256 SNEEZING. 



their traits, but it is clear that within that time snuff had 

 become a national stimulant. To the observer of men and 

 manners there is something very characteristic in the various 

 fashions in which the pinch of snuff is taken. 4 The exer- 

 cise of the snuff-box,' as it was once termed, was an acknowl- 

 edged science, but few were the great proficients who could 

 mutely express their feelings by its aid. We have not space 

 to run through all its exercise, but we may mention the 

 4 pinch military,' which Frederick, and after him, Napoleon 

 practiced inhaling snuff copiously, and with much waste, as 

 though it were human life they were throwing away ; the 

 'pinch malicious,' of which Pope was perfect master; the 



* pinch dictatorial,' which burly Jonson established; the 



* pinch sublimely contemptuous,' such as Reynolds took 

 when some travelling virtuoso hinted at excellence away 

 from Leicester-square, and ruffled his complacent vanity ; 

 and, above all, the i pinch polite,' which Talleyrand understood 

 so well. 



" From snuff to sneezing is but a step, which we purpose 

 taking before we bring this cursory article to a close. The 

 act of sneezing appears to have been variously regarded at 

 various stages of the world's history, but from the earliest 

 times of which we have any authentic record, it has been 

 the customs of those around to give vent to a short benedic- 

 tion immediately upon its commission. The Bobbins con- 

 sidering themselves bound to find a reason for this universal 

 custom, and being hard pressed, gave the somewhat incom- 

 prehensible explanation that, previous to Jacob, man sneezed 

 but once in his lifetime, and then immediately before death ; 

 so that those around, warned of his imminent journey, 

 hastened to wish it a good termination. How it was that 

 Jacob instituted a new order of things we are not told, but 

 as a proof of the truth of their assertion they give the fact 

 that in all nations of the earth a similar custom will be found 

 existing. 



" Strangely enough this assertion was corroborated by the 

 first colonists of America, who found the habit to be in com- 

 mon use amongst the aboriginal tribes. The Greeks and 

 Romans certainly had a similar habit, but far from attaching 

 any ill-omen to the sneeze they regarded it as of good augury. 

 Thus Catullus assures us that when Cupid upon a memorable 

 occasion sneezed, all : 



4 The little loves that waited by 

 Bowed and blessed the augury. 



