TEA. 287 



they can well endure. The Chinese boast 

 as much of the excellencey of this infusion, as 

 the alchymists of the virtues of their expected 

 elixir. After the ambassadors had drunk of 

 this Tea, or The, they gave the health of the 

 viceroys, in a glass of Spanish wine ; which 

 pleased them so well," says the relator, " that 

 they forsook and utterly relinquished their 

 own liquor." The Mandarins of that day 

 were certainly men of taste. 



John Nieuhoff, who was secretary to this 

 embassy, notices this vegetable in his General 

 Description of the Empire of China, and says, 

 " China is famous for an herb called Thea, or 

 Cha, and whereof the natives and othei 

 neighbouring people make their drink, called 

 also Thea, or Cha. Of all the places in China, 

 this herb grows fastest, and in greatest abun- 

 dance, in the Province of Nankin, near to the 

 city of Luchen; and indeed the same is only 

 found in China, Siam, and in the island of 

 Japan : the leaves thereof are very like unto 

 those of sumach, and that this is a kind of 

 sumach none need to doubt; however it 

 springs not wild." 



The following extract is from the works of 

 Father Athanasius Kircher, who wrote 4 about 

 the same period, to shew in what estimation 



