Chap. XVII. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 237 



them, and as an enemy : And hence comes the co-nmon cxpreffion 

 oi killing time ; which is done hy the mofl frivohnis amufements. 

 One of thefe is, I think, very extraordinary, and yet none more 

 common; and that is, the ulc ol" tobacco \\\ Jmoaklng^ fnnjfing^ and 

 even chewing. This weed is known to be fo very unwholcfome, 

 that, when taken into tlie ftomach or even when appHed to tlie 

 oiitfidc of it, it is a powerful emetic ; and I heard a famous 

 phyfician, a countryman of mine, the late Sir John Pringle, fay, 

 he believed that it had done a great deal of mifchief: Yet it 

 is furprifing how many people ufe it, and ill that way, particularly 

 in fmoaking, employ a great deal of their leifure ; and habit ha5 made 

 it to many men almoft a neccfTary of life. It is, however, naturally, 

 and at firft, unplcafiint to every man ; for, though I hold that the 

 fenfe of fmell affords a great deal of plcafure, as I have elfewhere 

 faid*, yet the fmcll of tobacco is, to thofe not accuilomed to it, very 

 difagreeable; and, I think, it is a ftink, when compared with the fmell 

 of rofes, which I enjoy while I write this. And I am perfuaded 

 that Sir John Pringle was in the right, when he faid that it does a 

 great deal of mifchief; for the frequent and conftant ufe of a thing, 

 naturally fo unplcafant, muft, I think, neceflarily have a bad effedt 

 upon the healtli. 



Ennui is a difeafe not only well known among the civilized na- 

 tions of Europe, but even among favages, particularly thofe of 

 North America, who, when they have done with hunting or filTi- 

 ing, or warlike occupations, fpend their leifure in lolling upon the 

 ground, or in their wigwams, or in picking hairs out of their beards, 

 but chiefly in fmoaking tobacco, in which way only they ufe it, 

 not in fnuffing or chewing as we do : So that the ufe of this weed, 

 as I have called it, appears to be univerfal among men. In Europe 

 there is no herb fo much ufed, except corn : But among the Indians 

 of North America, it is, I believe, more ufed than even corn, as 

 they live chiefly upon hunting and filhing. From what has been 



faid, 



• P. 21(5. 



