tea. 3og 



low levers, hysteric, hypochondriac, para- 

 lytic, and dropsical, have become more 

 common ; to which green tea has chiefly 

 contributed. 



It is possible that so great a change of 

 living as that of substituting tea for break- 

 fast, instead of malt-drink, may have so 

 changed our constitutions as to produce 

 some of the effects stated by Adair; but, on 

 the other hand, it may be asked, have we 

 not avoided many of the diseases which af- 

 flicted our forefathers ? We hear no more 

 of the leprosy, that scourge of past ages ; 

 and if w r e may judge from the writings of old 

 authors, the stone and gravel is certainly less 

 frequent than formerly. 



Prejudices of opposite natures receive in 

 turn the ephemeral sanction of fashion ; but 

 the true way to appreciate this diet drink, 

 and to ascertain, if it really has enervated 

 the constitutions of Englishmen, and relaxed 

 their physical powers, is to advert to some 

 of the actions of the last war, where athle- 

 tic strength and manly prowess shone alike 

 conspicuous in our armies and marine! And 

 should that prove insufficient, let us ask, if 

 our yeomanry are less vigorous, or the I a- 

 bours of the field worse performed, since the 



