26 THE PHILOSOPHY OF SMOKING. 



THE SMOKING PHILOSOPHER 



His whole amusement was his 

 pipe ; and, as there is a certain in- 

 definable link between smoking and 

 philosophy, my father, by dint of 

 smoking-, had become a philoso- 

 pher. It is no less strange than true that 

 we can puff away our cares with tobacco, 

 when without it they remain an oppres- 

 sive burthen to existence. There is 

 no composing draught like the draught 

 through the tube of a pipe. The savage 

 warriors of North America enjoyed the 

 blessing before we did ; and to the pipe 

 is to be ascribed the wisdom of their 

 councils, and the laconic delivery of their 

 sentiments. It would be well introduced 

 into our own legislative assembly. Ladies, 

 indeed, would no longer peep down 

 through the ventilator ; but we should 

 have more sense and fewer words. It is 

 also to tobacco that is to be ascribed 



