The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-27

had. There Is likewise evidence OF u knowl-
edge OF fermented liquors on tho Hittite
rock carvings. That wnc and even the abuse
of it were we'll known to the Hebrews is clear
from their sacred writings. Only two varie-
ties. however. aro specified. viz. The vino OF
Helbon. fat. luscious. syrup-like liquor which
was an article OF merchandise at Damascus.
and the wine OF Lebanon which was celebrate cd
for it's bouquet. That the Hebrews mixed water
with their wine may be inferred from two vefsfs
in Proverbs: "She hath mingled her wines"
Drink OF tho wine that have mingled
Their grapes used to DO trodden in the press.
and tho juice after fermentation was put into
bottles or wine kins. /
The only wine upon which Homer dlates
with enthusiasm Is ono produced upon the
coast OF Thrace. This. we are told. was red
and honey sweet. so strong that it was mingled
with twenty times its bulk OF water. and 30
fragrant that even when diluted it filled the
house with perfume. The most important
Greek wines Of later times were those Of the
islands Chios. Thasos. Cos. and Lesbos. and Of
few places on the opposite coast Of Asia
Minor Wine was the ordinary Greek drink.
There is no evidence to show that beer
made from barley was ever introduced into
Greece. Different sorts Of wines were some
times mixed together. and wine Was almost
always mingled with either cold or hot water
before drinking. To quafY wine undiluted was
looked upon rs q barbarism. Tho Spartans
fancied their King tCleomenes) had gone mad
from having contracted among the Scythians
habit OF drinking wine neat The proper
tons OF the mixture varied. but there was al
ways more water than wine. and half and half
was repudiated rs disgraceful Straining.
10, 70 hoy hnn
rare among the Greeks.
The process Of wine making was essentially
the same in Greece and Italy. Tho grapes
were gathered. trodden and submitted to the
press. The juice which flowed from the grapes
before any force was applied was reserved for
the manufacture OF particularly rich species
OF wine. The Greeks recognized In wines
three colors-blnck red white or straw
color. and tawny brown. When wine was to
be transported from one place to another bags
OF goatskin We're used. daubed over with pitch
to make them scam tight. spice wine is
noticed by Athennus. Into the so-called med
ical wines drugs. such as horchound.
squills. wormwood. and whortleberries were
introduced to produce hygienic effects. Es-
sential oils were also mixed with wine. The
most popular OF the compound beverages was
the honey wine. said by Pliny to have been in
vented by Aristnus. Creek wines as rule
required n long time to ripen. 1t Is suggested
that the sweet wines OF tho Greeks wcro prob
ably somewhat like modern Cyprus and Con-
stantia: the dry wines. such as the Pramnap
and Corinthian. were remarkable for their
astringency. and these particular products
were only drinksble alter being preserved for
many years.
OF Roman wines Campania boosted the most
celebrated growths. The Cncuban. Masslc.
Falernian. and Surrentine wines were all the
produce OF the Campanian soil. Tho Cncuban
is described by Gulcn as n generous wine.
rireninc only after u long term Of years. Tho
Massic closely resembed tho Falernian. OF
which more presently. The Setine was q light
wine. and. according to Pliny. tho favorite
drink OF Augustus though Horace never men,
tons it. Tho Surrentine was dismissed by
Tiberus Us being no better thar fine vinegar
The winesof Xercs and Madeira have been fixed
upon by Dr. Henderson as those TO which tho
celebrated Falernian bears the nearest resom-
blance. Both arc straw colorcd. acquiring Il
deeper tint from age. Both present the varie-
ties OF dry and sweet. Both are strong and
durable. Both require keeping. 1t Is more
over to DO noticed that if Madeira or sherry
were kept in earthen Jars till reduced to the
consistence OF honey. the taste would become
SO bitter as to be to us intolerablc. The fact
commonly added to tho Roman wines. would
make their taste disngreeabln to the modern,
palate. Co!umea advises the mixture Of one
pint OF salt water with six gallons Of wine. and,
he says that four ounces OF crude pitch to-i
gether with certain aromatic herts should be-
put into two amphor@ containing colleo-s
lively nbout thirteen gallons 1t was likes,
wiso the custom OF tho Romans to
EXPOSE their wines in smoky carrots
until they were reduced to n thick syrup. WHEN
they had to be strained before they were
drunk. They were, of course. diluted with
water the common proportion being three or
four parts to ono OF wine. The ROman ban
luet. like the Greek. began with tho mulsum,
OF mingled vino and honey. The dessert
wines among the Romans were the Alban. Co
cubnn. and Falernian. until they began to i'm
port Chan and LcsLian. Pliny and other
authors mention II number oil mixed drinks.
used by the Romans. Among these were hy-
dromeli made OF honey and tive-yoar-old rain :,
water: oXymeli. made OF honey. sea
salt. and vinegar: hydromelon. made OF
honey and luiaces; hydro-rosatum. similar
compound with tho addition OF roses
omIhncomnli. II mixture OF honey and yer.
Juice. myrtitcs, u compound Of honey and
myrti. seed; rhoites, drink in which tho {.
pomegranate took tho place Of tho myrtle:
sycltcs. wins of figs: phnncites,w ine Of palms:
abrotontes. wine of wormwood. perhaps the
original OF ycrmouth and adynumon. weak I
wine for the sick. Plny also mentions drinks
made Of medlars. mulberries. and other fruits.
of q spuragus. and Of thyme and other herbs.
Hipvocrates enters on n detailed description
Of the Virtues Of wine. and explains In what
diseases they Were. in his opinion. bcneiiciu!.
III. "a
1t is in the Scandinavian records that we en-
cOuntertGo most frequent references to the 4
ra,lv use Of malt liquors. Bcowulf discrim-
mates between the drinkers Of alo and ~ beer.
Neither beverage was despisei by the leaders
Of Ilen, but wine drinking was II mark II so
cul d., tinction. In ono of the o,ton MSS., y
lad hayiui: he"u GsEel why ne does not drink
wine. says: II am not 81 rich that ] can buy
me wine. and wine is not the drink of children
nor the weak minded. but OF the elders and
the wise The old English grew the vine for