226 



THE SNUFFING PERIOD. 



England during the reign of the House of Brunswick, says : 



"The reigns of the four Georges may be entitled the 

 snuffing period of English history. The practice became an 

 appanage of fashion before 1714, as it has continued after 



1830, to be the comfort 

 of priests, literary men, 

 highlanders, tailors, fac- 

 tory hands, and old peo- 

 ' y //; pie of both sexes. 

 George IY. was a na- 

 sute judge of snuffs, and 

 so enamoured of the 

 delectation, that in each 

 of his palaces he kept a 

 jar chamber, containing 

 a choice assortment of 

 tobacco powder, pre- 

 sided over by a critical 



FOPS TAKING SNUFF. (From an old print}, superintendent. His fa- 

 vorite stimulant in the 



morning was violet Strasburgh, the same which had pre- 

 viously helped Queen Charlotte to * kill the day' after din- 

 ner Garrotte named from his penchant for it. King's 

 Garrotte, Martinique, Etrenne, Gld Paris, Bureau, Cologne, 

 Bordeaux, Havre, Princeza, Rouen, and Rappee, were placed 

 on the table, in as many rich and curious boxes." 



Sterne, in his "Sentimental Journey," gives a pleasing 

 description of snuff-taking with the poor monk. He writes: 

 " The good old monk was within six paces of us, as the 

 idea of him crossed my mind ; and was advancing towards us 

 a little out of the line, as if uncertain whether he should 

 break in upon us or no. He stoop'd, however, as soon as he 

 came up to us with a world of frankness ; and having a horn 

 snuff-box in his hand, he presented it open to me. 



" ' You shall taste mine,' said I, pulling out my box (which 

 was a small tortoise one), and putting it "into his hand. 

 " ' 'Tis most excellent,' said the monk. 

 "'Then do me the favor,' 1 replied 'to accept of the box 

 and all, and when you take a pinch out of it, sometimes 

 recollect it was the peace-offering of a man who once used 

 you unkindly, but not from his heart.' 



"The poor monk blushed as red as scarlet, ( Mon Dieu ?' 

 said he, pressing his hands together, 'you never used ine 

 unkindly.' 



