THEA. ORD. XXXIX. Tricocce. 645 
ing to be the leaves of the same species of plant, they are sé much 
disguised as scarcely to manifest any resemblance to. each other: 
It is true that some species and varieties of the Tea, as appears by 
Loureiro, are naturally more odorous than others; yet we cannot 
suppose that nature ever made them totally different. The same 
observation will be equally applicable to the various flavours. and 
colours of this exotic. We may therefore infer, that the Chinese 
method of curing their fine Hem: is not quite so fieae as that 
practised by the Japanese. 
Tea was first introduced into Butdne by the Dutch East India 
Company, and ipto England about the year 1666,.when,.it sold 
for sixty shillings # {5, and for many years its great price limited 
its use only to the most opulent... However, for a long time past 
it has been the common beverage of both the rich and poor; and 
its effects have been very variously represented; but as to enter 
fully upon this subject would far exceed the limits of this work, 
I shall refer the reader for a more full account to Dr. Lettsom’s 
elaborate history of the Tea tree; and conclude this article with 
a transcript of its medicinal powers, as given by Dr. FPales, 
whose opinion in this place cannot fail to be well sensiyeds, 
« With ASTRA to {tg gee asa medicine, that is, 3 
aiite ; dy, we might epee i it 
as aseoruined oy the experience of its daily use; but from the 
“ universality, of this use in very different conditions of the plant, 
“and in every possible condition of the persons employing it, 
* the conclusions drawn from its effects must be very precarious 
“ and ambiguous, and we must attempt by other means to 
* ascertain its qualities with more certainty. 
“ To this purpose it appears, from the accurate Dr, Smith’s 
“ experiments De Actione Musculari, No. 36, that an infusion. of 
“ green Tea has the effect of destroying the sensibility of the 
* nerves, and the irritability of the muscles; and from the « expe- 
riments of Dr. Lettsom, it appears that green Tea gives out in 
distillation an odorous water, which is powerfully narcotic. — 
No. 49.—vot. 4, 8a 
*y 
* 
