The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-10
THE POTENT PIPE.
Some Famous English Devotees of the
Weed Which Cheers.

Despite the fact that many persons have
a strong antipathy even to the smell OF to-
bacco, there can be no doubt that as habit
there are few which can be compared to 1t
for popularity in our own and other coun-
tries. Indaed, it has been truly remarked
that it embraces the circumference OF the
globe. IL comprehends every class of peo-
pie, from the most savage TO the most re-
fined, and includes every climate, from 81
IBERIA to the Equator. and from tue Equator
TO the extreme south. Thus, referring back
to bygone years, Spencer calls 1t divine
tobacco" but whether he INDUCED in the
use of it is by no means certain, although 1t
seems probable that he spoke in this comph-
menUary manner out of respect and regard
for his friend Sir Walter Raleigh, who has
been regarded as having introduced the
fashion into England.
Hence Malcolm has preserved a, tradition
that he used to sit at his door with sir Hugh
Middleton, practice probably promoted,
he adds, through the public manner IN
which it was exhibited, and the aromatic
flavor inhaled by the passengers At the
commencement of the Seventeenth century
smoking was in high popularity and re-
ceived a larger share OF literary notice than
ever after fen to its share
Like Milton, George Withers is common
ly SAID to have INDUCED largely in the So
lace of his pipe, and many of his evenings
in Newgate, during his long imprisonment,
when he was weary OF numbering his steps
or counting the paneS OF glass Were relieved
with meditations over pipe, which also
afforded him an opportunity of moralizlng,
as thus ....
And when the smoke ascends on high,
Think on the worldly vanity
OF worldly stuff; Ills gone with pun.
Thus think, and drink tobacco
1 ftnfr 10 ic
fession, was "a fierce smoker of tobacco;
but as he advanced in years he was COM
PEELED to relax his intimacy with the favor
tie weed, and describes himself as resemb-
ling "a volcano burnt out, emitting now
and then only casual puff" Eventually
he took his formal leave in a "Farwell Ode
to Tobacco and in sending copy OF the
poem to Wordsworth he writes: Il have had
1t in my head to do it these two years, but
tobacco stood in its own light when it gave
me headaches that prevented my singing
its praises" In the course of this poem,
which is one of the highest tributes ever
paid to tobacco, he says:
For must-nor let 1t grieve thee,
Friendiest of plants that must leave thee.
For thy sake, tobacco,
Would do anything but die;
And but seek to extend my days
Long enough to sing thy praise.
Addison had a pipe in his mouth at all
hours, and Hobbies, after his early dinner,
smoked pipes innumerable, and yet he at
tanned the age of 81. The first Episcopal
smoker in England was DR.. Richard
Fletcher, successfully Bishop of Worcester,
Bristol and London, and was theA priest
specially chosen to attend on Mary, Queen
of Scots, at Fotheringay, on the day of her
execution, Feb. 8, 1887. According to one
account his death has been attributed to
'his immoderate taking of tobacco" Arch
bishop Whateley was another great smoker
aud his pipe, when his little volcano was
extinct, served him as a book-marker. In
summer time he might be seen sitting on
chair in st. Stephens green
while he was smoking tobacco. Arch
bishop Laud was accused by the Puritans
of being too fond of smoking; and Robert
Hall, while at Cambridge, acquired the
habit of smoking from being in PARIS com
pany. Being asked, on one occasion, why
he had commenced he replied, 81 am quail
flying myself for the society of a doctor of
divinity; and this (holding up his pipe is
the test of my admission" DR.. Parr, it
should be noted, was an inveterate smoker,
and when some one said to him, "Do you
smoke, DIR. Parrp he answered, "All
great men do, SIR" Sometimes he
would smoke as many as twenty pipes in an
evening, and DIR. Richardson, in Rhis
"Recollections of the Last Century" relates
how, at the dinner given at Trinity Col
lege, Cambridge, to the Duke of Gloucester,
as chancellor of the university, DR.. Parr,
upon the removal Of the cloth, INDUCED in
his eternal pipe, blowing cloud into the
faces of his neighbors, much to their annoy
ance, and causing royalty to sneeze The
noted founder of the "Atomic Theory Dr.
Dalton, greatly enjoyed his pipe after his
days occupation in the classroom or the
laboratory, "or when taking his well-earned
weekly half holiday with the bowling club
at the country tavern, where every
Wednesday he regularly attended" his col
loquial faculty being at its very best when
over pipe Of tobacco.
DR.. Aldrich, the noted dean of Christ
church, Oxford, was a liberal patron of the
weed, and Poison smoked many church
warden. On one occasion it is related that
he despatched bottle of alcohol beside
smoking any number of cigars" Sir Isaac
Newton INDUCED freely in this recreation,
and Ben Jonson was an equally ardent adj
mirer of it. Byron, again, was an enthusi
astic admirer of the weed, and wrote in its
praise.
Thomas Howell was a great smoker and
in his Familiar Letters" gives various allu-
sons to his fondneSs for tobacco Thus,
acknowledging on one occasion a present of
tobacco, he writes: 81 received that choice
parcel of tobacco your servant brought me,
IOI WHICH l. obuQ you Us many T6DuTuS Oh
gratitude as there were grains therein,
which were many, but too few to express
my acknowledgement" Even the very
ashes he praises, adding, otis well-known
that the medicinal virtues of the ashes are
very many, but they are so common that
will spare the inserting of them
here" Thomas Carlyle was a steady
smoker as is also the present poet laureate.
Campbell and Moore both delighted in their
pipe, and John ellison Lockhart was seldom
seen without cigar. Jerrold and Fielding
literally puffed at their leisure, and the late
j. M. Kemble, author of THE Seasons in
England was an inYeterate lover of the
weed. According to an old Johnian, it was
no small pleasure ito get Paley on a cold
winters night to put up his legs, stir the
fire and fill long Dutch pipe He formally
declined any punch, but nevertheless drank
it up as fast as we replenished his glass. He
would smoke any quantity Of tobacco and
drink any given quantity Of punch"
Leaving, however, our own country, it
may be remembered that Gen. Grant was
much devoted 10 a good cigar, and, indeed,
his love for this recreation has long become
proverbial. Similarly, Count Bismarck is
no less fond of this mode Of solace, and Oh
one occasion, when about TO light his cigar,
observed to a friend that 'the value of d
good cigar is best understood when it is the
last you possess, and there is no chance Of
getting another" NJ. Gulzot, when found
one evening by lady smoking his pipe,
was asked by her, in astonishment, "WhaU,