TEA. 313 



the fire, with the tea inclosed either in a baa 

 or a kind of basket, to prevent an impedi- 

 ment in drawing off the liquor ; and this 

 forms their drink for the day. The water in 

 China is said to be nauseous and unwhole- 

 some, and, without this corrective, to be unfit 

 for the purposes of life. Thus, we see, Pro- 

 vidence has in every instance provided a re- 

 medy for evil. 



The celebrated traveller Kalm observes, 

 that in such long journeys as his, through 

 the deserts in hot countries, where the water 

 is unfit for use and full of insects, tea is al- 

 most as necessary as food, as it relieves a 

 weary traveller more than can be imagined. 

 Dr. Clarke, in his Travels (vol. ii. p. 533), 

 says, " The exhausted traveller, reduced by 

 continual fever, and worn by incessant toil, 

 without a hope of any comfortable repose, 

 experiences in this infusion the most cooling 

 and balsamic virtues ; the heat of his blood 

 abates, his spirits revive, his parched skin 

 relaxes, and his strength is renovated." 



We shall not presume to give our fair 

 countrywomen a receipt for making tea, but 

 lay before them such observations as we have 

 made and met with on the subject. To avoid 

 adulterated tea, it is safest to purchase it of 



