The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06
fHECHEERING CUP OFTEA
Efforts Past and Present TO Prove
the Beverage Injurious.
Dr. Johnson's Review of nm Essay
Against the Use of the Chinese De-
coction-Its Virtues Exto1ied in
other Quarters-A Panacea for
Human Ills of Various Kinds

| \ medical authority OF chicago mas re-
| Gently made an exhaustive attempt TO
| show that tea is al injurious beverage.
| This Is nothing new; as ever since the
| Introduction of the herb from the East,
| efforts have been made by physicians to
warn people against its deleterious influ-
ences. Count Belchigen, physician to Ma
ria Theresa. ascribed the increase OF new
| diseases to the weakness and debility In
duced by daily drinking of tea; but as .
set-off. be allowed it to be a sovereign
remedy for excessive fatigue. pleurisy. va
pors. jaundice. weak lungs. leprosy. sour
w. consumption. and yellow fever.
| DR.. Johnson reviewing an essay against
tea drinking by James Hanway, prefaced
his criticism with the candid avowal that
the author is to expect little Justice from
hardened and shameless tea-drinker,
who has for twenty years diluted his meals
with only the infusion OF this fascinating
plant; whose kettle has scarcely time to
cool; who with tea amuses the evening.
with tea solaces the midnight. and with
tea welcomes the morning.
1t is TO be remembered, however, that
| the learned doctors defence OF his favor
| lite drink lacks. to great extent, his ac-
customed vigor. He admits that tea Ia
not fitted for the lower classes. as it only
gratihes the taste without nour ishing the
body, and styles it "a barren superhuity."
proper only to amuse the idle. relax the
studious, and dilute the meals of those
who cannot use exercise. and VIII not
practice abstinence. For such an inyet-
crate tea-drinker, the following seems but
faint praise: Tea, among the greater
part OF those who use it most. is drunk
in no great quantity. AS il neither exhil-
arates the heart. nor stimulates the PAL
ate is is commonly an entertainment
merely nominal, pretense for assemD-
ling to prattle. for inteTrupting business
or diversifying idleness." He gives the
Earls Arlington and Ossory the credit Of
/ being the first to import tea into England.
He says that they brought it from Hol-
land in 1866 and that their ladies taught
women Of quality how to use it. Pepys.
however. records having sent for cup
of tea, "a China drink of which he had
never drunk before" on the 18th of Sep
TENDER, 1860; and by an act of Parlia-
ment Of the same year. duty of eight
pence gallon was levied on all sherbert.
chocolate, and tea made for sale.
Waller writing on some tea commend
ed by Catherine of BraganZa, says:
The best OF herbs and best Of queens owe
To that bold nation, which the way did shew
To the fair region where the sun does rise
The Muses. friend. Tea. does cur fancy aid.
RepreSs the vspOrs which the head invade,
And keep Tie palace OF the soul serene"
The Spanish Queen may have helped to
render tea-drinking fashionable, but the
beverage was well known in London be-
fore the Restoration The "Mecurius Po-
liticus'' of September 80. 1858, contains
the following advertisement: That ex-
cellent, and BY all physicians approved.
China drink, called by the Chinese teha,
by other nations tay. alias tee. is said at
the SuItaness Head Coffee House. In
Sweeting's Rents, by the Royal Exchange.
London" The proprietor Of another Lon
don coffee house of that period Is even
more cxtravagant in his praise OF tea
Here Is a portion OF this individuals ad-
yertisement in newspaper: THE quality
is moderately hot, proper for winter or
summer. The drink is declared to be most
wholesome preserving in perfect health
until extreme old age. The particular viz
tues are these: 1t maketh the body active
and Iusty 1t helpeth the headache. gid
diness, and heaviness thereof. II remov-
eth the distractions Of the spleen. II Ii
very good against the stone and gravel
It taketh away the difficulty Of breathing.
opening distractions. 1t is good against
llppitude Installations. and eleareth the
sight. 1t removeth lassltude, and cleans
eth and puriieth adjust humours and
hot liver. 1t is good against crudities.
strengthening the weakness OF the stoTn-
ach. causing good appetite and digestion,
and particularly for men Of corpuient
body, and such as are great eaters OF
flesh 1t vanquisheth heavy dreams.
easeth the brain, ana strengteneth the
merc--. 1t overcometh superlu-
Gus sleep, and prevents sleep
mess in general, a draught Of the infusion
being taken; so that, without trouble,
whole nights may be spent in study with
out hurt TO the body. 1t prevents and
cures ague, surfeits, and fevers by infus-
ing a fit quantity of the leaf, thereby pro-
duclng most gentle vomit and breathing
of The pores. and hath been given with
wonderful success. 1t (being prepared and
drunk with milk and water) strengthened
the inward parts and prevents consump-
tions 1t is good for colds,
dropsies, and scurvies. and expelleth in
faction. And that the virtue
and excellence of the leaf are many and
great is evident and manifest By the
high esteem and use Of it Especially OF
late years. by the physicians and knowing
men in France. Italy, Holland, and other
parts OF ChTistendom, and In England 1t
hath been sold in the leaf for six pounds.
and sometimes for ten pounds the pound
weight; and in respect Of its former
scarceness and DEAFNESS. it hath been only
used as regalia in high treatments and
and presents made there
Of to princes and grandees till the year
1851"
Having thus shown why people should
buy tea. in the first place the advertiser
then proceeds to explain why they should
buy 1t Of him: The said Thomas Garway
did purchase a quantity thereof. and first
publicly sold the said tea in leaf and
drink. made according TO the directions OF
the most knowing merchants and travellers
Into those Eastern countries; and upon
knowledge and experience OF the said Gar
ways continued care and industry in OBJ
tanning the best tea, and making drink
thereof vary many no5temen, ph5 5icians.
merchants. and gentlemen o. quality, have
ever since sent to him for the said Leaf.
and daily resort 20 his house IN Change
Alley to drink the health thereof And
TO the end that all persons Of quality and
erllnerca gentlemen and others. who have
occa sion for tea in leGf may be supplied.
these are 70 give notice that tie said
Thomas Gsrwav hath tea to sell rom is
shilliugs to % shilliugs the pound .
SpeIlbinder's Parody.
(I'r,rr 4hc postop