t 244 ] 



not to be haftily hazarded -, but fuch an evil, if it 

 be one, may poflibly be guarded againft in a confi- 

 derable degree, by attempting an alteration in the 

 mode of confumption, 



The ftate o{ malting and brewery, under this fpe- 

 culation, comes naturally into confideration. It is 

 now the policy of the Icgiflature to lay fo heavy a 

 duty on malt,* as wholly to exclude from po'or, 

 and almoft from middling families, in towns efpe- 

 cially, the ancient pra(5lice of brewing for them- 

 fdves. Thus it comes to pafs that, comparatively, 

 few private families or even publicans brew. I will 

 not fay that in the articlje of ftrong beer, efpecially 

 now porter is fo generally brewed out of London, the 

 publick is under any material difad vantage from the 

 parliamentary fyflem. Certain it is that a fubftan- 

 tial common brewer of ftrong beer and porter, on a 

 large fcale of bufinefs, can now brew cheaper and 

 better than a fmall one. And confidering the high 

 duries on the ftaplc articles of brewery, it is rather a 

 matter of furprize that beers of the various degrees 

 of ftrength, Ibould be rendered on the whole fo good 

 as they really are, at the prices they are fold for. 



♦ Sir.M t^iis was written three-pence per bufhel has been taken 

 ofl'j but the redu(51ion is fo fmall, that little alteration will arife in 

 .the linc'of confumption, 

 :. ' But 



