129 



CHAPTER XL 



OPORTO — continued. 



To PROFESS to write anything about Portugal, and above 

 all about Oporto, and to omit all mention of port wine, 

 would to many of my countrymen appear very much the 

 same as undertaking to represent the play of ' Hamlet,' but 

 omitting the character of the Danish prince. I therefore 

 propose to devote a short space to this subject, of such 

 paramount interest to Englishmen ; and I am the more 

 induced to do this because, from the ready kindness I met 

 from merchants and others engaged in the wine trade at 

 Oporto, I learnt a great deal that was new to me regarding 

 the production of that excellent wine, and enjoyed unusual 

 facilities for making myself acquainted with the process 

 employed in bringing it to perfection. Let me premise, 

 however, that I am not sufficiently versed in the subject to 

 venture upon details, whicli may be gathered by the con- 

 noisseur from more trustworthy sources.* I will but offer 

 a general outline of facts which I gleaned from several 

 independent witnesses, checked and corroborated by what 

 I saw with my own eyes. 



Now it so happens that during the last few years, in my 

 wanderings through various parts of Europe, I have acci- 



* See especially an unpretending little volume whicli is full of informa- 

 tion on this subject, entitled Prize Essaf/ on Portugal. By John James 

 Forrester. London, 1854. 



