrase, or even pronunciation, as an
Americanism, by any censor, however
accomplished or however thoroughly
English, or by any authority" ESQ
called), British OF American, however
high, is not to be regarded of very great
moment in the settlement of the ques-
ton, still less as at all decisive. 1t is
very rarely that n word or phrase can
be set down as an Americanism except
upon probability and opinion; whereas
the contrary is shown, If shown at all,
upon fact-proof that cannot be gainsaid.
The citation of word from English
literature at or before the time of Dry
den shows that it cannot possibly be
American" in origin; evidence of its
continued use by British writer's during
the last century and the present proves
the impossibility of its being an Amer
icanism in any sense of that term. In
deed, evidence and proof should hard
ly be mentioned in relation to this
showing. OF words and phrases which
have such origin and history as has just
been specified, il is simply to be said
that they are English. To stamp q
word or phrase as an Americanism,
it is necessary to show that % il is of
so-called American" origin-that is,
that 1t first came into use in the United
States of North America; or that (2) it
has been adopted in those states from
some language other than English, or
has been kept in use there while it has
wholly passed out of use in England.
Now these points are very difficult of
sufficient proof; and the defeats ofthosc
who have assumed them in various in
stances are almost numberless. The
production of unknown and unsuspect-
ed evidence has often toppled bold as
sertions over and swept into oblivion
judgments long reverently accepted;
and it may at any time do SO again.
When those who assume to speak au-
thoritatively upon the subject declare
that word or phrase is an Ameri-
canism, they must be prepared with a
full and satisfactory. answer to the
question, What do you know about itP
They may perhaps know what Is En-