366 GRAPE CULTURE AND 



ford's vineyard at Vina. But I know many hopeful young 

 men, whose parents anxiously guarded them against taking a 

 glass of wine, and forbid its use, who now, when they are no 

 longer controlled by them, are becoming drunkards and sots 

 on bad whiskey and other abominations. It is the old, old 

 story of the "forbidden fruit being the sweetest." 



None of our so called temperance, (rather total abstinence, 

 however, which is far from temperance) can be more averse 

 to drunkenness than I am. I hate drunkenness, and I de- 

 spise and pity its victims more than words can tell. But be- 

 cause I would like to see this great nation a temperate one al- 

 so, I firmly believe that the total abstinence fanatics are 

 wrong, and that only by the moderate use of pure light wine 

 we can ever hope to make it so. Human nature is so con- 

 stituted that it craves a stimulant of some kind to keep up its 

 faculties in the wear and tear of daily business life. This na- 

 tion has more dyspeptics among its business men than any 

 other, England, perhaps, excepted. And why? Because 

 our business men use no moderation; they work until nature 

 is exhausted, then rush off to lunch or supper, swallow a glass 

 of whiskey or brandy hastily at the counter of some bar, and 

 then rush back to their business. Is it not a natural conse- 

 quence of such a life that they feel the need of stimulants, 

 use them at first, find temporary relief and excitement from 

 them, and end by repeating their doses too often, by ruining 

 their stomachs, and go to the grave before their time, or 

 rather at a time, when the business men of other nations be- 

 gin to enjoy life. 



If, instead of this, we had restaurants which were wine 

 houses at the same time, where our business men could ob- 

 tain their meals, take their friends with them, have a choice 

 bottle of wine with their lunch, and take it with and at their 

 meals, when it would help by its pleasant acid and other en- 

 livening qualities to digest it, take at least half an hour for 



