FRUITS vs. INTEMPERANCE. 



dripping with the fat of a roast spare-rib, as her divine features become scorched and em- 

 purpled over a blazing fire. 



AVe believe, most full}', from personal experience, as well as observation, that an abun- 

 dant use of fruits has a strikingly delightful and elevating influence upon the animal spi- 

 rits, as well as upon the mind and soul; that the constant habit of employing fruits will cure 

 manj' diseases, and have a most beneficial effect upon the health of the individual, and the 

 race, and prove, next to air and water, the greatest of all preventive medicaments. In- 

 deed, as for ourselves personally, through spring and summer, autumn and winter, our 

 breakfast is made almost exclusively of fruits. These we will have, and using no other 

 luxury, we think we have a right to use them at any cost. At the same time, we feel it 

 to be a high and holy duty, whicli we owe to the race, to do all in our power to render 

 fruit so abundant and cheap, as to fall within the means of our poorest brother, and glad- 

 den, with its nutritious and exhilarating juices, every child in the land. AYe do not labor 

 merely that this princely merchant, and that lordly nabob, should have his table loaded 

 with choice "specimens;" but that every man, woman, and child, month in and month 

 out, should revel in these delicious and healthful luxuries, till they become the cheapest 

 of common necessities. And let the true friend of our noble art but do his duty, and this 

 can, and it will be accomplished. 



We even go so far as to believe, that such a blessed consummation would do more than 

 aught beside to banish dram-drinking, wine-bibbing, and intemperance, from the land- 

 For these habits are to be attributed, in the main, to a craving for the sparkling and 

 exhilarating juices, the grateful and healthful acids contained in fruits. And the truth of 

 this statement will be evident, if we consider that principallj'-, from the juices of fruits, 

 come all our various wines, exhilarating liquors, and intoxicating beverages. It was one 

 of the methods early taken to lengthen out and perpetuate the season of fruitage. The 

 less abundant of fruits were dried in ovens, or hung up in the solar rays, and the 

 juices were expressed from the more prolific and plentiful varieties. As from the apple, 

 cider; from the pear, perry; from the grape, wine and brandy; and hence, elder 

 wine, currant wine, &c. At first, indeed, this method was employed only on a 

 limited scale, in the very season of fruits, and the juicy clusters of the grape were 

 pressed into the crystal or golden goblet, as we now squeeze the orange and the lem- 

 on for our delicious orangeade, or the cooling sherbet of lemons. As we read in holy writ, 

 " I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and gave the cup into Pharaoh's 

 hand," (Genesis XI. 11.) Gentlemen, indeed, in the constant habit of emploj'ing wine 

 and liquors, say to us, " Oh! with such fruits as these, I should not care for wine, and 

 should soon give up all relish for drinking." Let us make the various delicious fruits so 

 plentiful, as to be withiii the reach of every man, even the poorest and the humblest, and 

 we shall do more for the cause of temperance, and truly gootZ-living, than all the Maine 

 liquor laws and temperance lecturers in the world; for we shall thus destroy utterly, the 

 the corrupted and perverted tastes of men, and restore them to the original beautiful and 

 wholesome simplicity of nature. James Richakdson, Jr. 



Greenfieled, Mass., July 28, 1852. 



