The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-11-18
NOTABLE TEA TOPERS
MEN WHO iMei5eo THE sTImULAr.
INC BREW TO EXCESS.
ne Quineey Emptied HIS Cups Fro.
. o'clock ~ Night Till In the
Merniss-Jsbnssa q Shameless Tes
Bibber-why Hawthorne Quit.


| Mermiss--Jshnssa q Shameless Tes
Bibber-why hawthorne Quit.
The most hardened tea drinker may
admit that tea drinking can be and
often is overdone, and yet the best
known tea topers do not appear TO have
suffered IN consequence OF their excess
I've indulgence In the cheering cup.
De Quincy was n notable tea topper.
In his picture OF winter evening In
bis cottage among the Cumberland
hills he mentions the tea equipagc on
table beside the nre. and behind the
table fair ten maker. whose duty II
was TO all an almost endless process.
sion OF cups. pe Quincy declares that
he drank ten from 3 o'clock Mt night
10 4 In the morning. and claims the In.
fusion as 'the favorite beverage Of the
intellectual"
Another tea topper was fIazlitt, the
cssnyls,. who was not only very fond
Of the beverage. but seems 10 have
drunk II Of extraordinary strength
We are told ON excellent authority that
he used two ounces for his breakfast
and two for his ten. with cream. and
that for this tea-the finest Soochong-
he paid at first IA shillIngs and after
ward IL shIlilngs per pound. Perhaps
this extravaganza and excessive con-
sumption OF tea may account for some
Of the essayIst's quarrelsomeness.
Cowper. az we aIl know. appreciated
10 the full the charm Of the fragrant
leaf, but there Ii hardly sufficient evi.
dencc TO show that he was guilty Of
undue Indulgence. The most famous
tea topper was OF course DIR. Johnson.
whose feats with the cup which Mrs.
Thrnle filled 30 assidhously are too well
known TO need enlarglng upon. His
record appears TO have been twenty
fivc cups. which be drank at sitting.
but In mitigation OF judgment II should
be remembered that In all probability
the cups were much smaller than the
teacups In use at the present time.
Still, Johnson told Miss Reynolds In
playful verse:
Thou eanst not make the tea so fast
A / can Kuip II down.
And he described himself as hard.
ened and shameless tea drinker. who
has for many years diluted bis meals
with only the infusion Of this fascinat.
Ing 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"
II IL an amazing confession, but we
arc bound TO remember that this In
temperate tea blbber lived to the age
Of seventy.hve.
Johnson's record was equaled by
Bishop Gilbert Burnet. the author Of
the well known History Of Ny Own
Times" who is reported to have dis
posed OF twenty 1--we cups In q morn.
ing. Another man Of letters Of very
different type. Nathaniel Hawthorne
who might have equaled the doctor.
curbcd bis tea drinking propensities
early, When he was q very young
man Hawthorne was In the habit OF
visiting at a house where the hostess
made excellent tea, and one evening
when the visitors cup was passed TO
be refiiled she said. "Now. Mr.. Haw-
thorne. I am going to play Mrs. Thrale
TO your Johnson. know you are
slave to my tea" The young man
made no reply. but he had no incllna-
ton TO play the role assigned to him.
and for Ave years from that night
Hawthorne did not taste cup OF tea
a protest which seems as excessive In
It's way as the inclination which his
hostess had attributed to him.
There have been other heroes OF the
teapot not a few. Hartley Coleridge
may fairly claim place among the
tea topers. Some one Is said TO have
asked him once how many cups be
Usually drank and to have received the
scornful reply; "Cupsi don't coan'