TEA. 317 



the vessel before the infusion of the tea, is* 

 that, being previously warm, it may abstract 

 less heat from the mixture, and thus admit a 

 more powerful action. It is with equal faci- 

 lity explained why the infusion is stronger, if 

 only a small quantity of boiling water be first 

 used, and more be added sometime after- 

 wards. If we consider that only the water 

 immediately in contact with the herb can act 

 upon it, and that it cools very rapidly, espe- 

 cially in black earthenware, it is clear that 

 the effect will be greater where the heat is 

 kept up by additions of boiling water, than 

 where the vessel is filled up at once, and the 

 fluid suffered gradually to cool. When the 

 infusion has once been completed, it is found 

 that any farther addition of the herb only 

 affords a very small increase of strength, the 

 water having cooled much below the boiling 

 point, and consequently acting very slightly : 

 therefore it is better to make fresh tea in a 

 second vessel, than to add it to the exhausted 

 and cool leaves. 



It is by the application of philosophic 

 principles to the ordinary and even trivial 

 occurrences of life, that science diffuses her 

 benefits, and perfects her claim to the grati- 

 tude of mankind; therefore, if one principle 



