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POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



himself, and described his drink in such glowing terms that they 

 all begged and implored for their share, and, before Hudson left, 

 they had all become intoxicated. 



In other words, there seems to be a natural craving by man 

 for some drug which shall " drive dull care away/' and, as alcohol 

 possesses this power, it has been used from the earliest ages and 

 is still being used by rich and poor, high and low, civilized and 

 savages, in more or less complete disregard of the evil effects of 

 overindulgence. 



The earliest historical records which have come down to us 

 the sacred classics of China, India, Judea, and Persia all give de- 

 tails about the use and abuse of alcoholic beverages. The Chinese 



EGYPTIAN VINEYARD, WITH EESERVOIB OF WATER. (Wilkinson.) 



made use both of wine from grapes and of a beer made from rice, 

 somewhat like the present saki of Japan ; and, if we can believe 

 their writings, intemperance was not at all confined to the lower 

 classes, but in many instances proved the disgrace and the ruin 

 of the reigning dynasties. 



The Kig-Veda, or sacred books of the ancient Brahmans, give 

 us many details about the Hindu drinking customs, which were, 

 among the upper classes at least, closely connected with their re- 

 ligious observances. The common people drank a variety of beer, 

 known as sura, made from rice, barley, honey, and other ingre- 

 dients. This was cheap and freely used for intoxicating pur- 

 poses, and was, accordingly, in great disrepute among the priest- 

 hood and rulers, who made most stringent rules and regulations 

 against it. But they were full of the praises of the sacred wine, 

 soma, made from the juice of certain plants, which, after fer- 

 mentation, was offered as a libation to their favorite gods, Indra, 

 Vishnu, and others. These deities were supposed to drink soma 

 freely, and to be highly gratified at the resulting intoxication. 

 These exercises were particularly pleasant because it was not 

 necessary, in order to honor the gods, to pour out all the wine 

 upon the altar, but the act of devotion might be equally well per- 



