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TEA, or CHA.— TIIEA. 



Natural order, Columniferce. A genus of the 



Polyandria Monogynia class. 



" Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast , 

 Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round, 

 And, while the bubbling and loud hissing urn 

 Throws up a steamy column, and the cups 

 That cheer, but not inebriate, wait on each" — 



(Cow per) 



We '11 write on tea ; — for Waller says, 



" The Muses' friend, tea, does our fancy aid, 

 Repress those vapours which the head invade ; 

 And keeps that palace of the soul serene." 



The tea plant, or shrub, is a native of China. 

 Japan, and Tonquin ; but does not appear to 

 grow spontaneously in other parts of the 

 world. It attains the greatest perfection 

 in the temperate regions about Nankin, 

 although it flourishes in the northern latitude 

 of Pekin, as well as round Canton. It appears 

 to be confined between the ( 20th and 40th 

 degrees of north latitude. 



We do not meet with any account of tea 



