THE MORAL STATUS OF ALCOHOL. 337 



resorted to. The statement passes very generally current, 

 that alcohol only admits of being produced as the result of 

 fermenting sugar ; the particular variety of sugar called ' glu- 

 cose/ otherwise grape sugar. The statement is doubly incor- 

 rect. Evidently the fermentation of sugar of milk must be 

 capable of yielding alcohol, otherwise how explain the pro- 

 duction from mares' milk of the Tartar intoxicating drink 

 known as koumiss ? Moreover, in very small quantities, with 

 great trouble, and as a mere chemical curiosity, alcohol may 

 be evolved without the intervention of any sort of sugar ; it 

 may be produced, as a matter of curiosity, from coal gas. 



This curious source of alcohol suggests to my mind the 

 very remarkable way in which great discoveries are sometimes 

 adumbrated by herald shadows which they cast before them. 

 Just as some consummate musician mingles in the overture 

 of an opera small indications of thought and sentiment, to 

 burst upon the ear in the full glory of rhythm and counter- 

 point hereafter; so do we often find that half revelations of 

 some great scientific truth are vouchsafed to mankind years 

 ay, whole centuries it may be before their complete deve- 

 lopment. 



The following is to the point. I claim to have extended 

 to me for my tale the same amount of faith that has been so 

 liberally dispensed to Doctor Newton. Twice since the be- 

 ginning of the present century Plymouth has been honoured 

 by the presence of the Russian fleet : once about 1810, I 

 think at any rate, while Plymouth streets were yet illu- 

 minated by oil-lamps ; a second time, subsequent to the esta- 

 blishment there of gas-lighting. As is usual on the occasion 

 of ships coming into port, the crews were granted absence on 

 shore. An Englishman myself one proud of his country 

 and its institutions, especially the navy I have been in- 

 expressibly pained upon occasions to see the mad pranks 

 committed by British man-of-war Jacks on shore. How in- 

 temperate of drink they are sometimes of language! how 



