History of Ancient and Modern Wines. 1 19 



Dr. H.'s remarks are quite unsatisfactory; he speaks of it as of 

 a principle existing in the grape, but it appears to us that it is as 

 often a product as a!i cduct ; and that in respect to many varieties 

 of the grape they afford a wine, the excellence of which depends 

 on a very fleeting but powerful bouquet, of which not a trace is 

 discoverable previous to fermentation. Among others, the wine 

 ofTonnerre may be selected as an instance; its exquisitely musky 

 and rosaceous aroma, so agreeable both to the nose and palate of 

 the drinker, are quite wanting in the grape, which in those respects 

 is of an inferior order. 



Our author's observations on the vinous and acetous fermenta- 

 tions dispersed through this chapter are merely abstracted from 

 chemical treatises, and that not very judiciously ; nor are his re- 

 marks on the disorders of wines, their ropiness, acescency, and 

 bitterness, at all luminous or satisfactory ; the latter quality mani- 

 fests itself occasionally in Burgundy, but is only of temporary 

 duration ; Dr. H. ascribes it to the formation of " citric ether, 

 Avhich is known to have an extremely bitter taste." This is the 

 first time we ever heard of such a species of ether. Nor is he 

 quite correct wJicn he says that alcohol may be separated from the 

 wine " in a pure state" by mere distillation. But we do not 

 wish to dwell upon these slips and peccadillos, to which the best 

 of us are subject, and shall therefore proceed with our " history," 

 the first part of which relates to Ancient Wines, and the first 

 chapter to the " Vineyards of the Ancients," of which the initia- 

 tory vignette represents we know not what, unless it be Rolla 

 bearing away the child, in the tragedy of Pizarro *. 



Our author here gives an interesting, though superficial, sketch 

 of the cultivation of the vine, as practised by the ancients ; and it 

 is curious to observe how little change the lapse of two thousand 

 years has in most respects effected in this branch of husbandry. 

 The ancients were also acquainted with numerous varieties of the 

 vine. The vitis ajnana, so called from its liability to be attacked 

 by bees, and which has now received the correspondent appella- 

 tion o{ muscadine, was in very high repute ; the Aminean was also 

 a favourite vine, so was the Nomentan, called 3\%o fecinia, pro- 

 bably from the abundant deposit from its juice during fermentation. 



" That the ancients spared no pains or expense to procure all 

 the best kinds for their vineyards, is proved by the accounts which 



* Wc beg our author's pardon : we find from the list of engravings that it 

 represents " Mercury conveying Bacchus to the Nymplis." When lliese 

 ornamental wood-tuls are very nicely executed and as carefully printed oil', 

 they are real embellishments, as we see in some of the beautiful specimens 

 that adorn Mr. iJibdin'h books, but they only succeed in the hands of a true 

 bibliophilist. Dr. Henderson's designs arc ^ood, but the cxecutioji is often 

 paltry, and the printer, in our copy at least, has spoiled all : many afe mep 

 dabsofink. 



