HISTORY OF SUGAR. 143 



guese settlers) in 1641, and from that island were sent to the 

 others. 



But it was not until late that sugar was much used in 

 England. 



No; so late as 146G, the use of sugar in England was con- 

 fined to medicines and feasts, and it was sold in apothecaries' 

 shops. Its scarcity continued until 1580, when it was 

 brought from Brazil to Portugal, and thence to this country. 

 Such is the history of the introduction of sugar. It now only 

 remains to tell you, that the art of extracting the sugar and 

 of refining it, among the Chinese, consisted in obtaining it in 

 its greatest purity under its crystalline form, or sugar-candy. 

 This art was not brought from India with the cane, and, con- 

 sequently, it was some time before a proper mode of prepar- 

 ing it was invented; and the first sugar produced was black, 

 and filled with impurities. At the end of the fifteenth cen- 

 tury, the Venetians introduced the art of sugar refining into 

 Europe. They first imitated the Chinese and purified the 

 coarse sugar of Egypt, by refining it three or four times over 

 and selling it in the shape of candy. They afterwards 

 adopted the use of cones, and sold refined sugar in the 

 foaf.* 



HENRIETTA. 



How is sugar refined? 



MRS. F. 



That, Henrietta, I must leave you to ascertain yourself, 

 and I will point out to you what books to consult on the sub- 

 ject of the manufacture of sugar; its refining, claying, &c.; 

 but, as 1 have often told you, my object in thus conversing 

 with you, is not to save you the trouble of reading, but rather 

 to stimulate you with an additional desire for it; and, there- 



* Sugar refining; was first practised in England in 1544. 



