BOOK III. CHAP. VI. • SSI 



rendered It much [la] chenper than ever it had been before ; confe- 

 quently the life and conlumption became far more extenfive, particu- 

 larly in London, than in preceding times ; and the vifitations of the 

 plague gradually became lefs frequent, till at length they ceaftd in- 

 tireiy. Thofe medical writers, who have entertained very fang nine 

 cxpeiSlations from new wort in the cure of the fcurvy, feeni nevcr- 

 thelefs to be of opinion, that fugar is equally efficacious ; the lame 

 rcafons which lead to expe£l fuccefs from the one, holding good, in 

 moft eirential circumftances, in regard to the other ; and their opinion 

 is founded on this dodrine, that fuch vegetable fermentable fubrtances 

 arc difcovered, by experiment, to have the power of prcferving animal 

 fluids from corruption, and of even reftoring them after having un- 

 dergone fome degree of putrefadion. 



The hot liquor taken from the iac/je, or laft copper, in the Weft 

 India boiling houfes, during crop, and mixed to a fufficient dilution 

 with water, makes a moft agreeable drink, having fomewhat of the 

 tafte of new wort, but more pleafant; of this both the Negroes. 

 and Whites in general are extremely fond, and it ought to be the 

 principal drink of Europeans newly arrived. From this caufe it 

 happens, that the imported Negroes, purchafed during the crop, are 

 more likely to do well than thofe who are introduced at other times 

 of the year ; for they are freely indulged with a daily allowance of 

 this liquor, and it is found to recover the languid and diftempered, 

 and make them grow fat, fleek, and vigorous. In its operation it is 

 cooling, gently moves the body, and thx-ows any latent acrimony or 

 putrid humour, which may be lurking in the blood and juices, upon 

 the furface of the ikin, as many Europeans experience on drinking it ; 

 but, on perceiving boils, or cutaneous eruptions, about the lips, or 

 other parts of the body, to follow the ufe of this beverage, they ig- 

 norantly fancy, that thefe falutary fymptoms are a real difurder, caufed 

 by fome noxious quality in the liquor ; and fome have difcontinued it 



[iy] When the Portiiguefe fupplied England with fugar, the price of this commodity was 

 from 7 /. to 8 /. fterling fer cwt. a moft exorbitant rate in thofe days. As the Englirti planta- 

 tions increafed, they reduced the price to 3/. and 2!. 10 s.; and, fince that period, to 2/. and 

 1/. loi. per cviU But the merchants were obliged to bring it down as low as even to feven or 

 eight (hillings, before they could force the Portuguefe out of the market. 



7 iot 



