Chap. 6.] PRESERVED GRAPES. 4(51 



As to massaris, 16 it is used as a perfume only. The renown 

 attached to all these preparations is due solely to the innate 

 greediness of mankind, which has racked its invention to gather 

 the productions of the earth before they have arrived at ma- 

 turity. 



CHAP. 6. GRAPES, FRESH GATHERED. 



As to grapes when allowed io gain maturity, the black ones 

 have more marked properties 16 than the others ; and hence it 

 is, that the wine made from them is not so agreeable. The 

 white grapes, on the other hand, are sweeter, for, being trans- 

 parent, the air penetrates them with greater facility. 



Grapes fresh gathered are productive of flatulency, and dis- 

 turb the stomach and bowels; hence it is that they are avoided 

 in fevers, in large quantities more particularly. Indeed, they 

 are very apt to produce oppression of the head, and to bring on 

 the malady known as lethargy. 17 Grapes which have been 

 gathered, and left to hang for some time, are much less 18 inju- 

 rious, the exposure to the air rendering them beneficial even to 

 the stomach, and refreshing to the patient, as they are slightly 

 cooling, and tend to remove nausea and qualmishness. 



CHAP. 7. VARIOUS KINDS OF PRESERVED GRAPES I ELEVEN 



REMEDIES. 



Grapes which have been preserved in wine or in must are 

 trying to the head. Next to the grapes which have been left 

 to hang in the air, are those which have been kept in chaff; 

 but as to those which have been preserved among grape husks, 

 they are injurious 1S to the head, the bladder, and the stomach, 



15 See B. xii. c. 61. It was prepared from vine-blossoms gathered in 

 Africa. , . ., 



16 This remark is founded, in a great measure, upon fact. Ihe skin ot 

 the black crape contains a colouring principle in considerable abundance, 

 and a small proportion of tannin ; that of the white grape possesses no 

 colouring principle, hut a considerable quantity of tannin. The white 

 grape contains more saccharine matter than the black one, and they are 

 both of them of a laxative nature. 



17 Littre remarks, that under the name of " lethargus, a febrile malady 

 is probably meant, which belongs probably to the class of pseudo- con- 

 tinuous fevers. . . 



18 Fee thinks that in reality there can be little or no difference in their 

 effects, but that, being eaten in larger quantities at the vintage than after- 

 wards, it stands to reason that the result will be different. 



19 The fermentation, producing a certain amount of alcohol, would 

 naturally produce this result. 



