THE LITTLE TEA BOOK 



animal of the two off to The Boar's 

 Head and The Mermaid, leaving 

 the ladies to their own verbal de- 

 vices. 



Shakespeare, being such a delicate, 

 as well as virile, poet, would have 

 taken to tea as naturally as a bee 

 takes to a rose or honeysuckle ; for 

 the very word " tea" suggests all that 

 is fragrant, and clean, and spotless : 

 linen, silver, china, toast, butter, a 

 charming room with charming wom- 

 en, charmingly gowned, and peach 

 and plum and apple trees, with 

 the scent of roses, just beyond the 

 open, half -curtained windows, look- 

 ing down upon, or over, orchard or 

 garden, as the May or June morning 

 breezes suggest eternal youth, as they 

 fill the room with perfume, tender- 

 ness, love, optimism, and hope in 



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