44 ON THE ART OF MAKING WlNt. 



at the same time it produces less injury, either to 

 the flavour of the liquor, or to the health of the 

 consumer. 



The sketch which I have now given of the gene T 

 ral principles of wine making, may possibly suf- 

 fice for the purpose of practice, and enable the 

 the practitioner to guide himself by rules, both 

 more correct and more generally applicable, than 

 the positive ones on which he has hitherto pro- 

 ceeded. I shall now proceed to a cursory exami- 

 nation of the several practices in use in our do- 

 mestic manufacture. The receipt books abound 

 with details, which it is unnecessary for me to 

 examine, as it would be a waste of time to com- 

 ment on manipulations, which have been guided 

 by no principles, of which a great number is 

 manifestly absurd, and of which many others ap- 

 pear incapable of giving results at all resembling 

 wine. I shall content myself with noticing the 

 most prominent errors, and with pointing out 

 those general practices in which the most rational 

 receipts can be made to agree. 



When we read in many of those books of 

 receipts, directions for sulphuring the casks be- 

 fore fermentation ; we must be convinced, that 

 such directions have arisen from an utter con- 

 fusion of ideas on the subject. The same re- 

 mark may be made on another rule, of which 

 the object is equally misapprehended ; the mix- 

 jng of white of egg with the fluid about 



