THE MOKAL STATUS OF ALCOHOL. 



I AM about to make some passing remarks upon a spirit 

 which, together with its alliances and associates, occupies a 

 very debatable place in the bead-roll of pneumatology ; inas- 

 much as, despite an acquaintance with it, more or less inti- 

 mate, from the time when Noah planted him a vineyard, 

 grew grapes, made wine, and drinking thereof was gladdened, 

 the public, sitting in committee of full house, hardly know 

 whether to award it a place amongst good spirits or bad ; 

 whether it should stand adjudged a good thing or a thing 

 of evil. 



Seeing that, after a duration of time so long, a diversity of 

 opinion should prevail relative to what may be appropriately 

 called ' the moral status of alcohol,' would the conclusion not 

 seem probable that truth lies in the mean? that alcohol may 

 be a bad thing if badly used a good thing if employed at 

 proper times, in proper quantities, and on proper occasions? 



I am well aware that 110 sort of compromise like this will 

 be admitted by total-abstinence people. I am cognisant that 

 they look on alcohol in every guise it can assume ; in each 

 and every companionship, whether neat or water -diluted, 

 whether associated with sugar and perfume, as in luscious 

 cura9oa, maraschino, or noyeau; whether sparkling with 

 carbonic acid, as in champagne, or laden with the delicate 

 odour of peach-blossoms, as in kirschwasser ; whether wedded 

 in unison with a kindred spirit of exquisite delicacy oenan- 

 thic ether, to wit as we find preeminently in Rheinwein or 

 QEdenberg I am cognisant that under each and every cir- 



