A SKETCH OF THEIR HISTORY 1 1 



chocolatl of the Mexicans consisted of a mixture of 

 maize and cacao with hot spices like chillies, and con- 

 tained no sugar. In this condition few inhabitants of 

 the temperate zone could relish it. It however only 

 needed one thing, the addition of sugar, and the in- 

 troduction of this marked the beginning of its European 

 popularity. The Spaniards were the first to manufac- 

 ture and drink chocolate in any quantity. To this day 

 they serve it in the old style thick as porridge and 

 pungent with spices. They endeavoured to keep secret 

 the method of preparation, and, without success, to 

 retain the manufacture as a monopoly. Chocolate was 

 introduced into Italy by Carletti, who praised it and 

 spread the method of its manufacture abroad. The 

 new drink was introduced by monks from Spain into 

 Germany and France, and when in 1660 Maria Theresa, 

 Infanta of Spain, married Louis XIV, she made choco- 

 late well known at the Court of France. She it was of 

 whom a French historian wrote that Maria Theresa 

 had only two passions the king and chocolate. 



Chocolate was advocated by the learned physicians 

 of those times as a cure for many diseases, and it was 

 stated that Cardinal Richelieu had been cured of 

 general atrophy by its use. 



From France the use of chocolate spread into 

 England, where it began to be drunk as a luxury by 

 the aristocracy about the time of the Commonwealth. 

 It must have made some progress in public favour by 

 1673, for in that year " a Lover of his Country " wrote 

 in the Harleian Miscellany demanding its prohibition 

 (along with brandy, rum, and tea) on the ground that 

 this imported article did no good and hindered the 

 consumption of English-grown barley and wheat. 

 New things appeal to the imaginative, and the absence 

 of authentic knowledge concerning them allows free 

 play to the imagination so it happened that in the 

 early days, whilst many writers vied with one another 

 in writing glowing panegyrics on cacao, a few 

 thought it an evil thing. Thus, whilst it was praised 



